Here are my thoughts on the pre-screening shorts from the 2018 Blood in the Snow Film Festival.
Devil’s Due
The Devil has a message for the people of the world. The ultimate message being given in Devil’s Due is that it’s quite difficult to avoid that many evils in the world, to the point that The Devil doesn’t really need to do much heavy lifting. It’s a bit of a cynical message, but it’s done here in a darkly humorous fashion.
[usr=4]God’s Madmen
A police detective visits the man responsible for a series of kidnappings. Probably the most interesting aspect of God’s Madmen is that it turns out to be heavily influenced by a certain classic piece of horror literature, except with a more modern twist.
[usr=4]To Catch a Mouse
A thief becomes victim to revenge of the most twisted fashion. To Catch a Mouse is a short that delves quite a bit into the realm of S&M horror, so fans of the early films of Takashi Miike might find a lot to like about this one.
[usr=4]The Devil You Know
A woman becomes fed up with her sister’s extracurricular activities. The Devil You Know is a short film that puts a dark twist on a typical sibling rivalry. The short features some real sisterly bonding, while also having a very macabre plot.
[usr=3.5]The Holy Tank
A couple looking for gas have to participate in a life or death game of table soccer. The Holy Tank is a very 1980s-influenced short film, featuring both a video game aesthetic and even a De Lorean. This is quite well made short that makes the most of its somewhat ridiculous premise.
[usr=4]Nepenthes
A woman goes to meet a blind date named Venus, but there is something strange about the house she enters. It takes a second to clue into what exactly is happening in Nepenthes, but it turns out to be a quite clever short about the dangers of online dating.
[usr=4]A Fistful of Molars
After realizes that she can make money from the tooth fairy, a young girl decides to make a business of it. A Firstful of Molars is a film that is both cute and macabre, with a very dark twist towards in the end. I also have to note that the tooth fairy of this film is very generous, giving $5 for a single tooth.
[usr=4]Idée Fixe
A man goes to recover a woman who has been taken, though the lines between hero and villain is blurred. Idée Fixe refers to a term that fixed idea that dominates the mind. That pretty much describes the plot of this short film, which builds up to a surprising reveal at the end.
[usr=4]Penny Whistle
A young girl digs up a whistle that causes a ghostly figure to follow her around. Penny Whistle is a short film that shows that so much can be done with so little, especially considering that this film was made with a crew of only two people.
[usr=3.5]Fireweeds
A woman tries to survive in the snow. Fireweeds is a film that tells much of its story through narration by the central character, with it also featuring a fight scenes with what I can only describe as “snow ninjas.” It’s a decent short, despite not really having too much depth to it.
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