TGIF! The Horror Of Being Emily likes to start the weekend off right by featuring one spooky short film each week. Watch late at night with the lights turned down low to maximize the scary atmosphere. Grab your popcorn and enjoy!
Since my days curating ScareLA’s screening room, I have loved watching creative films from around the world. Short films are a wonderful way to start out as a filmmaker and demonstrate a proof of concept for longer works. It is much harder than you’d think to convey a coherent story in a short amount of time! I hope you enjoy this curated selection of the best fantastic horror, science fiction, and fantasy the internet has to offer.
Want to binge more? Check out all my past Film Friday entries.
Fans of horror animation will love this week’s entry: Death and the Winemaker. Written and directed by Victor Jaquier, this short was based on an old tale from the Swiss region of Valais. Featuring watercolor backgrounds and darkly whimsical characters, viewers are pulled into the fantastically macabre world from the very first few seconds. Be forewarned, that this is not the most uplifting film I have presented to you here in this blog, however, its beautiful story of misguided acts for love and eventual understanding will stick with you long after the film’s seventeen minutes have passed.
I love fairytales and films set in whimsical interpretations of the past. Jaquier crafts a beautiful depiction of Death (“La Mort”), highlighting both the fear and beauty that lie within her embrace. Man’s feeble attempts to outsmart their inevitable fate have dire consequences that can affect far more than an individual can realize. Take heed from the young winemaker’s mistakes and accept that which cannot be avoided.
Released in 2021, this film had a successful film festival run, screening at Fransasia, Fantastic Fest, Filmquest, and over 40 other events. It has since been posted on ALTER’s youtube channel. ALTER describes itself as “an ever-expanding platform for the most daring storytellers in the world of horror”.
A young winemaker creates a wine so exquisite, that even Death demands to taste it. As he learns the awful truth about his beloved’s fate, he captures Death in a barrel, ignoring the consequences on the natural order of things.
Want to learn more about Death and the Winemaker, and Victor Jaquier? Jaquier released a behind-the-scenes video chronicling the making of the short. In it he describes his filmmaking process – from unearthing a long-forgotten Swiss tale to working with a talented team of actors, animators, and live symphony. See rough sketches, animation reference videos, and the voice-over actors recording their lines. Gain even more insight into the process through a 2023 interview Jaquier had with Ramin Zahed of Animation Magazine.
Stay up to date with the latest news and announcements from Victor Jaquier on his website and Instagram. Click here for Death and the Winemaker’s official website.
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