The Best Horror Shorts Of The Last Three Years

It’s not October yet but these Horror shorts still gave us the creeps. They’ve won awards, triggered nightmares, and made us check under the bed more than once. Don’t believe it? Below are our top ten favorites.

Watch for yourself.

Wandering Soul

Logline: During the Vietnam War, a Viet Cong soldier stationed in the claustrophobic Cu Chi tunnels are haunted by the ghost of a fallen comrade.

This unsettling short lives with you after the credits roll. That special trait along with its historical setting/insight made Wandering Soul (2019) an easy addition to this list.

Childer

Logline: An introverted mother’s worst fears are amplified when she is seemingly stalked by the feral children living in the woods surrounding her home.

At a full seventeen minutes, Childer (2019) is an unsettling and gripping film that executes classic horror elements through a disturbed lens, making it one of our personal favorites.

The iMom

Logline: “The iMom” explores the future of A.I. and asks who is to blame when technology turns on us.

The iMom, a ‘Ex-Machina’ esque gem swiftly brings us into it’s cold yet colorful world. Like a lot of great sci-fi it ultimately tells us something about ourselves; And when the iMom tells it, you better listen.

2AM

Logline: Alex awakens in his quarters to find a white rabbit beside his bed who then suddenly hops through a closed door. Scared and fascinated, he follows the rabbit.

Somewhere between a bad trip and a video game you can’t escape from, 2AM (2018) is a thrilling playthrough of a disturbed world.

SALT

Logline: A woman must confront the monsters in her home to save her sick daughter.

Salt (2019) packs a horror-filled punch in its only two minutes of runtime. The effects are great, the scenario heart-thumping, and it’s one It’s we wish we can have more time!

The Birch

Logline: A bullied schoolboy takes drastic measures against his tormentor.

The Birch (2017) is concise, complete, rewarding, teaches us a lesson on bullying, and might receive our gold medal for the best monster on this list. If the thumbnail is any indicator, watch with caution!

Backstroke

Logline: Two runaway teens steal a car with dreams of heading down to Florida, but things take a dark turn after a dangerous game.

Backstroke (2019) is another one of our favorites on the list. Its shifts of tone in such a short time without getting outside of itself or feeling forced are impressive and it’s one we wish we had more time with!

Floor 9.5

Logline: A woman gets stuck on floor 9.5. A floor that’s great to get on, but dreadful to get off.

Only two minutes and not a millisecond of dread wasted. (2018)

Dawn of the Deaf

Logline: When a strange sound wipes out the hearing population, a small group of Deaf people must band together to survive.

Possibly the best overall horror short on this list, Dawn of the Deaf (2017) is an official Sundance selection, has complete character arcs, and truly horrific (no pun intended) and creepy s*** happens throughout. Dawn of the Deaf easily made our list.

Special Day

Logline: Everyone gets to make a wish on their birthday.

Special Day (2019) is one of the shorts that’ll make you pause it halfway through and make sure you’re alone before it ends. It has great scares, is wholly unnerving, and it rounds out our list of the best horror shorts in the last three years.

These are our top horror short films of the last three years. Did they have you spooked? Inspired? Think you can write one better? Then great! The Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition is accepting entries now through December 15th. Check us out on Coverfly, Filmfreeway or ISA for more information. And if you need screenwriting advice, look no further than The Screenwriters Network, an incredible resource for screenwriters.

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