Ghoulishly Good Grimmfest TV: 10 Brilliant Horror Short Films to Stream Now

Sometimes a feature film can feel like a time commitment, so why not check out a few short films instead? Grimmfest TV recently launched on YouTube offering a selection of its festival programming for free. I’ve compiled a list of my ten favourite short horror films available to stream right now.

We Summoned a Demon (5:59)

Synopsis: They just wanted to be cool. Instead, they got a demon.

An 80’s inspired horror comedy that isn’t afraid to splatter the screen with gore. This hapless pair may have just found the worst way to become ‘cooler’.

Directed by Chris McInroy.

The Dollmaker (10:08)

Synopsis: A grieving mother latches on to a magical surrogate for her lost child. But small miracles come with big consequences.

Grief can make people do strange things, like creating a replacement for their lost one. With Coraline style button eyes the visuals of the doll child are creepy enough without the twists and turns that follow.

Directed by: Al Lougher

Bedtime Story (9:48)

Synopsis: Two young brothers, who, after hearing their Mother’s haunting bedtime story, are terrorized when it comes to life.

Fairy tales and horror go together like spaghetti and meatballs and this Spanish short is no exception. Atmospheric and creepy with a beautiful score this is one story not to watch before bed.

Directed by Lucas Paulino & Ángel Torres

The Cabinet (3:06)

Synopsis: What happens when the bathroom cabinet you just bought reveals an unearthly fault.

The Cabinet is a simple and effective horror short that doesn’t take itself too seriously and has just the right tone of awkward British humour. It plays on typical horror tropes and keeps its wits until the very end.

Directed by Thomas Nelstrop

Hada (9:02)

Synopsis: Tonight Hada comes to visit Daniel because his last child tooth has fallen out. What Daniel doesn’t expect is that his worst enemy is the light.

Usually a visit from the tooth fairy is welcomed with glee, but not this one. Hada is a terrifying creature that nobody wants crawling beneath their covers. Expect a few jumps while watching this one.

Directed by Tony Morales

Loom (32:37)

Synopsis: In the Autumn of 1978 two young lovers, Adam and Shelly, go on a weekend getaway trip. As they cozy up to the fire they are interrupted by a group of playful backwoods locals who unexpectedly turn menacing and violent. Soon, their camping trip turns into a fight for survival causing Adam and Shelly to show their true curses and release the bloodthirsty beasts within. Run like hell, fight like hell, but most importantly howl like hell.

Loom throws back to the 70’s with a nostalgic aesthetic and some great soundtrack choices before diving into b-movie horror territory. With a play upon the ‘angry hicks’ trope and some brilliant visual effects this short knows what its sources are and pays great homage to them.

Directed by Kevin Rothlisberger

Born Again (6:59)

Synopsis: When five bumbling Satanists have their summoning ceremony go horribly right, they’re left to deal with the decidedly holy shit consequences.

The leads of Born Again may very well be the worst Satanists ever! This horror comedy combines belly laughs with gut busting gore and climaxes with a playful punch line.

Directed by Jason Tostevin

Conductor (6:43)

Synopsis: Alexis, a sound engineer, helps an aspiring musician, Josh, win the drum machine of his dreams in a competition in a mall. She mentors him and helps him find his groove to compose the winning beat. Once he submits his creation, it triggers a chain reaction revealing the competition booth to be a gruesome contraption. Through Josh’ beat and a horrific death, Alexis’ creative design comes to fruition directing the macabre music she envisioned.

Conductor starts off very unassuming but revs up to a climax that could put Saw and Hostel to shame. With incredible pacing, a brilliantly talented cast and some special effects that will have your toes curling this is one intense splatter fest.

Directed by Alex Noyer

Under the Apple Tree (18:49)

Synopsis: Under The Apple Tree is an animated stop motion horror comedy about worms, apples and death. But also a film about family troubles. A film with a heart, although it might not be beating any more.

Under the Apple Tree utilises gothic stop motion animation to tell a chilling story about family, death and worms. This whimsical story is punctuated with rhyming dialogue that is beautifully written and delivered with the style of a children’s book…although I wouldn’t suggest a full family viewing of this one.

Directed by Erik Van Schaaik

The Call of Charlie (14:29)

Synopsis: A trendy Los Angeles couple sets up a blind date for two of their friends, one of whom is an ancient evil deity vibrating with pure malice. Unfortunately, on the evening of the rendezvous, two interlopers unexpectedly arrive at dinner to make the situation all the more awkward.

Blind dates can be a little awkward. Even worse when two uninvited guests turn up and act like dating an evil deity is a bad choice! A macabre dark comedy that clearly takes influence from H.P Lovecraft.

Directed by Nick Spooner

Honourable Mention: Muffin Man (2:22)

So this one is a trailer style short film and coming in at just over two minutes so is well worth the time! How well do you really know the Muffin Man? Directed by Etahn Blum