In a run-down part of town stands a small theater, owned by an eccentric old man. His spectacle The Mechanical Dancer is a sight to behold, although it has seen better days.
The Mechanical Dancer is a beautiful animated horror short, inspired by German Expressionism and particularly The Cabinet of Dr Caligari.
Director: Jenna Jaillet
Writer: Jenna Jaillet, Josh Jaillet
Country & year: USA, 2021
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt14223664/
A curious girl investigates the cries she hears coming from a forbidden house across the street.
Opal by Jack Stauber is a creepy and impactful animated horror short that features serious themes of child abuse, neglect, trauma, escapism, and coping. The film uses heavy symbolism while portraying its themes, and makes for an unsettling experience.
Director: Jack Stauber
Writer: Jack Stauber
Country & year: USA, 2020
Actors: Jack Stauber
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt13362084/
A young boy named Cailen with a broken camera is visited by a sleep fairy called the Cipsneed, but he’s never heard of a sleep fairy.
The Kid and the Camera is a creepy and strange animated horror short that is quite eerie, even though it may look very innocent at first glance…
Director: Braiden Ortiz
Writer: Braiden Ortiz
Year: 2023
Actors: Richard Stibbard
While babysitting her newborn sister, a young astronomer struggles with a dark thought after encountering something eerie in the night sky.
This Dark Thought is an atmospheric animated horror short about sometimes having dark thoughts we’re not supposed to have.
Director: Kris Theorin, Kurtis Theorin
Writer: Kris Theorin, Kurtis Theorin
Country & year: USA, 2019
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt10909092/
In a fairy tale world, a winemaker creates the most exquisite wine in the world. When Death herself wants to taste the wine, he discovers that his bride is next on Death list.
Death and the Winemaker (Le vigneron et la mort) is very atmospheric dark/gothic fairytale with beautiful animation.
Director: Victor Jaquier
Writer: Victor Jaquier, Damien Mazza
Country & year: Switzerland, 2021
Actors: Kacey Mottet Klein, Virginie Meisterhans, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Jacques Roman, Séverine Bujard, Stephanie Schneider, Marie-Claire Dubois
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt7227252/
A family’s new rescue pup is terrorized by deceased pets in this mind-bending horror.
Ghost Dogs is a truly weird animated horror short where we witness a ghost story seen from an innocent puppy’s perspective. It is atmospheric and slightly surreal, with usage of liminal spaces and occult symbols. And of course, the strange feeling of watching the puppy who only seems threatened by the robot vacuum cleaner, oblivious to everything else that happens around him..
Director: Joe Cappa
Writer: Joe Cappa, J.W. Hallford
Country & year: USA, 2021
Cast: Joe Cappa, J.W. Hallford, Sean Dugan, Olivia Carmel
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt13795964/
The mother goat rescues her little goats from the wolf’s belly. But, she can’t find Toruku, her eldest son! Where is Toruku?!
My Little Goat is the master graduation short animated film by Tomoki Misato, and it’s a dark and disturbing tale. The story is a modern retelling of the popular Grimm’s fairytale The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats, with a particularly dark twist to it.
Director: Tomoki Misato
Writer: Tomoki Misato
Country & year: Japan, 2018
Voice Actors: Aimi Fukuhara, Mizuho Misato, Tomoki Misato, Kaori Yamashita
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt8463148/
Two kids visit an ice cream truck and discover a dark secret.
Who’s Hungry is an animated horror short that is definitely not for little children!
Director: David Ochs
Country & year: USA, 2009
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt7245360/
Ranger Megan Patel loses her brother Daniel, under mysterious circumstances. Struggling to understand how he died, she finds herself alone, venturing into the vast pine forest. However, as she follows the trail of her brother into the woods, the trees begin to change and shift around her. Soon Megan arrives in places without any recollection of how she got there. Almost as if something is pulling her deeper into the woods. Something dark and dangerous, that Megan might not be able to escape.
100,000 Acres of Pine (aka Hvor træerne blokerer for lyset) is a well crafted animated horror short.
Director: Jennifer Alice Wright
Country & year: Denmark, 2020
Actors: Sarah Airriess, Jericca Cleland, Kirk Johnson, Lawrence Marvit, Tobias Taastrøm
IMDb: www.imdb.com/title/tt13065942/
A lonely Inn becomes a setting for survival against a monstrous visitor.
Pleasant Inn is an animated horror short, both directed and animated by David Romero. Make sure to check out his channel for more of his work, this guy has a lot of awesome stuff!
Director: David Romero
Country & year: USA, 2019
