Shorts @ PÖFF

Night Cinema: HÕFF@Shorts

Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020
Programme
Night Cinema, Shorts Alternatives

In April every year, it is tradition that the Estonian town of Haapsalu plays host to HÕFF – the Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival. But, with 2020 being what it is, this year the whole of Estonia got to partake of some scary movies with the programme moving online.

Now audiences will get the chance to see a selection of some of the finest scary shorts screened during the festival, an opportunity to be scared and thrilled in equal measure.

HÕFF is a member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation, an organisation dedicated to celebrating and supporting genre film of European origin. The Federation annually awards a Méliès d'or prize for the best European fantastic feature film and short film.

Films

Baltic premiere

The Haunted Swordsman

Local title
Piinatud mõõgamees
Director
Kevin McTurk
Country
USA
Year
2019
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020

In this handcrafted epic puppet film set in a world of demons and ghosts, a lone samurai and his odd companion, a cursed severed head, seek vengeance in a haunted world.

Director
Kevin McTurk
Runtime

Exit

Local title
Väljapääs
Director
Ivan Basov
Country
Russian Federation
Year
2020
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020

A trio of construction workers discovers an impossible spatial anomaly in the house they're renovating: a regular closet has turned into a hallway into the darkest unknown. Led by its foreman, who isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, the team decides to brave the anomaly on their own: a choice that spirals the status quo out of control and straight into the realm of the bizarre.

Director
Ivan Basov
Runtime

Snowflakes

Local title
Lumehelbekesed
Director
Faye Jackson
Country
United Kingdom
Year
2019
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020

Esther and Miriam are being forcibly deported from the UK to Jamaica, when there's an outbreak of a deadly virus that makes you feel calm and only kills white people.

Director
Faye Jackson
Runtime

Baltic premiere

Smiles

Local title
Naeratused
Director
Javier Chavanel
Country
Spain
Year
2019
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020

Borja is about to meet his girlfriend´s parents. This is meant to be a tricky moment and even awkward. However, he hasn´t even imagined what he´s going to suffer next. The best way to overcome the situation: to give smile and wait

Director
Javier Chavanel
Runtime

Downs of the Dead

Local title
Downid ja surnud
Director
Even Husby Grødahl
Country
Norway
Year
2019
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020

You wouldn't wanna be stuck at work when the Zombie Apocalypse breaks out. Especially if you work at a housing for the mentally challenged. When the zombie- apocalypse breaks out at “Soltoppen” housing for the mentally challenged it’s up to nurse Morten and resident Arvid to save them.

Director
Even Husby Grødahl
Runtime