Indie
Watch ’80s-Inspired Short ‘Mr. Dentonn’ [Exclusive Premiere]
Back at the inaugural year of Columbus’ Nightmares Film Festival in 2016, I had the pleasure of catching Spanish filmmaker Ivan Villamel‘s horror short, Mr. Dentonn, on the big screen. A throwback to the classic genre cinema of the 1980s, the short offered up a striking and mysterious new horror fiend with an intriguing mythology behind him. A year and a half later, the short’s mark is still felt and I’m glad to finally be able to present its online premiere here on Bloody Disgusting! Without further adieu, meet Mr. Dentonn…
“On a cold winter night, Laura reads her brother David the story of a strange creature that attacks children. Suddenly, a shiver runs Laura’s body, feeling a strange presence in the house. It’s him.”
Villamel definitely checks off a lot of my favorite things about ’80s horror here. 9 minutes often doesn’t give a filmmaker a whole lot of time to make a big impression, but this one works for me in spades. It was announced back in the fall that he and the producers are looking to expand the short into a feature film. Here’s hoping that he succeeds. I’d love to see where he’d take his creation with a wider canvas to paint his horrors upon.
“Mr.Dentonn”, directed by Ivan Villamel, produced by Harmonica Films & Mordisco Films, and played by Irene Aguilar, Kaiet Rodriguez and Ander Pardo, has broken records in its genre, becoming the most awarded and selected horror short film of all time worldwide, with 500 official selections and more than 120 international awards, in addition to more than 1200 award nominations and 1500 screenings around the world. “Mr.Dentonn” is a tribute to the fantastic cinema of the 80’s, a game of references that wants to transport a whole generation to the same sensations they had when they were children. The short film is influenced by the first films of John Carpenter, filmmaker who admire its creators, and the films of the Amblin factory. Uses the classic figure of the boogeyman to show to the audience a very original version of the myth, making him a thief of souls. A small 10-minute film, for all ages, evocative and imaginative. Its creators are already working to find funding for the feature film project of “Dentonn”, where it could fully develop the mythology of the character.
Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.
The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:
“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.
“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.
“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.
“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”
Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.
To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.
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