The Oscar’s generally look over Horror films unless you are Silence of the Lambs. With Hannibal Lector as the only representation of horror at the oscars, the ceremony itself is just uninteresting to most fans of horror. Well this year there is a shot and ray of hope for all horror fans alike.
“Night of the Slasher“ is an independent horror short film currently screening in two Oscar Contention Competitions. The two festivals are St. Louis International Film Festival and the Foyle Film Festival in Ireland. If it wins Best Narrative Short at the festivals, the short film becomes eligible for an Oscar nomination. We Are Indie Horror, had the pleasure of viewing this short film, which we have been following for a few months now. After seeing it our fingers are crossed to this film representing the indie horror world at the Oscars. It is a clever stylistic breaking down of the slasher genre. In 11 minutes director and writer Shant Hamassian tells a full slasher style story while breaking the fourth walls in a Birdman technique one-shot. With the killer created for this short, let’s just say, Michael Meyers would have him as a right hand man (Remember No Spoilers Here). The short it self and the cast and crew involved have already won multiple awards from a variety of festivals.
Henry Selick (Director of Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline) saw the film at the Telluride Horror Show and said, “I really loved ‘Night of the Slasher’! It’s smart, clever, and funny!”
Night of the Slasher is a ‘shot-in-one-take’ film about a teenage girl who must commit horror movie sins by drinking alcohol, doing drugs, and having sex in order to lure a masked killer and exact revenge.
Director Shant Hammassian sent in a statement about the short film and why he made it. He states “I wanted to write a slasher film where on the surface, it is a self-referential genre film, however there is a deeper meaning behind everything we see and how we are all connected to this genre as a culture. I chose to write this film on a deep and personal level because I personally had to deal with a traumatic moment in my life. Making this film was an exploration on how to cope with those painful memories and to tell a story on how to not let the past control our lives. In the end, a great slasher film reflects the killer as a state of mind.”,
Over the past year, this little short film has been making waves through the film festival circuit. World premiering at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea, the short has gone on to be nominated for 28 awards. Out of those 28, they have won 15 different awards including Best Short, Best Actress, and Best Cinematography.
Starring Lily Berlina (the Slasher girl), Scott Javore (the Bait), and Adam Lesar (the Killer), Night of the Slasher is written and directed by Shant Hamassian, produced by Adam Lesar, Eve Constance, and Shant Hamassian. Cinematography by Eli Tahan, Visual FX by Alessandro Schiassi & Michaelangelo Frisoni, and Music by Simon Michel.
To find out more about Night of the Slasher, full list of awards, and its tour calendar, please check the official website www.nightoftheslasher.com. Be sure to follow on twitter at www.twitter.com/tonightiskiller and of course give the page a like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nightoftheslasher. Check out the trailer below and let us know how excited you are for this creative and unique short slasher film. Stay tuned to We Are Indie Horror for an exclusive interview the director himself and all the latest information on a possible indie horror representation at The Oscars.
