SXSW unveils Midnighters, shorts

The Midnighters selections comprise eight world premieres and US premiere and one film that previously screened at Sundance. Magnolia Pictures has acquired US rights to one of the films, Stage Fright. See separate story.

The 113 shorts were chosen from a record 4,249 submissions, representing an increase of 19% over 2013.

MIDNIGHTERS
All synopses provided by the festival. World premiere unless marked otherwise.

13 Sins (pictured), dir Daniel Stamm
A cryptic phone call sets off a dangerous game of risks for Elliot, a down-on-his luck salesman. The game promises increasing rewards for completing 13 tasks, each more sinister than the last.
Cast: Mark Webber, Rutina Wesley, Devon Graye, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Richard Burgi, Tom Bower, Ron Perlman

Among The Living (France), dirs Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo
After horror favourites Inside and Livid, Maury and Bustillo pair up again for a horror-thriller at the cross roads between Stand By Me and Friday The 13th.
Cast: Anne Marivin, Béatrice Dalle, Francis Renaud, Fabien Jegoudez, Nicolas Giraud

Exists, dir Eduardo Sánchez
Five friends on a camping weekend in the remote woods of East Texas struggle to survive against a legendary beast that is stronger, smarter and more terrifying than they would have ever believed exists.
Cast: Chris Osborn, Dora Madison Burge, Roger Edwards, Denise Williamson, Samuel Davis

The Guest, dir Adam Wingard
A soldier on leave befriends the family of a fallen comrade, only to become a threat to all around him when it’s revealed he’s hiding dangerous secrets from his past.
Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Sheila Kelley (Premiered at Sundance)

Home, dir Nicholas McCarthy
When a realtor is asked to sell a vacant home, she and her sister cross paths with its previous tenant: a teenage girl who sold her soul to the devil.
Cast: Naya Rivera, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Ashley Rickards, Wyatt Russell, Ava Acres

Honeymoon, dir Leigh Janiak
Young newlyweds find their honeymoon spiraling mysteriously into chaos.
Cast: Rose Leslie, Harry Treadaway, Ben Huber, Hanna Brown

Late Phases, dir Adrián García Bogliano
When deadly attacks from the forests beset a secluded retirement community, it is up to a grizzled veteran to figure what the residents are hiding.
Cast: Nick Damici, Ethan Embry, Erin Cummings, Tom Noonan, Lance Guest

Oculus, dir Mike Flanagan
As children, two siblings witnessed their parents’ harrowing descent into madness and death. Now, as adults, they reunite to expose and destroy the supernatural entity responsible: the Lasser Glass – a legendary mirror their parents owned.
Cast: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Rory Cochrane, James Lafferty, Katee Sackhoff (US Premiere)

Stage Fright, dir Jerome Sable
Stage Fright tells the story of a snobby musical theater camp terrorised by a bloodthirsty masked killer who despises musical theatre. Scream meets Glee in this genre-bending R-rated horror-musical.
Cast: Allie MacDonald, Douglas Smith, Brandon Uranowitz, Kent Nolan, Melanie Leishman

Starry Eyes, dirs Dennis Widmyer, Kevin Kolsch
In the city of dreams, a desperate actress will do whatever it takes for the role of a lifetime… no matter what the cost.
Cast: Alexandra Essoe, Amanda Fuller, Fabianne Therese, Noah Segan, Shane Coffey.

For the full shorts line-up visit the official website.