10 Horror Short Films to Watch This Halloween

Horror works brilliantly short. There's no time for a slow first act, so a good horror short gets under your skin in a few minutes and then leaves you with it. Here are ten horror short films from the independent filmmakers on The Short Film Show, made in nine countries, from four-minute scares to a twenty-minute ghost tour. Most are under fifteen minutes, so you can watch several in one sitting.

Quick scares (under 10 minutes)

TINKLE

United States, 4 minutes. Directed by Davis Knocke.

Two brothers, Derian and Charlie, are snuggled up like every other night. When Derian has a nightmare, he walks Charlie through it, and the things he dreamed start to become real.

Embrace from the Abyss

Estonia and the Netherlands, 6 minutes. Directed by Shara Arus.

A young scientist who has been working on a suspicious egg is on the run from monsters, outside and inside her head, while a black abyss follows her every move.

The Outsider

Romania, 6 minutes. Directed by Miruna Stanciu.

A late evening meditation turns into a horrifying premonition. And she is not alone.

Nightwalker

Germany, 7 minutes. Directed by Christian Skibinski.

A man walks into his kitchen in the middle of the night, and bad things start to happen. Proof that the scariest room in the house is the one you know best.

UNSEEN.

United Kingdom, 7 minutes. Directed by Archie Parker.

A man has been hiding a strange creature from his partner. When he finally shows her, he begins to disappear before her eyes.

Return to Elenore

Australia, 8 minutes. Directed by Peter Renzullo.

The leader of a sinister cult returns to the house where his follower Elenore was killed. Her vengeful presence now haunts the town, and he brings in a renowned exorcist to end it.

Something longer

monster

China, 11 minutes. Directed by Zhi Qiao.

A mother tries to protect her daughter, already infected by a zombie virus, while the walking dead close in around them.

Victimized!

Canada, 12 minutes. Directed by Morgan Hopko.

For when you want a laugh with your horror. When Billy finds out their roommate hates their favourite movie, Billy plans the roommate's death. Badly.

False Lucidity

United States, 14 minutes. Directed by Joshua Dewoody.

A troubled young woman escapes into increasingly vivid dreams, until memories, guilt and fear take on a life of their own and she can no longer tell what's real.

Niagara's 13 Ghosts

Canada, 20 minutes. Directed by Peter Sacco.

A documentary for ghost-story lovers. Dr. Peter Sacco tours thirteen chilling stories from one of the most haunted regions in Canada, based on his book Niagara's Most Haunted.

More horror, and how to watch

There's more in the horror collection, and new films are added as they're selected. You can watch in your browser or in the iOS and Android apps. With a free account you can watch up to 30 minutes a month with ads, or go ad-free for £5.99 a month. See The Ad-Free Tier and Viewing Limits for the details.

If you enjoyed one, the best thing you can do for the filmmaker is share their film page with a friend who likes horror.

Made a horror short yourself? Read Where to Submit Your Short Film.