Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: ECHO TORCH

In the dazzling sci-fi short film ECHO TORCH, a inventor perfects a mysterious machine that has the ability to illuminate specters from the past.

Bathed in the machine's cerulean light, the inventor (James Fitzgerald) embarks on an odyssey through the past, encountering entities that are familiar, unearthly, and deeply personal.

ECHO TORCH is the latest flight of fancy from filmmaker Chris Preksta, whose retro-cool sci-fi web series The Mercury Men is an outstanding example of the best the medium has to offer.

With his latest project, Preksta once again demonstrates his uncanny ability to craft compelling speculative narratives using the nostalgia evoked by eras gone by.

Watch ECHO TORCH here ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: CROPPED

Set in England, CROPPED is a sci-fi comedy short film about the truth behind the mysterious phenomenon of crop circles.

The film opens in rural England, where a small group of UFO enthusiasts are touring a verdant field containing a crop circle.

As night falls, the touring company's van breaks down. To make matters worse, the group's frustrated tour guide reveals she isn't a real believer.

Instead, she is an ardent skeptic who scoffs at her clients' belief in extraterrestrials.

Unbeknownst to the arguing group, they are soon to have an encounter that will  reveal the truth behind crop circles once and for all.

Written by Allan McLeod and directed by Chris Thomas, CROPPED is a good-natured comedy that pokes fun at both UFO believers and skeptics alike.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

7 Spooktacular Short Films Fitting For Halloween

As most of us know, Halloween is the holiday for celebrating all the spooky, creepy things that give us goosebumps.

Like Jack O'Lanterns casting spectral gazes over costumed trick-or-treaters, indulging in a marathons of our favorite scary movies has become synonymous with the holiday.

Here at The 7th Matrix, we want to do our part to help make your 2016 All Hallows' Eve extra frightful and fun with our curated list of devilishly delightful short films.

Tombes & Manèges (Tombs & Rides)

Created by the students of the French VXF and animation school ISART Digital, this macabre-yet-sweet 3D-animated short tells the story of a gravedigger working the late shift who creates a charmingly grotesque carnival in order to keep his beloved son entertained.

 

The Woods

Written, produced, and directed by filmmaker Remington Smith, this short takes place deep in a desolate wasteland during the height of winter. There, a mysterious woman goes through extraordinary lengths to survive and take care of a suffering loved one.

 

Closet Space

A couple moving into their new home discover one closet has very ... unusual properties. Written and produced by David. F. Sandberg, whose other creepy short film, Lights Out, was adapted and released theatrically this summer as a major motion picture!

 

Who's There?

Based on actual events,  a man is wakened in the middle of the night by strange noises. Is he just hearing things, or is someone in his house?  Written and directed by Chris LaMont & Joe Russo for indie horror film studio Fun Size Horror.

 

GiverTaker

A disturbed teen uses arcane magic to exact revenge on a trio of girls she feels has wronged her. Written by Peter S. Hall and directed by Paul Gandersman for Arcanum Pictures.

 

LASIURUS

Beginning with the realization the grocery store where he is shopping is completely deserted, one man's solitary evening at home descends into mind-numbing terror.  Directed by Marcus Alqueres.

 

The End

Fleeing from zombies,  a mother and her preteen daughter seek refuge in an abandoned farmhouse. However, the mother soon realizes danger is much closer than they feared. Screenplay by Pia Cook & Tina Smith. Directed by Crash Taylor & Raj Pathak. A Coldwater Canyons Pictures/We Are Heroes Films production.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: ZELOS

Zelos is the provocative sci-fi short film commissioned by  KQED'S Film School Shorts to open its fourth season.

Directed by Thoranna Sigurdardottir, Zelos tells the story of Maria (Erica Piccininni), a woman who appears to have a modern storybook life - devoted husband Mordecai (Michael Ornstein), two exuberant children, and a showplace home.

However, she is feeling overwhelmed by the demands of her personal and professional life, as well the unspoken competition she is engaged in with Ari (Brooke Nevin), a beautiful colleague.

Desperate, Maria decides to purchase an exact genetic clone of herself to help her manage her many responsibilities. She thinks she has found the perfect solution to her problems  - until she realizes she has enabled a nearly perfect rival.

Watch Zelos here (Please note the film contains mature themes and subject matter. It may not be suitable for all viewers)  ...

Like sci-fi series Humans, Black Mirror and Westworld, Zelos shines a scathing light on our increasingly fraught relationship with our technology.

In our quest to "do and have it all," we have turned to revolutionary connective technologies such as smartphones, social media, The Internet Of Things and A.I. virtual assistants to help us achieve the holy grail of optimum productivity.

Despite the promises of greater connection, efficiency and personal freedom made by these technologies, many of us find ourselves ironically feeling more disconnected and over-extended than ever before.

Sci-fi narratives like Zelos are cautionary tales, warning us against the folly of depending on technology alone to foster the connection and complex relationships we need to sustain us.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: Darkwave - Edge Of The Storm

Darkwave: Edge Of The Storm is an example of a sci-fi short film so well-produced, not adapting it into a full-length feature or series would be criminal.

Set 100 years in the future, humanity has begun expanding out into the stars.

On distant planet New Earth-72, Sarah (Nathalie Cox), her husband David (Robin Kirwan), along with their young son Ben (Ben Shahin-Scales), are on the run, fugitives from their government.

During their flight, they stumble upon a defunct communications installation. There, they discover long-held secrets that threaten to alter the course of human history.

Darkwave: Edge Of The Storm boasts exceptional production on every level.

For example, the cinematography and visual effects feel truly cinematic.  They help lend the film a grand sense of scope.

The actors are wonderful too. Their chemistry together feels natural and organic. You soon come to care for this family, and their fate.

The short also features veteran character actor Shane Rimmer (Dr. Strangelove, Batman Begins) in a cameo as Ben's maternal grandfather Captain Anderson.

Watch Darkwave: Edge Of The Storm here ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Horror Short Film Spotlight: 'The Best Of Intentions' - A Father's Vengeful Plan Has Dreadful Consequences

For me, the best horror tales do not involve gratuitous amounts of blood, guts, and gore. Instead, I prefer horror stories that delve into the darkest crevices of the human psyche.

While ghosts, zombies, vampires, and other ghouls that go bump in the night can make for a creepy yarn, nothing compares to the terror inspired by the dark impulses of human beings.

A prime example of this more psychological brand of horror is the Swedish short The Best of Intentions.

This unsettling film is reminiscent of classic psycho-thrillers by the iconic "master of suspense," Alfred Hitchcock.

The short tells the story of  Kjell (starring famed Swedish actor Per Ragnar), a man who believes his disabled daughter is being sexually abused in her assisted care facility by her attendant Jocke (portrayed by Emil T. Jonsson, who also directed).

Furious, Kjell has a dire confrontation with Jocke about his daughter. 

From the first moment Ragnar appears onscreen as Kjell, you sense something is very amiss.  He radiates cold rage and menace that is boiling just beneath the surface of his dignified demeanor.

Jocke notices Kjell's hostility  towards him immediately, which causes the tension between the two men to gradually thicken until it engulfs them like a shroud.

Like a coiled cobra about to strike, you know something terrible and violent will happen.

To reveal more specifics would spoil the plot, but Jonsson manages to masterfully build nail-biting suspense by means of body language and dialogue alone.

When Kjell enacts a chilling plan of revenge, its tragic consequence will haunt him - and you the viewer.

Watch The Best Of Intentions in its entirety below ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: 'Try Catch Throw' - A Scientist Must Be Prevented From Making A Discovery That Could End The Universe

Commissioned by science journal NATURE as part of its celebration of both the 150 years since the birth of author H. G. Wells, and Star Trek's 50th Anniversary, Try Catch Throw is a intriguing sci-fi motion comic.

Written by Andrew Neil Gray, Try Catch Throw tells the story of Marielle, a woman desperate to prevent her computer scientist lover from discovering a secret that could spell the end of the universe.

To aid her quest, Marielle has been given the ability to "reset" time by highly advanced aliens. Frantic, she travels back in time to multiple periods during the course of her courtship, enacting changes that irrevocably alter her timeline, but not her boyfriend's obsession with his reality-shattering hypothesis.

In her final timeline jump that sees the birth of her beloved child, Marielle can not risk another reset, or she will lose her daughter forever.

Out of options, she makes a fateful choice.

Watch the complete motion comic here ...

Nature has also made the motion comic freely available as a digital graphic novel.  Click here to download.

Try Catch Throw is reminiscent of the most compelling episodes of the sci-fi tv classic The Twilight Zone.  

Author Andrew Neil Gray has crafted a story with a heady premise, but grounds it by framing it within an affecting human dilemma.

The artwork and illustrations by Chris Malbon are vivid and highly detailed, with a slight touch of the surreal - a perfect complement to this gripping tale.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: GEAR - A Brave Young Girl Rescues Her Robotic Ally

Set in the back alleys of a near-future metropolis, GEAR is the story of a young street urchin named Mazzy (Charlotte A. White), who embarks on a personal mission to save her only ally - a construction robot named Three.

Written and directed by Kevin R. Adams & Joe Ksander, this sci-fi action short features a mysterious, troubled, highly intelligent, and charismatic teen girl cut from the same cloth as Firefly's River Tam and Dark Matter's Five.

As the short opens, we witness how Mazzy survives out on her own - by pick-pocketing and committing petty theft. 

However, it quickly becomes apparent the young girl is not on a random mini-crime spree, but is actually enacting a brave plan to free her robotic friend from enslavement by a sinister cabal.

Charlotte A. White is completely mesmerizing as Mazzy.  As soon as she appears on screen, you will want to root for this young girl.

White gives a winning performance due to the charisma, intelligence, fire, and raw determination she infuses into her portrayal of Mazzy.

The script by Kevin R. Adams and Joe Ksander immediately pulls you into the story by creating a real sense of intrigue about Mazzy, her robotic companion, and the world they all inhabit.

This is quite an impressive feat given the short film's runtime is just under eight minutes.

Also of note, the short's visual effects are extremely well done. In fact, the cityscapes are very reminiscent of the visuals created in the underrated Steven Spielberg sci-fi thriller Minority Report.

Watch GEAR in its entirety below ...

GEAR is so well done, it left me wanting to know more about young Mazzy and her fascinating world - whether it be in the form of more shorts, a full-length feature, or a series.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: A DROP - A Man Dives Into The Unknown To Escape A Forsaken Megalopolis

A solitary unnamed man (Alex Winters) in the heart of an immense, ruined, and forsaken megalopolis, stands on the ledge of a skyscraper that stretches miles into the sky.

He drops from atop the tower, and falls through a dizzying, dazzling panorama of surreal imagery into the realm of the unknown.

Has the man discovered a hidden portal that offers an escape from his devastated and abandoned metropolis?

Maybe it is a figment of his imagination - a way for his mind to achieve release from unimaginable loneliness and despair?

Or is his dive an act of suicide? 

The sci-fi short film a DROP does not offer any concrete answers. Instead, the events depicted are intentionally left open to your interpretation.

Watch a DROP here ...

What filmmaker Julien Vanhoenacker achieves with a DROP is a compelling dialogue-free narrative that possesses a surprisingly affecting emotional arc.

An arc made possible by Vanhoenacker's vision and adroit use of magnificent visual and CGI effects.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: The 6th World - A Navajo Astronaut Struggles To Save Her Mission To Mars

Here at The 7th Matrix, we are huge proponents of speculative fiction told from the perspectives of marginalized voices.

Narratives from diverse storytellers often possess a richness, depth, and complexity that make stories extremely compelling and dynamic.

The sci-fi short The 6th World is a prime example.

Written and co-produced by Nanobah Becker, The 6th World is part of FUTURESTATES, an initiative of the Independent Television Service (ITVS) that produces narrative short films depicting futures shaped by current social issues.

The short opens aboard a spaceship headed to Mars crewed by Navajo astronaut Commander Tazbah Redhouse (Jeneda Benally), and scientist Dr. Smith (Luis Lopez Aldana).

The night before her mission launches, Commander Redhouse has a disturbing premonition that proves fateful when the mission suffers a critical systems failure en route to the red planet.

Ultimately, Redhouse must rely on her training as well as the traditions of her people to ensure the survival of the mission.

Watch The 6th World in its entirety here ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: EMPSILLNES - An Award Winning Animated Space Saga By Jakub Grygier

Taking over four years to make, Jakub Grygier's sci-fi short film EMPSILLNES is an extraordinary achievement.

The moment the short begins, it becomes clear why it has won awards and accolades. Grygier combines CGI and 3D animation to glorious effect.

EMPSILLNES is GORGEOUS, and its images invoke the beauty and grandeur of our solar system. 

The short's look and narrative is heavily influenced by iconic movies about space such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Sunshine, Interstellar and Gravity.

Also of note, while the short has no dialogue, the beautiful and dramatic musical score by Pawel Gorniak is a superb complement to the film. 

The short opens on a panoramic view of a gargantuan, heavily damaged space station occupied by a lone astronaut.

Racing against time, the astronaut struggles to find a way to return home to the love he has left behind.

Watch and enjoy EMPSILLNES in its entirety here .. 

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Animated Short Film Spotlight: GEIST - A Shipwrecked Fisherman Makes A Frightful Discovery

If you think fantastic animation is only being produced by studio giants like Pixar and Disney, think again.

Smaller independent animation studios are also creating exceptional work. A few notable examples include Mighty Coconut's The OceanMaker and Sintel by the Blender Institute.

GEIST, by Irish studio Great Animation, is another exquisite gem.

The 10-minute short tells the haunting story of an injured, shipwrecked fisherman who washes up on a beach during a stormy night.

Seeking aid, he comes across a mysterious cottage.  

Upon gaining entry, he finds the cottage seemingly unoccupied. However, the fisherman soon discovers the house holds a dark and awful secret.

Watch GEIST in its entirety below...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.