Screamfest LA – Void and Bad Mistake [Festivals]

Horror is an interesting genre. It runs the gamut from blood-splattering, machete-wielding maniacs to creepy thrillers that sneak up on you. Today we are reviewing two very different films that are horror by definition, perhaps, but something else in spirit. The first is Void, a supernatural thriller written and directed by Meredith Berg as part of the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women. The second is the Belgian short Bad Mistake, directed by Xavier Hibon.

If horror films interest you, be sure to check out the Screamfest LA festival Check out the Web site www.screamfestla.com for showtimes and tickets.

Void promotional poster.

Void

In a small desert town, FBI Special Agent Liz Metera (Jennifer Christopher) is investigating a series of gruesome deaths. Her job is made more difficult by the fact that the bodies seem to be torn apart by an animal — something monstrous. As she begins to piece together the evidence of the latest death, she meets a young boy named Avery (Michael Len). His ill-tempered father may have information about how the victims met their unpleasant fate.

At first glance, Void seems like a cast-off episode of The X-Files. An attractive FBI agent, sans Mulder, is investigating unnatural deaths. She seems well-educated, and doesn’t flinch when she sees the remains of the body. But Agent Metera is more nurturing, more motherly, than Scully could ever be. Her fascination with Avery comes across as natural, not forced for the sake of story. Meredith Berg does a wonderful job of drawing the audience into a place that is both familiar and strange.

Sophie (Anne Gaelle Ponche) faces her fears in the short film Bad Mistake.

Bad Mistake (Mauvaise Erreur)

Sophie (Anne Gaelle Ponche) and her friends like to watch scary movies every Friday night. But Sophie is a bit jaded and doesn’t seem to find anything scary anymore. Then, one night, she is mistakenly kidnapped by masked men. The situation turns sour when the leader realizes that she is not the right woman. And so Sophie must now deal with the horror of her pending death — and see if she has what it takes to survive.

Bad Mistake is a fun short film. In a brief seven minutes, director Xavier Hibon manages to tell a good story quickly. Like a well told joke or fable, it sets up the story, establishes characters, and delivers the turn. When it’s over, the audience is shocked, and then comes to a realization of what has happened. It pays off generously.