QFFU x Hoogt: Queer Horror Shorts (sold out)

What terrifies who, and why?

Fans of the genre will not be surprised to learn that horror, at its core, is inherently queer. It disrupts the status quo and exists outside of what is considered “normal.” In the media, what terrifies us has historically been queer coded, and the monsters of our collective imagination share similarities with queerness itself: they shock, challenge, and defy easy classification. However, in a shift, the genre has been reclaimed by queer creators, who are now at the forefront.

During the annual QFFU Horror Shorts night, we aim to highlight, celebrate, and showcase this genre that unsettles those comfortably confined within societal norms while providing solace to those who do not feel at home in a patriarchal heteronormative world. Join us in celebrating this historically queer genre alongside talented queer creators who utilize it to comment on contemporary society. By incorporating various forms of horror, this evening pays homage to the diverse interpretations and expressions of queerness.

Rosa Oomen, QFFU

Hideous – Yann Gonzalez (UK, 22 minutes)
Musician Oliver Sim is the main guest of a talk-show that soon slides into a surreal journey of love, shame, and blood. A three-part queer horror movie that features songs from Sim’s highly-anticipated debut album ‘Hideous Bastard’. Both a playful pastiche of horror schlock and a sumptuous paean to the transgressive style of Derek Jarman, Hideous emerged from a meeting of minds between Yann Gonzalez and The xx’s Oliver Sim. An opulent, unapologetic reckoning with HIV stigma, starring queer icons Jimmy Somerville and Bimini Bon Boulash.

Bekeken – Kim de Ruyter (Netherlands, 3 minutes)
Bekeken is a short film about the excitement of watching and being watched and the physical tension that someone’s gaze can leave you with. It shows the experience in an uncomfortable manner by playing with that all too familiar feeling creeping under your skin when someone’s gaze attacks your image of self.

Casa de Bonecas – George Pedrosa (Brazil, 16 minutes)
Casa de Bonecas is an experimental psychedelic film that shows three creatures who dance, devour and arouse. It’s a visceral trip, equally appalling and appealing, that invites you into the dark, wet and pink decor of the dollhouse and inhabits the space between horror, pornography and queer film.  

Waan(beeld) – Mackenzie Fincham (Netherlands, 3 minutes)
A girl wakes up in the middle of the night when her alarm goes off. She knows something is up. These suspicions are confirmed after she looks in the mirror. A disconnected connection with oneself causes a terrifying feeling.

The Office is Mine – Michael Verrati (USA, 13 minutes)
When a new hire seemingly threatens his social standing at work, Zac begins to unravel. Fueled by paranoia that he’s being replaced, Zac sets on a collision course with the newcomer, ready to prove the office isn’t big enough for them both.

Cupid into Transmutation – Dexter Boldewijn (Netherlands, 13 minutes)
The edgy and personal graduation film Cupid into Transmutation follows a transgender boy named Caesar living in a big city. On the run from his traumatic past, he tries to make a living as a camboy, until he is suddenly sent into hysteria as his body starts to violently morph and transform beyond all recognition. Follow him in his search for acceptance and identity in this cruel world, focused on normality and outer beauty.

The Demons of Dorothy – Alexis Langlois (France, 29 minutes)
Dorothy is a film director and a bit of a loser. Alone and fueled up on Heineken, she lets loose on her script “BIKER CHICKS IN LOVE.” But a call from her producer kills her buzz: enough with the queer comedies, it’s time to start making mainstream films. Slumped in her pajamas in her tiny studio apartment, Dorothy sinks to the deepest depths of paranoia anddespair. Frozen by self-doubt, she seeks comfort in her favorite TV show Romy the Vampire Slayer. Unfortunately for Dorothy, her own demons have decided to come out of the woodwork and it’s going to be a night to remember!