Fear is a powerful force. Whether we realize it or not, the things that scare us often guide how we move through the world. As a genre, horror aims to tap into our universal fears and challenge them in meaningful ways. But it’s not just the tall tales and the creatures that go bump in the night that constitute horror — it’s also the terrors of real life. In these short films and web series, the scariest things are those grounded in reality.
In Julianne Donelle’s “Just a Drill,” fear manifests in the growing threat of school shooters. In Julianna Villarosa’s “The Real Thing,” it’s the dark side of capitalism; in Erica Scoggins’ “The Boogeywoman,” the taboos associated with menstruation. And the scares that come with saying goodbye to someone you love underscore the entirety of Natasza Parzymies’ “Control.”
Here are Women and Hollywood’s VOD and web series selections for March.
VOD
“Just A Drill” (Short) – Written and Directed by Julianne Donelle
In the wake of increased mass shootings over the last couple decades, active shooter drills have become commonplace in American schools. Julianne Donelle’s “Just A Drill” centers on a fear that is not often acknowledged: what happens when the drill is no longer a drill? Donelle creates an incredibly tense environment, and manages to make a film about a long-covered issue with a fresh lens. It’s not just about the rise of school shootings, but our collective apathy towards them. Donelle argues that we have become desensitized to a horrific problem, combating it with preventative measures that can only accomplish so much.
Watch “Just a Drill” on YouTube, Vimeo, or Donelle’s website.
“The Real Thing” (Short) – Written and Directed by Julianna Villarosa
In under three minutes, filmmaker Julianna Villarosa makes a bold statement about the ramifications of global capitalism. In “The Real Thing,” Villarosa juxtaposes the famous 1971 Coca-Cola commercial “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” with the lack of access to clean water in Chiapas, Mexico due to Coca-Cola’s control over their resources. Villarosa creatively uses mixed media — VHS footage and 16mm film stained with Coca-Cola — and in turn, constructs a scathing critique of the privatization of natural resources by large companies solely for the sake of profit.
“The Real Thing” is available on Vimeo.
“The Boogeywoman” (Short) – Written and Directed by Erica Scoggins
One of the most present and long-lasting fears is a lack of bodily and social autonomy. This is especially pertinent for those who menstruate, as the bodily function is often demonized by those who don’t in order to establish, or maintain, power over those bodies. Erica Scoggins’ short, “The Boogeywoman,” illustrates this fear through a young woman who gets her period and a small town infatuated with a local legend. Scoggins’ uses classic horror tropes — a looming score, blood, caricatures of womanhood — to shine a light on the lasting powers of shame, subordination, and the removal of one’s agency.
Watch “The Boogeywoman” on YouTube or Alter.
Web Series
“Control: The Series” – Written and Directed by Natasza Parzymies
Natasza Parzymies’ web series “Control” started as a project at the Warsaw Film School. But after putting it on YouTube in 2018, the series exploded in popularity and has expanded into a masterfully produced marvel with a devoted fan base. “Control” follows two young women as they reunite three years after the end of their relationship and struggle with how to pick up the pieces. The series alternates between timelines in a way that solidifies the all-consuming fear and pain of letting go of someone you once loved. But it’s also an examination of modern fears from a production standpoint, being the first LGBTQ+ web series to come out of a country where same-sex love is still largely a taboo.
Check out “Control” on YouTube.
