The “Final Girls Berlin Film Fest” is currently running its second year from June 9th-11th with the main focus of presenting films and shorts written, directed and/or produced by women.

We have been honored with the chance to do remote coverage of some of the features and shorts playing there, and while I will try to bring your attention to the short films and do them justice with the synopsis, I will keep it spoiler-free.

The shorts are being presented in several curated blocks: “Mommy Issues”,”Phantasmagoria”, “Is it dead?” “Body Horror”, “Dying Of Laughter”, “All In The Family” and “Escape”, please note that there were some blocks and titles that I couldn’t cover due time, and in no way means that they are bad or anything like that, so if you get the chance to see them, check them out.

From the “Is it dead?” block

What Remains (dir. Denne Sritharan, US, 2017)

A couple of sisters try to give their father a proper farewell, but things are not as easy as one could expect since not everybody in the family is ready to let him go.

…. I liked this short a lot, the history is simple, narrated in a very clever way, and you can definitely feel sorry for the sisters. Doing the right thing can get you in deep trouble.

Wakey Wakey (dir. Rebecca Gransbury, UK, 2015)

A couple of ladies decide to have some drinks on a morgue that has been out of use for a long time, and should be empty… Key word: SHOULD.

… Not saying more, I liked it, and from now on, I’ll stick to drinking on bars and cemeteries.

Strawberries are Nuts (dir. Rui Videira, written by Zuzanna Grajzer, Germany, 2017)

After Lena saw the man that seemed to be the perfect boyfriend having a violent outburst that almost kills her, she starts wondering if he is still the best candidate to share her life with… Or if she can change him..Literally.

I liked the idea, and although it does not go into a very dark territory, it has a “Black Mirror” feel.

From the “Body Horror” Block

Paint the Town Red (dir. Arielle Hansen & Christopher Graham, Canada, 2017)

Two ladies receive invitations to a very hip joint with great taste, and the first drinks are on the house!

You may guess where the story is going, but still is a fun ride, it has fast pacing with cool effects, and if you pay attention, you can spot a very talented female director somewhere around..

Fish Out of Water (dir. Kirsten Carthew, Canada, 2015)

Set in a very cold and mean place, we see a woman trying to get by with the catch of her ice fishing technique, a word to the wise: the roles of hunter and prey are not set on stone.
…You need some patience with this one, but at the end it pays very well, I liked a lot.

Innsmouth (dir. Izzy Lee, US, 2015)

A very dedicated detective ends up on a town called Innsmouth following the clues of a very bizarre murder.

Several nods to the master of horror H.P. Lovecraft (obviously), but even if you have never read his stories, you will be entertained,  just be warned, this is NOT Safe For Work material .

I Want You Inside Me (dir. Alice Shindelar, US, 2016)

A girl can’t find her boyfriend after the first time they were intimate. When she finally tries to get back in the dating scene, she receives a call from the absent lover, with a warning of keep away any new suitor.. or else.

…Oh yeah, I liked this one a lot, and although is not very graphic, you might want to send the kids away from the living room while you watch it.

Stay tuned for more thoughts on the shorts from The “Final Girls Berlin Film Fest” soon.

From the press release:
Berlin, DE – The 2nd edition of Final Girls Berlin Film Festival will take place in Berlin, Germany from the 9th to the 11th of June, with a program consisting of three feature films, eight curated short blocks, a talk on the “horror hag” sub genre, a workshop on monstrous representations of the “other” in horror, and an art exhibition with five female artists working in horror.

Final Girls Berlin Film Fest showcases horror films that were directed, written, and/or produced by women and non-binary filmmakers.

Festival co-director Sara Neidorf says, “The films we’re presenting relish in various forms of resistance: decimating traditional representations of women in film; blurring bodily boundaries; highlighting the perversions lurking within the nuclear family structure; contorting the conventions of romance; painting bloody portraits of revenge.” Co-director Eli Lewy adds, “The films screening in FGBFF express women’s fantasies and fears in poignant, new ways, showing that horror is fertile ground for feminist filmmaking.”