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There’s always an endless list of shorts playing at Fantastic Fest that I want to see – here are two from this year’s lineup that I was able to get screeners for – and they’re both fantastic (lol).
TERMS & CONDITIONS (2026), Written and Directed by Kev Dooley
A douchey techbro gets more than he bargained for when the genderqueer demon he used AI to summon sloughs off his control and sows chaos instead.
Hilarious and delightful! This short takes disgruntled “friend-zoned” dudes to the next level by having a guy summon a demon to punish a woman who turns him down. It’s a very fun take on a well-worn theme that also very truthfully shows the hell that is coming up with a password to meet all the requirements. Nicely done!
BY YOURSELF (2026), Written and Directed by Elaine Frost
Following a breakup, Syl (Zelda Adams) goes solo camping in the deep woods to unplug and connect with herself. Her solitude turns sinister when she wakes to find a neighboring tent that wasn’t there the night before.
This is so, so, so well done. The atmosphere, the sound design, and the direction are all amazing – and of course, Zelda absolutely kills it as Syl. It’s a taut, creepily effective short about isolation, perception, and loneliness with some fantastically terrifying moments. Those jump scares got me every time!
Both shorts screened at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX: TERMS & CONDITIONS premiered Tuesday, September 22 in front of the feature MR. CREAMJEANS’ HIDEY HOLE, and BY YOURSELF had its World Premiere on Sunday, September 20 + a second screening on Thursday, September 24 paired with BLOODY TENNIS.
