May 5, 2025
Sam Raimi made 'Within the Woods' for $1,600 when he was 19. It captivated midnight fans and paved the way for Raimi and Bruce Campbell's horror careers with 'The Evil Dead' (1981).
Over spring break, Cooper Raiff, a college student, filmed 'Madeline & Cooper.' It was found online by Jay Duplass, who helped develop it into 'Shithouse' (2020), which took home the Grand Jury Award at SXSW.
Inspired by a French short film,'L'Accordeur', based on the life of a blind pianist. However, director Sriram Raghvan made 'Andhadun' iin 2018, a darkly comic thriller starring Ayushmann Khurrana. It became one of Bollywood’s most acclaimed films.
A terrifying psychological horror film that gained cult status and international critical acclaim took its inspiration from Jennifer Kent's 2005 short film 'Monster.'
The 2019 film 'Yes, God, Yes,' which starred Natalia Dyer in a daring coming-of-age role, was adapted from Karen Maine's 2017 short movie about a Catholic teen discovering sexuality.
The 2013 short 'Whiplash' by Damien Chazelle received praise at Sundance. It won three Oscars, including Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons, and was made into a movie in 2014.
'Lights Out,' a viral short film from 2013, was made into a feature film in 2016. Despite having a small budget, it made nearly $148 million and frightened audiences all around the world.
'Talk to Me' (2023), the unexpected break for A24, was based on Danny and Michael Philippou's short horror concept. For her passionate portrayal of Mia, actress Sophie Wilde took home an AACTA prize.
Neill Blomkamp’s 2005 short 'Alive in Joburg' evolved into 'District 9' (2009), a sci-fi thriller blending aliens and apartheid themes, earning four Oscar nominations.
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