Independent Gothic Horror Films
Satruday, October 11th 2025
Friends of FRFF gather at 5:30
film Screening Begins at 7:00PM
The ARC (255 Main Stret, wina MN)
Step into the shadows with a chilling showcase of seven short films that explore the many faces of horror—from eerie Gothic tales to psychological dread, supernatural terror, and darkly comic frights. This one-night-only event brings together a diverse lineup of independent voices pushing the boundaries of the genre. Following the screenings, join a thought-provoking talkback with the Boar of Directors, Danielle Schwartz of the Frozen River Film Festival and filmmaker Curtis Matzke, as they discuss the craft of making horror films, the unique challenges of the genre, and the evolving landscape of independent filmmaking.
Writer and Director: Megan Swertlow
Stars: Alyssa Milano, French Steward, Chelsea Edmundson
Kombucha! is a story about a musician trapped in an office job he couldn't care less about. Luke dreams of being on stage while doing B2B marketing work that feels completely meaningless. His coworkers all sip a red kombucha beverage and seem to have found purpose in this place. When his job seems threatened, and his future as a musician seems bleak, Luke decides to give the free kombucha a try. A feeling of commitment, focus, and belonging washes over Luke as he churns through creating a pitch deck for an upcoming client meeting. Unfortunately, the kombucha has a series of nasty side effects that grow and writhe inside of Luke. Kombucha! is a short film that gives new meaning to being consumed by your work.
A young woman discovers the creature she just sketched is in the bedroom with her in this short dark horror film by Writer/Director Joshua David Matthews.
A stubborn demon and a tenacious angel quarrel about the fate of a young man's soul after a botched exorcism.
Room Tone follows the story of a field sound guy who is struggling to do his job on a film set as no one is following his instructions. Frustrated, he decides to take matters into his own hands, leading to a comedic and chaotic turn of events. Courtesy of Daily Planet
About the Curator
Curtis Matzke is a director and screenwriter based in Chicago, IL. His work has been recognized at dozens of film festivals, including Athens International, Cinequest, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, and Chicago International. Curtis recently joined a select group of international filmmakers in the Canary Islands, where they were mentored by legendary director Werner Herzog on new short projects. His full-length documentary (FIRST FEATURE) is fiscally sponsored by Film Independent and his last short film SINK is set to be released by Bloody Disgusting in 2024. Curtis has had three feature screenplays (SPINE, THE ORCHESTRA, and SEA DOGS) and a pilot (TIN CAN) advance to the Second Round of the Austin Film Festival. TIN CAN also advanced to the second round of the Sundance Episodic Lab and THE ORCHESTRA, a horror feature about a young woman haunted at an elite music conservatory, has won several awards and was part of the Chicago International's Feature Development Lab with director Jennifer Reeder consulting on the project. The proof-of-concept short of THE ORCHESTRA has also screened at over two-dozen film festivals. Curtis recently completed writing residencies at Chateau d'Orquevaux, the Vermont Studio Center, Stowe Story Labs, and Reykjavík International Film Festival Talent Lab. He recently branched out his writing to include playwriting, personal essays, and short stories and is adapting one of his scripts (SEA DOGS) into a graphic novel. Curtis enjoys various art forms including painting, drawing, and stop-motion, and is an avid amateur chef who enjoys making his own pickles and brewing his own beer. He holds a B.A. in Media Arts and Technology and an M.A. in Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media from Michigan State University with a concentration in Television, Cinema, & Radio, a minor in Film Studies, and a Specialization in Design.
