There are movies that can play with the audience by creating stories based on real fears. In this case, It’s Not Real is a short film doing it in a matter of seconds. A woman comes home alone in the middle of the night. While she is leaving her things in different parts of the house, she is talking with a friend on the phone. Strangely, she notices a door to the attic ajar– funny thing is… she doesn’t remember opening it.

This short plays with the paranoia that a person can have when finding themselves alone at home and with a deep fear of finding themselves vulnerable by being without company. It is a short film where several could come to feel identified with its main character due to her reactions to a situation keeping her insecure and unsure of the outcome throughout the night. Although its denouement is a bit anticlimactic, the effect fulfills the purpose of creating discomfort in the viewer by implanting the idea of ​​”what if” and “what would I do.”

It’s Not Real is a fictional short film that plays with the reality of many people–the fear of finding something or someone unexpected at home. Even if it is an entity or an uninvited guest, nothing can prepare you to experience a situation like this. It is worth mentioning that the short is not about the home-invasion subgenre, but it could feel similar.

It’s Not Real, according to director Tina Carbone‘s website, will be touring festivals in 2023.

8 OUT OF 10 TEACUPS