[Trailer] Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw and TIFF to Showcase New Horror Shorts at Festival
A new wave of horror is coming to the Toronto International Film Festival. On Saturday night, five short films from the first group of filmmakers in Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and TIFF’s No Drama initiative will have their world premieres.
The shorts, Imago, Morty, Spilled Milk, Thick Skin and The Pigs Underneath — were made as part of a year-long program created by Monkeypaw, TIFF, and Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.
The goal of the initiative was to give new directors the chance to create proof-of-concept projects exploring horror from different angles, including culture, history, and society.
Each filmmaker was asked to reflect on the idea: “What’s your biggest fear? What monsters lurk in the deepest corners of your inner thoughts?”
The five chosen writer-directors , Chandler Crump, Charlie Dennis, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf, and Ariel Zengotita, were awarded $50,000 grants from TIFF to bring their visions to life. Their films will debut at 6:30 p.m. in Cinema 1 at TIFF Lightbox.
Jordan Peele said, “Over the past year, we’ve had the pleasure of watching our first five ‘No Drama’ filmmakers bring their stories to life. We couldn’t be more excited to unveil these films at TIFF and see where they go next.”
Peele will give opening remarks at the event alongside Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer and TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey. After the screening, the filmmakers will take part in a Q&A hosted by Rotten Tomatoes’ Jacqueline Coley.
Cramer added, “Jordan and his team at Monkeypaw have redefined genre filmmaking by challenging conventions and pushing boundaries. Their ‘No Drama’ initiative gives five talented new voices the access, mentorship, and platform to showcase their own groundbreaking work, in partnership with TIFF, which has been the launchpad for so many incredible filmmakers through the years.”
The shorts feature performances from Scott Mescudi, Brandon Perea, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Keyla Monterroso Mejia. A trailer featuring clips from all five projects has also been released.
Several top industry companies partnered with Monkeypaw and TIFF to support production. Panavision provided camera packages, Sony lent new camera technology for Spilled Milk, Cooke Optics supplied lenses for Imago, and MBS Equipment Company provided lighting and grip for multiple films.
Other partners included Mathematic Film, Company 3, Signature Post, and Format, who contributed VFX, sound, music, and finishing services.
Tickets for the showcase are now on sale.
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