Los Angeles – A modern horror short film is generating buzz for its unsettling premise and remarkably concise runtime. “Dead Grandma,” written and directed by Rachel Kempf and Nick Toti, clocks in at just 80 seconds, yet has already garnered praise from filmmakers and is set to premiere at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles. The film offers a darkly comedic take on a chilling scenario, prompting discussion about the power of brevity in storytelling.
The project marks the latest from Kempf and Toti, who previously achieved viral success with their 2023 indie horror film, “It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This.” Notably, the duo had vowed not to release that earlier film for home viewing, making “Dead Grandma” a particularly anticipated release for fans of their work. The 32nd edition of the Slamdance Film Festival will run in-person from February 19 to 25, 2026, and virtually from February 24 to March 6, 2026, on the Slamdance Channel, according to the festival’s website.
The inspiration for “Dead Grandma” stemmed from a peculiar thought Toti had during his 2015 employment as a preschool teacher. “I was working 6–8 hours a day in a nursery with all these infants crawling around me,” Toti explained in a statement. “One day, I had the urge to lie down on the floor as if I were dead, just to see what the babies would do. This idea made me laugh at the time, and I thought it would make a good short film.”
Kempf further elaborated on their creative approach, drawing a parallel to a famous anecdote about Ernest Hemingway. “There’s this famous legend about Ernest Hemingway,” she said in a statement. “Supposedly, somebody bet that he couldn’t write a short story using only six words. In response, Hemingway wrote: ‘For sale: baby shoes, never worn.’ We tried to match the spirit of this story with our film, but with an even darker sense of gallows humor and appreciation for the macabre.”
“Dead Grandma” will be featured as part of Slamdance’s new “99 Special” program, designed to showcase films under 99 seconds in length. Anna Lee Lawson, the Slamdance film festival & screenplay competition manager, stated that the program “embraces affordable technology, apps and DIY filmmaking methods to unleash your imagination into 99-second (and under) moving image gems,” and aims to “break down the cost barrier of production.”
The short has already attracted attention from established filmmakers. Director Uwe Boll offered a succinct assessment, stating, “I thought it was a photo, not a film. But then it ended up surprisingly…and dark.” Alex Ross Perry, another director, described the film as “an entire saga of humor, dread, and discomfort somehow squeezed into the length of a commercial. The final reveal is a real gut punch.”
Kempf and Toti are not resting on their laurels. They have already begun pre-production on their next project, a feature film titled “Scary New Year.” The script, penned by Kempf, will be produced by Liane Cunje and Divide/Conquer, and will star Lauren Viteri, Sam Hook, Amelia Ann, Beck Nolan, and Zach Schnitzer, with cinematography by Adam J. Minnick.
The filmmakers, who also operate the film production company and indie press DieDieBooks & Video, are based in Kirksville, Missouri, according to their IMDb profile.
Watch “Dead Grandma” below:
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The success of “Dead Grandma” highlights a growing trend in short-form horror and the potential for impactful storytelling within extremely limited constraints. As the film prepares for its official premiere at Slamdance, it’s clear that this 80-second fright fest is making a significant impression on the film community.
The Slamdance Film Festival’s commitment to supporting independent filmmakers and providing a platform for emerging talent continues with this year’s lineup of 141 films from over 50 countries, as detailed on the Slamdance website.
What are your thoughts on the rise of ultra-short horror films? Share your opinions in the comments below.
