A curated collection of independent horror short films, featuring hand-picked short horror films from emerging filmmakers.
Curve
Directed by Tim Egan
Cast: Laura Jane Turner
Recommended by Buried Films (23 Films)
Hand-picked short horror films curated by Buried Films. This selection rotates regularly, spotlighting standout work that blows us away.
Don’t Peek
A young woman discovers a frightening video game character intent on crossing into the real world.
There Comes a Knocking
A grieving woman installs an antique door into her home, which opens herself up to the other side.
Curve
Clinging to a curved surface high above a sentient abyss, a girl has to cover the few feet back to safety before she loses grip.
Playback
A couple stops at an old motel, and finds a mysterious VHS tape. Submission for the Jakob Owens Horror Short Film Contest 2025
The Backrooms
An analog horror series revolving around a mysterious alternate dimension known as the Backrooms.
The Maiden
A real estate agent tries to sell a haunted house.
The Lake
When a young man takes his girlfriend out on the lake to propose, they come face to face with the dark spirits beneath the surface.
Salt
A demonic presence closes in on a mother and her sick daughter. Their only protection - a ring of salt.
Trouble
Set in 1952, this musical thriller is what happens when a traveling salesman shows up on the doorstep of a dying old man and can't contain the song within his heart. A dark riff on a classic musical.
The Rickety Man
A father discovers his children are grieving their mother's death in their own terrifying way, after having met a mysterious entity in the woods.
Recently Added
The last 10 short horror films that have been added to Buried Films.
Stimulant
Stimulant, a psychological horror short written and directed by Nicholas Laughlin. Michael and his roommate Jenn decide to try the new pill that everyone is raving about. But the side effects warp more than just their minds as bodies pile up around them.
Night Of The Living Dead
The original cult classic zombie horror film from George A. Romero. A film every horror fan should watch, and plays such an important role in cinema. A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the Northeast of the United States.
Milk & Serial
From Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson, the team behind the film Obsession from Blumhouse and Focus Features. This was a found footage film they put out for free before Obsession. Check it out! A surprise birthday prank takes a turn for the worse when a popular social media duo must face the reality of the terrifying aftermath.
The Massacrer
The Massacrer, a short horror film proof of concept from Alysm Films. A weekend reunion of old college friends at the cusp of middle age is interrupted by an undead corpse's murderous rampage.
Catcher
In the short horror film Catcher from Dylan Clark, using a special device, a boy must confront and erase his recurring nightmare. If you haven't watched any of Dylan's past work, like Portrait of God, you're missing out. The team behind this short film is incredible!
The Door
A mother grieving over her daughter's disappearance struggles to move on after she becomes obsessed with a mysterious door that appears in her house.
The Old Baraboo Inn
Known as a frequent stop for Al Capone and his outfit, the Old Baraboo Inn has become synonymous with gangsters, girls, and ghosts. Owned and operated by B.C. Farr until his death, the old inn is now owned by B.C.'s sister Shelly who continues his legacy of inviting patrons to interact with the spirits who call this bar home.
Disinfectant
The janitor loves his job. The demon loves its food. Submission for the Jakob Owens Horror Short Film Contest 2023.
The Treatment & The Cure
Two rogue scientists strive to create the cure to save humanity from a deadly plague that could wipe out all of humankind.
Playback
A couple stops at an old motel, and finds a mysterious VHS tape. Submission for the Jakob Owens Horror Short Film Contest 2025
1-5 Minute Shorts (29 Films)
Ultra-short horror films that deliver the scares fast, all under five minutes. These bite-sized shorts focus on atmosphere, timing, and strong ideas rather than long setups or explanations.
Be Quiet
A young girl is woken in the night by her brother, who believes something is in the house with them.
Beast of Prey
A woman finds herself locked in an isolated cabin with something sinister on the other side of the door.
Mommy’s Boy
A little boy heads to the washroom when something catches his attention.
The Changing Room
A woman finds herself in a nightmarish trap after sneaking into a closed off changing room.
The Witch
A woman is haunted by a presence. Every night it comes back. But is it real, or just her imagination?
The Veil
A woman discovers a sinister presence that can only be seen through her shower curtain.
Ding Dong
Someone-- or something-- plays Ding Dong Ditch with a girl who's home alone.
The Lonesome Thing
A man tries to convince a spirit to leave his house.
Guide My Slay
Let the reindeer games begin! A suburban Christmas party takes a dark turn when a menacing Santa arrives. Many of the guests are on his naughty list and he needs a makeshift "Rudolph" to help hunt them down.
Call of the Ocean
A woman finds a beautiful seashell on the beach, and then something unexpected happens…
5-10 Minute Shorts (37 Films)
Short horror films running between five and ten minutes, striking a balance between tight pacing and complete storytelling. These films have enough time to build tension, establish mood, and deliver a strong payoff without dragging things out.
Don’t Feed The Cat
Chloe finds a cat trapped in her sick grandfather's basement.
Disinfectant
The janitor loves his job. The demon loves its food. Submission for the Jakob Owens Horror Short Film Contest 2023.
Sugar Tits
A teeth-obsessed serial killer kidnaps a new victim to complete his deranged masterpiece.
Halloween (Fan Film)
From Jakob - I've always loved the season of Halloween and even more so the Halloween movie franchise. As a fan of the movies and the holiday... I thought I'd have fun making my very own Halloween fan film!
The Backrooms
An analog horror series revolving around a mysterious alternate dimension known as the Backrooms.
They Hear It
There are some sounds only children can hear.
Late Fees
A video store clerk collects the souls of patrons who forget to return their movies on time.
Darby After Dark
One night, during her usual shift as a late-night radio host, Darby receives a mysterious phone call from a woman who shares a chilling paranormal game with her.
Ignore It
A family struggles to live with a spirit that becomes deadly if its presence is acknowledged.
Catch Your Breath
A shy teenager (Andrew) is peer pressured by his older brother (Mike) into playing a game that is said to summon the ghost of the town legend, 'The Lady Beneath'. To disprove his brother and impress a girl at school he reluctantly agrees. The rules of the game are simple, as long as Andrew holds his breath, he is safe from The Lady Beneath. But how long can Andrew hold his breath?
10-15 Minute Shorts (17 Films)
Short horror films running between ten and fifteen minutes, giving the story room to breathe and tension time to build. These films allow for stronger atmosphere, deeper setups, and more deliberate pacing than ultra-short horror.
Method
When a dog sitter arrives at a house for what seems like a simple job, a list of strange rules makes him suspect that this is no ordinary dog.
MORA
A struggling artist searches for a mysterious woman that shows up in gruesome AI-generated images.
TRICK or TREAT!
During their first Halloween in their new home, Travis and Beth encounter an unexpected trick or treater.
$TRIP
It's Penny's first night stripping at an underground club. Will she go all the way? And what happens to her if she doesn't?
Milk Teeth
An orphanage spirals into mayhem when a boy discovers a shadowy creature who comes to collect more than just the children's teeth...
Christmas Eve
Welcome to West Manor. The halls are decked, the lights are twinkling, and the atmosphere is to die for.
The Jester: Chapter 2
The Jester returns in this sequel short film to continue to spread his Halloween cheer.
Disguise
A woman encounters a malevolent presence in her house that can disguise itself as anything.
Catcher
In the short horror film Catcher from Dylan Clark, using a special device, a boy must confront and erase his recurring nightmare. If you haven't watched any of Dylan's past work, like Portrait of God, you're missing out. The team behind this short film is incredible!
Pretty Pickle
MATURE - As he spends more time with his new girlfriend, a young man begins to privately dwell upon one of her quirks, leading him to a troubling discovery.
15-20 Minute Shorts (5 Films)
Short horror films running between fifteen and twenty minutes, offering space for deeper storytelling and more immersive worlds. These films take their time developing characters, mood, and tension without feeling rushed.
The Rickety Man
A father discovers his children are grieving their mother's death in their own terrifying way, after having met a mysterious entity in the woods.
Other Side of the Box
A couple receives a mysterious package from an old friend.
Box Fort
One weekend while their parents are away, three sisters decide to build a box fort. As strange things start to happen around them, they wonder if someone or someTHING is living inside of it. Based on the Creepypasta and Reddit NoSleep short story written by Mallory Eddy.
Stimulant
Stimulant, a psychological horror short written and directed by Nicholas Laughlin. Michael and his roommate Jenn decide to try the new pill that everyone is raving about. But the side effects warp more than just their minds as bodies pile up around them.
The Review
Two young vloggers, Jamie and Ethan, set out to create a fun, positive review of their stay in a picturesque, remote County Durham treehouse. They wanted subscribers, but what they found was a terrifying local legend.
Psychological Horror (35 Films)
Psychological horror short films driven by tension, dread, and the human mind. These films focus on fear that builds slowly and lingers, rather than relying on jump scares or shock alone.
$TRIP
It's Penny's first night stripping at an underground club. Will she go all the way? And what happens to her if she doesn't?
The Whisperer
A girl hears strange whispering while home alone at night.
The Backrooms
An analog horror series revolving around a mysterious alternate dimension known as the Backrooms.
Selfie
An insecure teenager deletes her social media accounts but soon learns that what she put online will come back to haunt her.
Static
Charlotte, a sleep-deprived new mother grappling with postpartum depression, begins to hear unsettling interference noises emanating from her baby monitor.
The House Between
One last chance for redemption.
Portrait of God
A religious girl prepares a presentation about a painting titled "Portrait of God". What she sees challenges her beliefs.
The Lonesome Thing
A man tries to convince a spirit to leave his house.
The Veil
A woman discovers a sinister presence that can only be seen through her shower curtain.
Other Side of the Box
A couple receives a mysterious package from an old friend.
Supernatural (45 Films)
Supernatural horror short films focused on ghosts, hauntings, curses, and unexplained phenomena. These stories are rooted in the unknown, where fear comes from forces that can’t be fully seen or understood.
Nope
A man discovers a disturbance in his home and wastes no time deciding what to do about it.
Deep End
On a hot summer day, a young man learns the terrifying secret behind an abandoned swimming pool.
Every Night I See Them
A man does everything in his power to not fall asleep in an attempt to escape certain death.
They Hear It
There are some sounds only children can hear.
The Changing Room
A woman finds herself in a nightmarish trap after sneaking into a closed off changing room.
The Whisperer
A girl hears strange whispering while home alone at night.
The Maiden
A real estate agent tries to sell a haunted house.
One Last Dive
With only 20 minutes left to investigate an underwater crime scene, a diver goes for one last dive.
Selfie
An insecure teenager deletes her social media accounts but soon learns that what she put online will come back to haunt her.
MORA
A struggling artist searches for a mysterious woman that shows up in gruesome AI-generated images.
Creature (30 Films)
Creature driven horror shorts centered around monsters, entities, and physical threats. These films focus on creature design, practical effects, and the kind of primal fear that comes from facing something tangible and dangerous.
Make It Stop
Anna Bowman’s patient, Jacob hears voices and sounds again, thinking it is God. She tries to solve this issue only to be confronted by what these voices really are.
Don’t Peek
A young woman discovers a frightening video game character intent on crossing into the real world.
Be Quiet
A young girl is woken in the night by her brother, who believes something is in the house with them.
Don’t Tell Your Mom
In the industrial area of a seedy town where vampires roam free, Kyle rolls up to his cousin's factory...of nightmares.
I Heard It Too
A girl heard her mom yell her name from downstairs, so she got up and started to head down. As she got to the stairs, her mom pulled her into her room and said "I heard that, too."
The Smiling Man
A little girl home alone finds herself face-to-face with pure evil.
Milk Teeth
An orphanage spirals into mayhem when a boy discovers a shadowy creature who comes to collect more than just the children's teeth...
They Hear It
There are some sounds only children can hear.
Glaistig
A young woman is haunted by visions of a demon-like creature—visions she’s convinced are real, stemming from one terrifying night deep in the woods with her boyfriend and their roommate. Brushed off as drunken delusion, her warnings go unheeded… until it’s far too late.
Polaroid
What's LURKING in the POLAROID??
Comedy (4 Films)
Horror short films that mix scares with humor, satire, or absurd ideas. These films lean into dark comedy, awkward moments, and unexpected twists while still playing with classic horror themes.
Don’t Tell Your Mom
In the industrial area of a seedy town where vampires roam free, Kyle rolls up to his cousin's factory...of nightmares.
Sugar Tits
A teeth-obsessed serial killer kidnaps a new victim to complete his deranged masterpiece.
Nope
A man discovers a disturbance in his home and wastes no time deciding what to do about it.
Party Demon
A rookie exorcist faces off with a demon whose only demand is to make a new friend. A comic twist on the horror genre, this short turns possession into an unlikely party invitation.
Slasher (10 Films)
Slasher horror short films centered on killers, close encounters, and escalating danger. These films lean into tension, pursuit, and the constant feeling that something bad is about to happen.
TRICK or TREAT!
During their first Halloween in their new home, Travis and Beth encounter an unexpected trick or treater.
Nightfall
Jim is working late in his garage on what seemed like a normal summer night. That quickly turns into a nightmare, when he sees a silhouette of someone standing at the end of his driveway.
Hobby Night
A man conceals his double life.
The Jester: Chapter 3
On Halloween night, a young girl has no one to go trick-or-treating with....until The Jester offers to tag along.
The Jester: Chapter 2
The Jester returns in this sequel short film to continue to spread his Halloween cheer.
Guide My Slay
Let the reindeer games begin! A suburban Christmas party takes a dark turn when a menacing Santa arrives. Many of the guests are on his naughty list and he needs a makeshift "Rudolph" to help hunt them down.
Halloween (Fan Film)
From Jakob - I've always loved the season of Halloween and even more so the Halloween movie franchise. As a fan of the movies and the holiday... I thought I'd have fun making my very own Halloween fan film!
The Jester
Note: This film is age restricted by the creator. You'll need to click through to watch on YouTube after logging into your account. After a closing shift on Halloween night, a man stumbles upon what seems to be the embodiment of Halloween itself. Trick or treat?
Sugar Tits
A teeth-obsessed serial killer kidnaps a new victim to complete his deranged masterpiece.
The Massacrer
The Massacrer, a short horror film proof of concept from Alysm Films. A weekend reunion of old college friends at the cusp of middle age is interrupted by an undead corpse's murderous rampage.
Documentary (1 Films)
Documentary-style horror films focused on real events, real people, and unsettling truths. These films lean into investigation, history, and firsthand accounts, where the fear comes from what actually happened or what might have.
The Old Baraboo Inn
Known as a frequent stop for Al Capone and his outfit, the Old Baraboo Inn has become synonymous with gangsters, girls, and ghosts. Owned and operated by B.C. Farr until his death, the old inn is now owned by B.C.'s sister Shelly who continues his legacy of inviting patrons to interact with the spirits who call this bar home.
Features (2 Films)
Feature length horror films and longer-form projects that go beyond short formats. These films have more time for character development, extended tension, and fully realized stories to unfold.
Night Of The Living Dead
The original cult classic zombie horror film from George A. Romero. A film every horror fan should watch, and plays such an important role in cinema. A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the Northeast of the United States.
Milk & Serial
From Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson, the team behind the film Obsession from Blumhouse and Focus Features. This was a found footage film they put out for free before Obsession. Check it out! A surprise birthday prank takes a turn for the worse when a popular social media duo must face the reality of the terrifying aftermath.
All Films (92 Films)
A complete collection of all the horror short films featured on Buried Films. You’ll find everything from supernatural and psychological horror to creature features, slashers, and experimental shorts, all in one place.
The Old Baraboo Inn
Known as a frequent stop for Al Capone and his outfit, the Old Baraboo Inn has become synonymous with gangsters, girls, and ghosts. Owned and operated by B.C. Farr until his death, the old inn is now owned by B.C.'s sister Shelly who continues his legacy of inviting patrons to interact with the spirits who call this bar home.
The Backrooms
An analog horror series revolving around a mysterious alternate dimension known as the Backrooms.
Christmas Eve
Welcome to West Manor. The halls are decked, the lights are twinkling, and the atmosphere is to die for.
Glaistig
A young woman is haunted by visions of a demon-like creature—visions she’s convinced are real, stemming from one terrifying night deep in the woods with her boyfriend and their roommate. Brushed off as drunken delusion, her warnings go unheeded… until it’s far too late.
They Hear It
There are some sounds only children can hear.
Blink
After being violently pushed from a window, Mary wakes up in the hospital, almost completely paralyzed. Trapped inside the prison of her own body, Mary’s only way to communicate is by blinking her eyes. She tries to warn the nurse that a sinister, inhuman force is trying to kill her. But when strange things begin happening around her, she realizes it may be too late to stop it.
Attic Panic
In the underlit attic, an unsuspecting woman tidies up an already cluttered space; however, in the mysterious dimness, her eye catches a motion. Is this a trick of the mind, or is there something sinister hiding in the thick shadows?
Selfie
An insecure teenager deletes her social media accounts but soon learns that what she put online will come back to haunt her.
The Jester: Chapter 2
The Jester returns in this sequel short film to continue to spread his Halloween cheer.
The Rickety Man
A father discovers his children are grieving their mother's death in their own terrifying way, after having met a mysterious entity in the woods.