Australia’s Dark Nights Film Festival begins! Despite it only being in its second edition, from the get-go, it has established itself as one of the best horror festivals for indie horror filmmakers. While also bringing them to an Australian audience (sometimes we get a little forgotten down here!).
Opening night, however, Dark Nights Film First screens the latest instalment in a more well-known and favoured found footage franchise: HELL HOUSE LLC: LINEAGE. The festival runs from October 9 to October 12 in Sydney- exclusively at Randwick Ritz. Check out the Complete Program here.
Without further ado, here are two films we are excited for at Dark Nights 2025:
ADORABLE HUMANS
Ah, fairy tales, fun for the whole family. What Disney doesn’t tell you is that the fairy tales are grimm (if you’ll pardon my pun). From the ugly step sisters getting their eyes pecked out and toes cut off, to the little mermaid getting legs that make her feel like she’s constantly treading on broken Glass, these tales are meant to scare children into obedience, not entertain them.
But there’s renewed interest in this dark side. Emilie Blichfeldt’s The Ugly Stepsister was praised and talked about among many horror fans earlier this year.
This is where Adorable Humans comes in: an interpretation of the fables of Hans Christian Anderson. An anthology from four directors who give their own horror genre interpretations of The Dead Man from Michael Kunov, Story of a Mother by Anders Jon, The Snow Queen by Dark Nights alum Kaspar Juhl, and Aunty Toothache by Michael Panduro.
Jonas is the caretaker for an old, seemingly invalid Man. When he meets Sofie, all his morals go out the window.
A work-focused mother ignores her son’s requests. Only when he bodily breaks down does she realise her faults
Gerda struggles with intimacy and becomes increasingly zealous. When she finds an enchanted mirror, lust consumes her.
Singer Benny has writer’s block, but finds a muse. All it costs him is autonomy and a few teeth.
The Film looks experimental, atmospheric, and- well, there’s no other way to say this- very, very Danish.
Adorable Humans has its world premiere at Sydney’s Randwick Ritz on October 12.
Purchase tickets here.
A SERBIAN DOCUMENTARY
Controversial, notoriously vile and labelled one of the most disturbing films ever made: 2010’s A Serbian Film. Dark Nights Film Festival’s home country refused to give it an R18+ classification. Essentially, it is banned, but luckily for festivalgoers, A Serbian Documentary is not. Director Stephen Biro (Unearthed Films) has combed through over 162 hours of behind-the-scenes footage to give us a look into what it took to bring Aleksandar Radivojevic and Srdjan Spasojevic’s depraved cinematic vision to life. This includes the production of the gnarly, practical effects that clearly worked as intended.
A Serbian Documentary features new interviews with the cast and crew, including lead actor Srdjan Todorovic. Hopefully revealing what shooting the film was like- panic attacks, stress, take after take of the same sickening scenes. Was the filmmaking process as traumatic as it was meant to be for the viewer? Or was it a blast?
From the trailer: “I hesitated to play this role that people will not give me another chance to play in movies… and that was right.”
I’ll confess: I couldn’t finish the film, but A Serbian Documentary should make for a fascinating, if not at times unflinching, watch.
A Serbian Documentary screens at Sydney’s Randwick Ritz on October 11.
Purchase tickets here.
Note: the trailer below may be intense
