“Tracing a Tremor”

Programmed by Clayton Windatt

 Horror rarely defines what is hidden in the dark, instead exploring thoughts of the unknown, what we refuse to name in the light or within plain sight. Horror engages temporary, often voluntary exposures to those things that make skin crawl, pulses quicken, and shared expectations of “safety” falter, leaving us vulnerable to our internal reflection. Bodies transform, familiar geographies transcend into nightmares and the self is no longer a fixed point for the audience, but the uncomfortable state of negotiation as fear takes hold. 

“Tracing a Tremor” explores ideas of abusing privilege and the consequences of power in relationships. What makes a person look away from the screen, and more importantly, what makes them want to look back? I invite you to sit with discomfort and journey through fear. Shock, gore or the fantastical are part of how messages define connect audiences. The best storytelling moves from entertainment towards meaning beyond spectacle. 

Order of Presentation

1. Les Bêtes – Michael Granberry – United States – 11:38 – 2024
2. Pants Labyrinth – Simon Jones, Kaylee Nicholas – United Kingdom – 5:17 – 2025
3. DE LA CHAIR – Alicia Lemieux – Canada – 2:20 – 2026
4. Lucy’s Birthday – Peter Sreckovic – Canada – 9:29 – 2025
5. EMBRACE – Axel Zeltser – France – 3:00 – 2023
6. Winkie – Daniel Duranleau – Canada – 23:54 – 2024

Clayton Windatt is a curator, multi-arts performer and filmmaker living and working in Ontario. As the former Executive Director of the White Water Gallery, Indigenous Curatorial Collective and current Executive Director of the Artist-Run Centres and Collectives Conference, Clayton has an extensive history working in Artist-Run Culture and Community Arts. Clayton works in/with community, design, communications, curation, performance, theatre, technology, and consulting, and is a very active artist. 

1. Les Bêtes

A mysterious rabbit with a set of magic keys summons a host of strange creatures to entertain a wicked king and his decadent court in this dark stop-motion animated fantasy inspired by the works of Ladislas Starevich. A four-year labor of love begun in 2020 as a “pandemic lockdown project” and completed in 2024, “Les Bêtes” was conceived to be a zero-budget, entirely recycled film in the style of a 1930’s Ladislas Starevich animation. Even the stop-motion characters, all of which were originally constructed for other projects that never materialized, were repurposed after rotting away in storage for almost two decades.

Michael Granberry is a 3-time Emmy award-winning director and stop-motion animator whose work can be seen in the critically acclaimed series “Severance” directed by Ben Stiller, the Oscar-winning “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”, Henry Selick’s “Wendell & Wild”, Charlie Kaufman’s Oscar-nominated “Anomalisa”, “Tales of Halloween”, “Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy” and numerous other feature films, documentaries, TV shows, web series and music videos. His independent work, which he describes as “queer, garage-punk stop-motion slam poetry” uses recycled and repurposed materials to create strikingly unique visual stories. 

2. Pants Labyrinth

Pants Labyrinth is a surreal short comedy that follows Olivia as she attempts to escape a disastrous date with Andrew. When a moment of respite in the bathroom takes an unexpected turn, Olivia finds herself navigating a bizarre labyrinth made entirely of underpants. Chased through the maze by a monstrous version of Andrew, Olivia is transformed by the strange experience. This short film, written and directed by Simon Jones and Kaylee Nicholas, blends absurd humour with a visually inventive narrative. 

Simon Jones, co-director of Pants Labyrinth, is a multifaceted artist and co-founder of People Versus TV (PVTV). With over two decades of experience in video production, animation, and VFX, Simon has been a driving force in Liverpool’s underground arts scene since 2003. His expertise spans music, stage management, and cutting-edge technologies like Blender, photogrammetry, and Unreal Engine. Simon’s work has appeared in live events, short films, and streamed TV shows, where he continues to push creative boundaries through projection mapping and immersive media.

Kaylee Nicholas, co-director of Pants Labyrinth, is an artist and performer from the Wirral with a vibrant presence in the underground arts community. As a member of PVTV and Brighton’s Super Nothing TV, Kaylee’s artistic range includes DJing, interactive theatre, lighting and live performances, both on stage and online. Kaylee brings a unique blend of creativity and technical precision to her work, creating visually striking and engaging productions.

3. DE LA CHAIR 

DE LA CHAIR explore la beauté sous un angle paradoxal : celui de ce que l’on veut se défaire. Un film qui traite de l’image de soi et de la cohérence avec son propre corps. 

Alicia Lemieux is a Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter focusing on experimental film and challenging subjects and audiences while working and living in Lemoyne QC. Alicia studied screenwriting at the Université du Québec à Montréal and has worked on film sets for over six years. 

4. Lucy’s Birthday

A father attempts to enjoy his young daughter’s birthday party despite a series of increasingly surreal and sinister interruptions. 

Peter Sreckovic is an award-winning writer & director from Toronto, Canada. His short film, Hot Local Singles Are In Your Area (2023), has screened at festivals across Canada and the USA, and won the award for Best SciFi short at the HorrOrigins Film Festival. Peter has also been recognized internationally for his creativity in the advertising world at festivals like The One Show and Cannes. Peter is a graduate of the Queen’s University Department of Film & Media 

5. EMBRACE 

Mélanie walks past the same alley every day without noticing the strange metal bucket there. 

Axel Zeltser is a horror director and filmmaker living and working in Paris, France. Axel Zeltser is known for Étreinte (2023), Tetras (2016) and The Last of Us: All Gone (2022). 

6. Winkie 

After discovering a young orphaned girl, a caring monster takes it upon himself to raise the child and make sure she stays out of harm’s way by any means necessary. 

Daniel Duranleau is a Canadian filmmaker who has been active on the Quebec film scene for over fifteen years. Great defender of the poetic value of movies, he shapes his cinema with fantastical imagery in order to tackle themes that are dear to him: the human psyche, family relationships and power dynamics. Following on his short film “Mizbrük” (2015), “Winkie” is the second installment of an anticipated trilogy of films about monsters.