KALIMBA: Effectively Alluring & Eerie

Kalimba, the horror short written by Robbie J. Atkinson and J.E. Atkinson and directed by Robbie J. Atkinson, is an exercise in nightmare fuel.

It opens to an ominous voice and a young woman in bed. Some… thing is leering over her and we catch a quick glimpse of the creature before she wakes.

Cassidy (Raiany Silva), is quite haunted. Her nighttime disruptions are wearing on her, accumulating in various ways, from nightmares to sleep paralysis. Her relationship with her mother is shown to be estranged early on, and she doesn’t give much credence to Cassidy’s concern that something more, supernatural, may be afoot. 

It’s mentioned that her grandma may be able to help, but in this well-paced twenty minute short, we don’t yet uncover what that will entail. It spikes an intrigue that doesn’t dissipate, making the squirming discomfort last until the final shot.

The only part that doesn’t quite click is a scene between her and her friend. A welcoming bit of levity, mind you, but some of the dialogue doesn’t hit as well as the rest. 

Overall, the film is a delightfully eerie bit of filmmaking that is quite polished and formidable. It shows a keen sense of creativity and curates some lingering horror imagery. The script flows with measured intent and crafts a lot of thought-provoking elements in its small runtime. 

Terrific sound design ensures we hear every gasp, creak and groan. This adds to an already amazing atmosphere that sweeps you up. Atkinson has a unique vision, and the direction speaks to detail and unique skill. Silva is quite good as our lead, convincingly tortured and she makes for an engaging north for us to follow in the night. 

Kalimba works because it utilizes the embedded fear of the unknown mixed with the psychological thrills that keep us glued to the screen.

The short is referenced as a proof of concept for a feature and I sure hope it gets one, I’d love to see what else lurks in the dark.

Conclusion:

Kalimba is a tightly wound wonder, enigmatic and enticing. There’s a lot to love here, and I look forward to seeing what comes next from this talented group.