Slamdance 2024: PU EKAW TNOD
What I love about Slamdance is the embrace of films that could be considered a little bit odd or out-there. Not just in the sense of abstract or avant-garde, but films that color a little bit outside the lines while allowing the creator’s vision to shine through. With PU EKAW TNOD, we’re able to see such vision exploring the idea of being the viewer and the viewed, and it’s just as creepy as you think.
An Immersive, Eerie Experience
Don’t Wake Up (stylized as PU EKAW TNOD) is a short horror film starring Dorothea Jones and Harold Addo as a couple watching a horror film of their own, leaving him shaken by the “nightmare fuel.” As the bright-colored credits roll, Jones recounts how the film reminded her of a dream she’s had, and suddenly they find themselves in a nightmare of their own. They explore strange doors and corridors, each creepier than the last, but soon everything seems all too familiar, and they’re not alone.
Jones and Addo are convincing in their roles, but what really shines is the visuals brought to life by writer-director Rebecca Culverhouse and her team. Prior to screening this film remotely, I was recommended by Culverhouse to use headphones to get closer to cinema-level audio, and I was not disappointed. Her use of sound, light, and color elevate this film to another level of terror and discomfort as we feel along with the characters what it’s like to watch horror versus what it’s like to be in the horror.
PU EKAW TNOD is exactly what it needs to be, concise enough to not overstay its welcome while also delivering impactful horror with a surprise ending that had me already wanting a rewatch.
Check out more of Film Inquiry’s Slamdance 2024 coverage HERE.
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