PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When I attended the 2018 Women in Horror Film Festival back in October, I was truly taken back by all the amazing shorts and features that were shown, created by a plethora of talented filmmakers and artists, all together for one magical event. One of my favorite selections from the festival was the hit horror short, The After Party. I liked it so much that I had just had to share my thoughts with you guys.
This mysterious, dark horror short was directed and written by Little Man of Steel’s Colin Costello. The cast includes Rachel Amanda Bryant, Hilary Barraford, Denise Milfort, Ashley Platz, Veronica Sixtos, Aaron Gaffey, and Tarnue Massaquoi.
Synopsis for The After Party:
Meet Skye Monroe: reality show star… social media queen…. and blissfully unaware of how self-centered she is. The red carpets Skye casually steps on with her Jimmy Choos could be said to represent the spilled blood of those she walked on to get where she is today. In Skye’s mind, a party just is not a party without the Monroe touch. And, as long as she is game, the party never ends.
Skye drinks what she wants, snorts what she wants and takes who she wants. With every deplorable act Skye does, she believes it makes her more powerful. Someone like Skye doesn’t really have friends but followers, tagging along for every moment of her life thanks to her endless streams of posts covering everything from her morning workout to her exciting night on the town.
But for women like Skye, who ultimately are addicted to themselves, there does come a judgement day, and we’re not talking about the amount of likes on her latest Instagram post. Tonight, Skye will be put on trial for her deeds. Her courtroom is a little dive bar tucked away in the corner of urban decay, appropriately called The After Party. Her jury will be four sophisticated women shooting a game of billiards.
I can say without any hesitance that there isn’t single film out there right now that is quite like The After Party. In a short run time, it delivers an engaging story that’s socially relatable, beautifully shot, and intoxicating from beginning to end.
I personally have a love/hate relationship with social media, as many do. It’s great for promotion and keeping in contact with friends and family, but is also consuming on many levels. It encompasses your time, your life and your actions. Should I post this? What do the comments say? It never ends. Rachel Amanda Bryant’s character, Skye, is the ultimate example of how social media can turn us into someone we don’t even recognize. The price of her attention and fame comes with the pain and failure of others. She’s so immersed into this lifestyle that she doesn’t even realize all the harm she’s caused. The After Party tells this amazingly powerful story told in a brief amount of time but with a massive impact.
PopHorror first laid their eyes on Rachel Amanda Bryant in Jason Horton’s brilliant indie horror film, The Campus. It was great to see her in The After Party. As per usual, she doesn’t disappoint and killed in the role of Skye. You get to see a different side of her acting as a character you love to hate, delivering her lines in a disturbing, elegant way. The rest of cast was equally wonderful and intriguing. I loved learning each character’s past and hearing each of their unique Skye Stories.
One of my favorite things about The After Party was the black and white layout and beautifully shot cinematography. All of it played a huge part in the success of the story and worked together to create a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
Final Thoughts
The After Party was one of my favorite shorts at the 2018 Women in Horror Film Festival, and it doesn’t surprise me that the film has won many awards during its festival run. It’s one that works brilliantly as a short, but I would also love to see it as a full length feature. As of right now, I don’t know when it will be available to the public, but keep your eyes peeled for it at festivals near you!
