Our mission is to spotlight the visionary womxn shaping the future of horror cinema. Through Fearless Frame, we celebrate the artistry, innovation, and diverse perspectives of womxn filmmakers who craft chilling tales, push boundaries, and redefine the genre. By amplifying their voices, we aim to inspire audiences and empower creators to continue forging their paths in the shadowy corners of storytelling. Through the month of December, we will be showcasing a womxn filmmaker in the horror genre each day!

ELISABETTA CANCELLI

WORK: The Master – Short – Horror/scifi/thriller – 2022 (19:52)

SYNOPSIS: Muggia, Italy, 1920s. A cocky young man crosses paths with a mysterious woman and steals a strange, otherworldly book from her. But when she vanishes without a trace, his search for her plunges him into a harrowing night of terror. What begins as a simple act of mischief spirals into a mind-bending nightmare, drenched in cosmic dread and eerie shadows. Inspired by Lovecraft’s The Shadow over Innsmouth and the legendary Call of Cthulhu, this tale promises a chilling descent into madness, where every corner hides secrets too terrible to imagine.

BIO: An Independent director and actress from Trieste, Italy. Since birth, I have always expressed a passion for acting, theater, directing and cinema. While I was graduating in Cinema studies and performing arts, I worked as a photographer and videomaker at various artistic events in Trieste and as an actress, script supervisor and assistant director for short films and independent films. In 2020, during the first wave of Covid-19, I started writing and directing short films of my own creation, signing them with my channel ” Silent Dream”. All the works of the channel Silent Dream try to bring the artistic romantic wave in the way of telling stories on the screen and bringing the theme of personal reflection, growth and relationship with the other gender and sex especially regarding the delicate theme of gender violence.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT: Romantic art is not only about love. It’s about every deep felling of the human soul. Fear is also romantic, anger, desperation, excitement, euphoria, empathy and daydreaming are also romantic. Horror and Thriller genere can express the romantic wave with the same strength as love and passion. It’s an adventure, a discovery through the human soul.

STORY STATEMENT: I personally think that there are still few women expressing their passion for role play game, videogames and Lovecraftian horror. I’d like to give a feminine and thriller glance to a story that involves mystery and investigation. I also care much about my birthplace, my region and city, full of multicultural heritage, complexity and of course mistery.

PRODUCTION CONTENT:

• Producer: Elisabetta Cancelli
• Cinematographer: Luca Bertossi
• Editor: Luca Bertossi and Elisabetta Cancelli
• Low budget Shot in Muggia, Italy

EXPLORING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: The shortfilm is set in Muggia, Trieste and it’s on the border with Slovenia. The protagonist has Slovenian roots while the other characters are Italian. This is very common in Trieste because it’s a very multicultural city with many Slavic influences. Also the plot begins with an harassment on a lady that gives the inciting incident to the story.

MARGINALIZED VOICES INVOLVED:

• Women and Non-Binary Creators: Amplifying voices historically underrepresented in filmmaking
• BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Celebrating cultural diversity and stories rooted in unique lived experiences
• Neurodivergent Creators: Highlighting filmmakers with autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent experiences
• Working Class Filmmakers: Sharing stories from those who overcome systemic barriers to pursue their craft.

AWARDS AND FILM FESTIVAL APPEARANCES:

• AWARD WINNER New York Movie Awards
• London Indie Short Festival
• New York Neorealism Film Awards
• Phoenix Shorts NOMINEE
• Rome Prisma Film Awards FINALIST
• Oniros Film Awards® – New York

*Set against the mysterious backdrop of 1920s Muggia, Italy, this Lovecraft-inspired short film weaves a chilling tale of cosmic horror and personal reflection. The story combines the eerie allure of The Shadow over Innsmouth with a uniquely feminine perspective on mystery and investigation, set in a multicultural region rich in Slavic and Italian heritage. The production amplifies marginalized voices, with women, non-binary, BIPOC, and neurodivergent creators shaping its low-budget, intimate narrative. Through themes of manipulation, gender dynamics, and cultural identity, this project challenges traditional storytelling while offering an inclusive and thrilling experience.

Learn more about Elisabetta and Silent Dream here and watch THE MASTER in full here!