Dreamcrasher

Directed by Joseph Ringland

2026

Nova Wave Film Productions



This 13-minute debut short from writer/director Joseph Ringland is a fully rounded, accomplished piece that skirts the boundaries of horror, drama and even some light comedy.

Lyud Hristov stars as Norman, a young man who is struggling to sleep, and when he does, is haunted by an antlered sleep paralysis demon. Despite regular sessions with his therapist (Adie Mueller), the disturbances continue to escalate, forcing Norman to come terms with his own past.

There’s a lot to like here. The cinematography is simple and effective, keeping the demon in the shadows at first and bathing the cast in a hazy, TV glow which contrasts nicely with the stark natural lighting of the daytime scenes. When we see the demon clearly, it’s a combination of influences – including Donnie Darko; an influence that becomes clearer as the film progresses – but it’s an effective mix of costuming and practical effects that do not overextend the limited budget of the film.

More impressive is Ringland’s ability to weave humour into the film. The synopsis is riddled with psychological horror buzzwords, but the script manages to avoid the worst of these cliches by keeping Norman as a down-to-earth, rather earnest man who is doing his best.

The montage of him confronting, and then accepting, his sleep paralysis demon is a genuine highlight that breaks the tension and progresses the character, without it feeling rushed.

There are a couple of issues. While Ringland’s script works well, there are a few scenes where the language feels a little stilted. It’s unclear whether this is purposeful (to represent Norman’s sleep deprived state) or an indication that the script needed just one final go through, allowing a few extra moments of silence to linger.

However, Dreamcrasher remains a hugely impressive first film; one that avoids the worst mistakes that are seen in this genre (vilification of mental illness) and comes from a place that is clearly personal to the filmmaker. Ringland already feels like a creative ready to take on bigger projects.

★★★½

3.5 / 5

Matthew Tilt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tiltmatthew90/