A new horror sensation is making waves, and it’s only 99 seconds long. Titled Dead Grandma, this chilling short film by filmmakers Rachel Kempf and Nick Toti is set to debut at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles, but lucky viewers can get an exclusive sneak peek right now.
The duo behind last year’s viral indie hit It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This promised fans that their latest project would be a limited festival-only experience—until now. Despite its brief runtime, Dead Grandma has already garnered notable praise from fellow filmmakers, with Uwe Boll calling it “surprisingly dark,” and Alex Ross Perry describing it as “a gut punch of humor, dread, and discomfort.”
From Dark Inspiration to Short Film
The idea for Dead Grandma was born from Toti’s days as a preschool teacher. Working in a nursery with crawling infants, he playfully wondered what would happen if he lay down on the floor as if he were dead. “This made me laugh, and I thought it would make a good short film,” Toti explained in a statement.
Kempf added a macabre twist to the project’s concept, referencing the legendary six-word story attributed to Ernest Hemingway: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” “We wanted to capture that same spirit—dark, succinct, and impactful—just with a bit more gallows humor,” she said.
A Festival for the DIY Spirit
Dead Grandma will be part of Slamdance’s “99 Special” program, which celebrates affordable, DIY filmmaking using accessible technology and apps. As Anna Lee Lawson, Slamdance’s film festival manager, noted, the program aims to “break down the cost barrier of production,” encouraging creators to unleash their imagination within a 99-second limit.
Critical Acclaim and Future Projects
Even before its official premiere, Dead Grandma has impressed industry insiders. Director Uwe Boll remarked, “I thought it was a photo, not a film. But then it ended up surprisingly… dark.” Perry praised it as “an entire saga of humor, dread, and discomfort squeezed into the length of a commercial,” with a final reveal that delivers a powerful punch.
While Dead Grandma makes its rounds, Kempf and Toti are already moving forward with their next project, Scary New Year. Written by Kempf and produced by Liane Cunje and Divide/Conquer, the film features a cast including Lauren Viteri, Sam Hook, and Amelia Ann, with Adam J. Minnick set to handle cinematography.
For horror fans craving a quick, intense scare, Dead Grandma is a must-watch—proof that sometimes, less really is more.
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