Intense Horror Short Film BOO Centers on a Rcovering Addict Facing Her Demons

Here’s an intense horror short film titled Boo. The story centers on how “a traumatic event forces a recovering addict to face her demons, without her worried fiancé uncovering the truth.

“Over the course of one very hard night, she must make a choice between who she loves and what she loves.” I love the little twist at the end of the short.

The movie comes from writer and director Rakefet Abergel. This short is shared in collaboration with the FilmQuest Film Festival, where we are looking to expose some of the radical indie genre films and shorts that filmmakers are creating.

I also included an interview with the director that you can read below!

Without spoilers, tell us what your film is about, its characters, and its themes. Is it a proof of concept, or a standalone story? 

My film is about addiction and self-worth. The main character, Devi aka Boo, is struggling with keeping herself sober on a very difficult night.

She feels like she needs to hide who she really is to be loved. She ultimately has to choose between who she loves and what she loves. It's a standalone story, although I have been working on a feature version of the script.

What was the inspiration for your film? How did you come up with the idea?

The inspiration came from a story my ex boyfriend told me about a weird night when he picked up his friend from somewhere and he was freaking out because he saw a man with garlic around his neck acting crazy. I started writing my own version of that and it turned into what it is.

Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker?

I'm native to Los Angeles and always wanted to be on tv and in movies. It took awhile to get going, but I've been a filmmaker for about 8 years. Prior to that I was primarily an actor.

I've been in a bunch of great tv and film including iCarly, Shameless, Superbad, New Girl, and more. I went to film school at Boston University, but never really intended to make my own films until I got frustrated with the lack of good acting roles available to me as a plus size comedian.

Casting didn't seem to see me as a serious actress who could do dramatic roles so I wrote the darkest thing I could think of to prove everyone wrong. That's how Jax in Love, my first short, was born.

What inspires you to work within genre cinema and tell these kind of stories?

I love how genre cinema can give life to really deep messages and dark feelings. Its a great outlet for me to say something important and entertain at the same time.

Horror doesn't shy away from the difficult and depressing, and I find that really freeing when I write. Its much easier for me than writing comedy.

What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process for this project?

My favorite part is always production. I love being on set. I love acting. I love directing. It makes all the difficult things in pre production worth it. I had a terrific crew and some of my best friends beside me throughout, as well as an uber talented cast. The shoot went smoothly and it seemed like everyone had a great time. I know I did.

What are you most proud of with this film?

I'm most proud that it played at so many festivals and won so many awards! I'm also extremely proud that it was scouted by Alter and put on their platform amongst really great films. I'm also super proud of my performance in it and it was my first time directing as well, so as difficult as it was, I think it came out great!

What is a favorite story or moment from the making of the film you'd like to share? 

I loved getting to work with Laura Slade Wiggins (Shameless) and Parisa Fitz-Henley (Fantasy Island). They are such professionals and so good at what they do on top of being incredible human beings. It was so much fun getting to play with them.

I also very much enjoyed working with Josh Kelly (Transformers). He is such a great actor and overall great person and he managed to convince me he loved me even when he had to stare at a face full of horror makeup while doing it!

What was your most challenging moment or experience you had while making your film?

There were quite a few challenging moments, but one that comes to mind is on our first day of shooting, as we were setting up, the DP realized we didn't have all the equipment we needed due to a miscommunication AND one of the pieces we rented didn't come fully operational.

It was 9pm on a Friday, so nothing was open, and I called my friend Aaron who had some equipment at home and luckily he was able to put it together for us. We had to send a PA an hour away to get it but it literally saved the shoot.

If it did, how did your film change or differ from its original concept during pre-production, production, and/or post-production? How has this changed how you'll approach future projects as a result?

It didn't change too much throughout the process but it taught me a lot about production and the importance of working with the right people to ensure not only a good result on screen, but a fun and successful production as well.

Who were some of your collaborators and actors on the film? How did you start working with each other?

Ned Thorne was the editor on my first film, Jax in Love, and he was on set for Boo as a consulting director to help me behind the camera when I was in front of it. If not for him, it wouldn't have come out as well as it did.

He then edited Boo and my newest film, Still , as well. I hope to collaborate with him on everything I do! I met Marshall Langohr through Ned and he was an excellent Producer and first AD. He kept me organized and on schedule and I couldn't have done it without him. Alex Griffin, our Director of Photography, also came through Ned.

He made the film look professional and beautiful and did it all with a smile. I met Laura Slade Wiggins on the set of Shameless when I filmed my episode. She and I became fast friends and her bubbly personality was exactly what the role called for.

I cast Parisa Fitz-Henley in a doomed production years ago before anyone knew who she was! She just has a way of bringing humanity to every character she plays. Parisa brought Josh Kelly on and I couldn't be more grateful.

Not only was he in my favorite show, Unreal, he is one of the kindest most giving actor I know. He was down to help with anything the production needed and stepped out of his actor role when we needed an extra hand, as well. A true professional.

What is the best advice you've ever received as a filmmaker and what would you like to say to new filmmakers?

The best advice I've received as a filmmaker is to just go for it. Don't wait until you think you know everything, you never will! I always tell new filmmakers to make what they love and what is important to them.

Don't make what you think will sell or what you think people want. People want real stories from real people who care about them. People also sometimes don't know what they want until they see it. So make something only YOU can make and get it out there!

What are your plans for your career and what do you hope this film does for it? What kind of stories would you like to tell moving forward?

I hope to be able to act and direct more. I'm eyeing my first feature right now. I like to tell stories about things that have affected me in my life that might help others feel less alone in their experience of similar things.

I want to change hearts and minds about difficult subjects and entertain at the same time. All of my films have a message, and will always have a message.

What the message is sometimes depends on the viewers own experience, but I want people to leave my films having walked in someone else's shoes and gained a better understanding of what that's like.

What is your next project and when can we expect to see it? 

My third short, STILL, is on the fest circuit now. Hopefully we will see it at Filmquest this year as well. It premiered at Cleveland International Film Festival and will be screening at the Shawna Shea Film Festival in July 2024.

The film is about my feelings around a miscarriage I had three years ago, and deals with the many ways people get it wrong when trying to comfort someone experiencing that kind of loss. It's less horror than my other two, but by nature of the topic is still plenty horrific and most definitely sad.

Where can we find more of your work and where can interested parties contact you? Do you have a website or YouTube/Vimeo channel? Social media handles?

You can find my films and trailers and more on my youtube channel: www.youtube.com/@TheRakefetAbergel You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X: @CyclamenFilms Or visit our website www.CyclamenFilms.com

Bonus Question #1: What is your all-time favorite film?

My all time favorite film is Back to the Future. It was the first film I saw in a theater at 5 years old and it still remains an absolutely perfect movie in every way.

Bonus Question #2: What is the film that most inspired you to become a filmmaker and/or had the most influence on your work?

So many films have inspired me and what kind of films I make. Some of them are Magnolia, Pulp Fiction, Dirty Dancing, The Sixth Sense, Goonies, Thelma and Louise, Psycho, Girl Interrupted and so many more than I could ever list.