Filmmaker Alexander Seltzer crafts perfect horror, sacrificing big budget effects for exceptional writing and cinematography. I loved his previous film “10-33” and his latest “The Door” premiered Jun 30, 2025.
Taking place in a single location, “The Door” deals with grief and suffering as a couple deals with the loss of their only child. Seltzer would write and direct the piece.
Seltzer conveys the story without an awkward exposition dump. We watch Kara (Tanaya Beatty) emptying out the contents of a child’s room. Then silence at the dinner table as Kara gulps wine and Felix (Raymond Ablack) looks on with concern. Something terrible has happened, but exactly what remains unseen.
A mysterious door appears in their kitchen. It’s locked with shadowy movement beyond. 14 minutes of gripping tension ensues.
Great Acting
The two characters deliver emotional dialogue in a truly believable way. Tanaya Beatty is trying to forget that her daughter Ellie (Mercedez Gutierrez) existed at all. Raymond Ablack wants to be there for his family, while calmly reminding Kara that she was his daughter too.
The peak of the story occurs when an argument erupts between the two. It’s tough conversation to deliver but each performer is exceptional. “She’s gone and she’s not coming back!” Felix yells. “And you left me alone.” The viewer is left wondering what happened to Ellie. Where did the door come from. Is it supernatural, or a mere manifestation of some deeper marital issue between the two?
“The Door” is a great horror short from a filmmaker who knows how to deliver.
Click here to follow filmmaker Alexander Seltzer on Instagram.
Click here to watch “The Door”
