I often fall asleep on the couch with YouTube on and auto-playing. Last night I was awoken to the cries of a little girl, bringing me to a 2020 horror short film called “Abracitos.”
Yikes! Not a thing to witness in a darkened room.
Filmmaker Tony Morales demonstrates the effectiveness of simplicity with this terrifying ten-minute tale.
Terrifying
Creepy kids work well for horror. Here we have Ainara (Carmen Salas) who I mentioned earlier. Right away, something is unsettling about the character. Ainara is speaking to someone, or something, on an old-style telephone. A haunting cry escapes her brightly painted lips. She’s either sobbing or smiling profusely. Either way, her look is one that will stick with you. Ainara is afraid that Abracitos is in her room.
Laura (Beatriz Salas) is Ainara’s older sister. Laura is dealing with some sort of trauma. We get a glimpse into what’s going on, an excellent facet of short films. Nothing dwells or lingers, just enough is revealed for the viewer to be on edge the entire time. Laura is attempting to calm Ainara down by explaining that Abracitos is a made-up thing. The film is in Spanish, and translations of what Abracitos is don’t specify. One can assume it’s an older sister having fun with her sibling and again, the details aren’t necessary.
Simple and Effective
“Abracitos” feels like a campfire ghost story. Our two principal characters are both excellent with limited dialogue and screen time. Beatriz Salas conveys a range of emotions. Sorrow, strength, and terror, all quite well. Carmen Salas is equally impressive, considering her young age and the subject matter. That she doesn’t stop smiling is a strength to the direction of Tony Morales. As are the limited but (highly) effective jump scares.
“Abracitos” is a great horror short. (Click to watch) It’s one that will stick with you, leaving a mark. I look forward to checking out more of Tony Morales’ work.
