Private Project

The Eve - Short film 2015 (English version) Winner of 93 awards (check the awards section and project website link)

Simon is an eight-year-old boy who seems to have everything from life. He’s a handsome child, he’s rich yet unhappy. He senses that there’s something wrong with his life and this leads him to wander off thanks to his fervid imagination. His greatest wish is to leave the materialistic world behind since he isn’t fond of it. That’s why the only present he wants for Christmas is for Santa Claus to take him away to live in his fairyland toy factory. At the same time, a secret that his family has been keeping for a long time suddenly comes to the surface and it is feared that the worst might happen soon. The expectation for the stroke of midnight on the night before Christmas is transformed into reality for everyone on the eve of something truly different. Something terrible that might happen.

ATTENTION: SPOILER!
THE FOLLOWING NOTE MUST BE READ ONLY AT THE END OF THE SHORT MOVIE IN ORDER TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE STORY:-
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At minute 17,15 the blurred writings because of the medium quality of this video file say: 'A piece of my wife for this year!'

  • Luca Machnich
    Director
  • Luca Machnich
    Writer
  • Luca Machnich
    Producer
  • Valerio Santosuosso
    Key Cast
  • Ulf Kusdas
    Key Cast
  • Mary Wall
    Key Cast
  • Maurizio Rapotec
    Key Cast
  • Sandro Di Stefano
    Key Cast
  • Giulio Pietromarchi
    Key Cast
  • Genres:
    Horror, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 11, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    160,000 EUR
  • Shooting Format:
    film Super 16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1,85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • INDEPENDENT HORROR MOVIE ADWARDS 2015

    United States
    YES
    MOST EXPERIMENTAL INDEPENDENT HORROR
  • GLOBAL INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS 2015

    United States
    NO
    SILVER MEDAL BEST ACTOR UNDER 18-SILVER MEDAL BEST ACTRESS SUPPORTING ROLE -BRONZE MEDAL BEST COSTUMES
  • THE BEST SHORTS COMPETITION 2015
    La Jolla, CA
    United States
    October 10, 2015
    NO
    AWARDS OF RECOGNITIONS: FILM SHORT- EXPERIMENTAL
  • L.A. SHORTS AWARDS 2015
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    September 25, 2015
    NO
    BEST EDITING (BRONZE)
  • SOUTHEAST ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL 2015
    Winterville, NC
    United States
    November 6, 2015
    NO
    BEST HORROR
  • TOP INDIE FILM AWARDS 2015

    United States
    November 1, 2015
    NO
    BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
  • 12 MONTHS FILM FESTIVAL 2015
    Cluj-Napoc
    Romania
    November 3, 2015
    NO
    DIRECTOR OF THE MONTH (2ND)
  • EURO FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Marbella
    Spain
    YES
    BEST EDITING - BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
  • OREGON FILM AWARDS 2015

    United States
    October 30, 2015
    NO
    GOLD AWARD EXPERIMENTAL FILM COMPETITION
  • HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL MOVING PICTURES FILM FESTIVAL 2015

    United States
    October 30, 2015
    NO
    AWARD OF RECOGNITION DRAMEDY (SHORT)
  • HAUNTED HORROR FILM FESTIVAL 2015

    United States
    October 7, 2015
    NO
    BEST FOREIGN SHORT HORROR FILM
  • TERROR FILM FESTIVAL 2015
    Malvern, PA
    United States
    November 10, 2015
    NO
    CLAW AWARD FOR BEST SOUND DESIGN
  • PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL 2015
    Melbourne
    Australia
    November 28, 2015
    YES
    BEST HORROR
  • ZED FEST FILM FESTIVAL AND SCREENPLAY COMPETITION 2015
    Burbank, CA
    United States
    November 7, 2015
    NO
    OUTSTANDING SCREEN STORY
  • STEAM COFFEE CO. INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS 2015
    Modesto, CA
    United States
    October 2, 2016
    NO
    BEST HORROR
  • SPOTLIGHT SHORT FILM AWARDS 2015
    Atlanta, GA
    United States
    NO
    SILVER AWARD
  • SARMAT INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 2015
    Orenburg
    Russian Federation
    October 30, 2015
    YES
    BEST DIRECTOR
  • INDIE FEST FILM AWARDS 2015
    La Jolla, CA
    United States
    November 6, 2015
    NO
    AWARDS OF RECOGNITIONS: FILM SHORT
  • FRIGHT NIGHT HORROR WEEKEND 2015
    Louisville, KY
    United States
    October 16, 2015
    NO
    BEST EXPERIMENTAL HORROR FILM
  • ACCOLADE GLOBAL FILM COMPETITION 2015
    La Jolla, CA
    United States
    December 27, 2015
    NO
    AWARD OF MERIT FILM SHORT
  • NYC INDIE FILM AWARDS 2015
    New York, NY
    United States
    December 12, 2015
    NO
    PLATINUM AWARD BEST SHORT FILM - PLATINUM AWARD BEST DIRECTOR - GOLD AWARD BEST SCREENPLAY - GOLD AWARD BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - PLATINUM AWARD BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
  • INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS 2015
    Encino, CA
    United States
    November 27, 2015
    NO
    GOLD WINNER: DIRECTING - BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - ORIGINAL SCORE- SOUND DESIGN/EDITING - EDITING -- SILVER WINNER: COSTUME DESIGN - PALTINUM WINNER: SPECIAL EFFECTS
  • LOS ANGELES HORROR COMPETITION 2015
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    December 11, 2015
    NO
    DIAMOND AWARD BEST SHORT- BEST DIRECTOR- BEST SCREENPLAY - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY- GOLD AWARD BEST EDITING - BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS- PLATINUM AWARD BEST SCORE
  • CAL-TEX WORLDWIDE HORROR FEST 2015

    United States
    NO
    BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT HORROR
  • LOS ANGELES CINEMA FESTIVAL OF HOLLYWOOD 2016
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    January 9, 2016
    NO
    BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
  • INTERNATIONAL FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL 2015
    Jakarta
    Indonesia
    January 17, 2016
    YES
    PLATINUM AWARD SHORT FILM
  • CALIFORNIA FILM AWARDS 2015
    San Diego, CA
    United States
    NO
    SILVER AWARD SHORT FILM COMPETITION
  • IDYLLWILD INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CINEMA 2016
    Idyllwild, CA
    United States
    January 8, 2016
    NO
    BEST EDIT FEATURETTE - INDIE SPIRIT AWARD
  • NORTH WALES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    North Wales
    United Kingdom
    YES
    BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT
  • DEPTH OF FIELD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL COMPETITION 2016
    Nassau, DE
    United States
    NO
    BEST OF SHOW: LOOSE SHORTS (HORROR) - BEST OF SHOW: CINEMATOGRAPHY - BEST OF SHOW: DIRECTION - BEST OF SHOW: SOUND EDITING - BEST OF SHOW: EDITING - BEST OF SHOW: VISUAL SPECIAL EFFECTS
  • MOUNTAIN FILM AWARDS 2016
    Mammoth Lakes, CA
    United States
    NO
    SIERRA NEVADA FILM AWARD
  • MAGWILL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    NO
    GRANT BEST SHORT FILM
  • HOLLYWOOD FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Hollywood, FL
    United States
    NO
    BEST DIRECTOR OF A SHORT FILM
  • INTERNATIONAL MOVIE AWARDS 2016
    Jakarta
    Indonesia
    NO
    GOLD AWARDS WINNER: SHORT FILM - DIRECTOR - MUSIC DIRECTOR - EDITOR - AWARDS OF MERIT WINNER: PRODUCTION DESIGN - CINEMATOGRAPHER
  • FILMMAKER WORLD FESTIVAL 2016
    Jakarta
    Indonesia
    NO
    PLATINUM AWARD: INTERNATIONAL FILM - DIRECTING - GOLD AWARD: EDITING
  • 2016 LOS ANGELES FILM REVIEW INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    NO
    SILVER AWARD
  • NEVADA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Las Vegas, NV
    United States
    NO
    SILVER SCREEN AWARD EXPERIMENTAL FILM COMPETITION
  • BUFFALO NIAGARA FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Buffalo, NY
    United States
    NO
    MOST INNOVATIVE FILM
  • CALIFORNIA FILM AWARDS 2016
    San Diego, CA
    United States
    NO
    SILVER AWARD SHORT FILM COMPETITION
  • COMME IL FAUT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Minsk
    Belarus
    YES
    BEST EDITING
  • LOS ANGELES REEL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    NO
    FIRST PLACE EXPERIMENTAL - BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
  • WORLD FILM AWARDS 2016
    Jakarta
    Indonesia
    NO
    GOLDEN WORLD AWARD: INTERNATIONAL FILM
  • EURO FILM FEST 2016
    Saint. Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    NO
    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
  • MEXICO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    YES
    SILVER AWARD PALM WINNER: NARRATIVE SHORT COMPETITION
  • BARCELLONA FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Barcellona
    Spain
    NO
    CASTELL AWARD
  • INTERNATIONAL HORROR HOTEL 2016
    Cleveland, OH
    United States
    June 12, 2016
    NO
    HONORABLE MENTION
  • DOWN EAST FLICK FEST 2016
    Greenville, NC
    United States
    NO
    THIRD PLACE WINNER: BEST HORROR SHORT
  • ATLAS AWARDS 2016
    Boston, MA
    United States
    NO
    BEST HORROR FILM
  • SPOTLIGHT HORROR FILM AWARDS 2016
    Atlanta, GA
    United States
    NO
    SILVER AWARD WINNER
  • INDIEPOSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND SCREENPLAY COMPETITION 2016
    Providence, RI
    June 30, 2016
    NO
    BEST HORROR
  • FANTASMAGORICAL FILM FEST 2016
    Kentucky, KY
    United States
    July 29, 2016
    NO
    OUTSTANDING VISUAL FILM - OUTSTANDING SCREEN STORY
  • DOCUMENTARY & SHORT INTERNATIONAL MOVIE AWARD 2016
    Jakarta
    Indonesia
    NO
    INTERNATIONAL PLATINUM AWARD: EUROPEAN SHORT FILM, INTERATIONAL GOLD AWARD WINNER: DIRECTOR, EDITOR, FILMAKER OF INSPIRATION, MEDAL OF INSPIRATION , INTERNATIONAL AWARD OF RECOGNITION: LEAD ACTOR, STORY
  • COLORTAPE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016
    Brisbane
    Australia
    NO
    TOP 10 FILMS AWARD: BEST DEBUT
Director Biography - Luca Machnich

The director is a grandnephew of Anton Machnich, one of the movie pioneers in Italy, who opened the first movie theaters in Italy, in Romania and in Ireland (the latter in partnership with the famous writer James Joyce) in the early 19th century. He studied film direction at the Los Angeles Film School after working as a production assistant in several screen and TV movies (also with Ettore Scola). He authored "Spaghetti Nightmares", one of the best books on Italian fantasy and thriller movies which was published in Italy (M&P edizioni) and in the United States (Fantasma books). The extended Italian version was very much appreciated by the fans of the genre and the film critics. 

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

THE EVE is a story that echoes the style of the great American thriller writer Robert Bloch (whose novel "Psycho" was filmed by Hitchcock) in its macabre irony, of Dino Buzzati, the most important Italian fantasy writer in its longing for the transcendent and the desperate waiting for an opportunity of redemption from a tragic life, and of the great American fantasy fiction writer Henry James in its interior monologues and in the psychological narration of the leading characters. Instead, it distances itself from a certain Italian film genre that was exploited until the end of the 19th century and whose formulas now appear repetitive.
The film gives the opportunity to explore in an international film language the purity and fantasy of a child's world violated by the cynicism of the world of adults, and to narrate it through the dilated times of dream and imagination in the setting of a Christmas that has nothing joyful and mystical and where the waiting for another future, symbolized by the bell tower, is the leading character of the story.