Experiencing Interruptions?

Bells

A father learns the secret behind his son's strange nightly ritual.

  • Ben Botwick
    Director
  • Ben Botwick
    Writer
  • Lizzie Minges
    Producer
  • Ben Botwick
    Producer
  • Destin Khari
    Key Cast
    "Boy"
  • Heinley Gaspard
    Key Cast
    "Dad"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Horror, Fantasy
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 6, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Big Apple Film Festival
    New York, NY
    United States
    August 28, 2019
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • HorrorHound Film Fest
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    United States
    September 6, 2019
    Midwest Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Spooky Movie Film Festival
    Silver Spring, Maryland
    United States
    October 5, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Salem Horror Fest
    Salem, Massachusetts
    United States
    October 5, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Nashville Film Festival
    Nashville, Tennessee
    United States
    October 7, 2019
    Southeast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • S.O.S. Indie Horror Film Fest
    Wheelersburg, Ohio
    United States
    October 26, 2019
    Official Selection
  • Bleedingham Horror Film Festival
    Bellingham, Washington
    United States
    October 27, 2019
    West Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Another Hole In The Head Film Festival
    San Francisco
    United States
    December 7, 2019
    California Premiere
  • American Horror Film Festival
    Phoenix, Arizona
    United States
    January 25, 2020
    Best Short Nominee
  • Winter Film Awards
    New York City
    United States
    February 23, 2020
    Best Horror Short Nominee
Director Biography - Ben Botwick

Ben began writing stories in kindergarten. His first was a tragic alien romance that served as a creation myth for the sun and the moon. In college, he produced, co-directed and starred in Killer Toaster from Hell, a feature-length film that he wrote in three days on a dare. Ben took 2nd place at the 2014 Slamdance Screenplay Contest in the horror category and joined the Writers Guild of America West in January of 2015. He currently resides in Brooklyn with his tiny wife and a cat named Duck.

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Director Statement

When I was a kid, I came up with plenty of things to fear. The knob on my bedroom door was one of my many concerns. I was convinced it would change into a face. Since I had no interest in witnessing this transformation, I decided to cover it each night with a sock. As an adult, there are plenty of real things to fear. Imagination is rarely required. Bells is not meant to be a soothing movie but I still think there’s something oddly comforting in revisiting a time when the threats were more abstract and the world was less defined.