Experiencing Interruptions?

Say My Name

Serial killer Mason Oliver Reed, driven by a twisted passion for opera, believes his final victim has been silenced—until she returns. Wreathed in smoke and molten wounds, she stalks him through the shadows with a demonic doll at her side, whispering one command: “Say my name.”

What follows is not simple revenge, but a shifting cycle of violence in which victim and monster dissolve into one another, and no one remains purely one or the other.

An award-winning short, now presented in its final revised cut (2026).

  • Bruce David Janu
    Director
    Facing Sudan, Crayons and paper, This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts, Rear View
  • Bruce David Janu
    Writer
  • Maria Puga
    Key Cast
    "Alejandra Fuerte"
  • Bruce David Janu
    Key Cast
    "Mason Oliver Reed"
  • Andrew Zilch
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    supernatural, revenge, horror, psychological
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 25, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • All Horror Short Film Festival
    Jacksonville
    United States
    Best Paranormal Short, 30 Minutes
  • Couch Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    April 1, 2025
    Best Cast Award Winner
  • L.A. Indie Horror Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Honorable Mention
  • Chicago Horror Film festival
    Chicago
    United States
    May 18, 2025
    Nomination - Best Short Horror Film (Chicago/Illinois)
  • Milwaukee Horror Film fest
    Milwaukee
    United States
    Nominee: Best Horror Short
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    Honorable Mention
  • Morgue and Krypt Horror Fest
    Albuquerque
    United States
  • Anatolia International Film Festival
    Istanbul
  • Fortean Film Festival
    Standish
    United Kingdom
Director Biography - Bruce David Janu

Bruce David Janu is an award-winning filmmaker, educator, and founder of Bell, Book and Camera Productions. With over 30 years in education, Bruce transitioned into filmmaking, earning acclaim for his first documentary, Facing Sudan (2007), which received two Best Documentary awards, including at the Illinois International Film Festival. His follow-up, Crayons and Paper, spotlighted humanitarian efforts in global conflict zones. Most recently, Bruce directed This Sacred Space: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts, winning Best Director at Toronto’s Couch Film Festival. His latest work, Say My Name, marks his first foray into scripted horror. Currently, Bruce is in production on Ginny & Juel, a documentary exploring the legacy of the 1920s all-female jazz band, The Ingenues.

Beyond film, Bruce is also a writer, podcaster, and host on Vinyl Voyage Radio, where he celebrates music history. By day, he is a high school librarian.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Say My Name began with a doll I found in a thrift store—something I kept in my classroom that quickly took on a life of its own. I called her Mallory. Some students and colleagues were drawn to her; others found her presence deeply unnerving. I’ve always been drawn to horror, and over time I developed a reputation as the “weird” teacher—the one who liked to create an atmosphere just slightly off.

I set out to make a horror film rooted in something familiar: the story of a serial killer. But I wanted to move beyond the standard “killer gets what he deserves” trope. Drawing on folklore surrounding vengeful female spirits, I reimagined that dynamic from a perspective that resists easy resolution. Mallory became an ambiguous conduit between the dead and the forces that drive vengeance.