Universe 25
A mysterious entity. A bizarre psychological experiment. Imprisoned in “The Room,” a woman can’t know anyone longer than 30 days. It’s difficult to say what’s worse: knowing that anyone she cares about will disappear, or that they might be replaced by someone worse. With no hope of escape, she must confront the absurdity of her new existence.
Universe 25 is an allegory for a universal human dilemma: how can you find happiness when everything (and everyone) in life is transient? Where is hope in the face of relentless adversity? A must-watch for fans of sci-fi, psychological horror, and character-driven dramas alike.
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David TappanDirector
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Kelly TappanWriter
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David TappanWriter
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Andrew ReisfeldProducer
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Juan HerreraProducer
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David TappanProducer
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Victor LordProducer
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Kelly TappanKey Cast"Mel"
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Kalen ParrotKey Cast"Antonio"
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Josephine Valentina ClarkKey Cast"Manon"
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Genres:Sci-Fi, Thriller, Drama, Horror
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Runtime:19 minutes 59 seconds
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Completion Date:October 10, 2023
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Production Budget:37,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States, United States
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Language:English
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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ScreamFest Horror Film FestivalLos Angeles, CA
United States
October 15, 2023
World Premiere
Official Selection -
Lund Fantastic Film FestivalLund
Sweden
November 1, 2023
International Premiere
Official Selection -
Boston SciFi Film FestBoston, MA
United States
February 15, 2024
East Coast Premiere
Official Selection -
Int'l Horror & Sci Fi Film Festival (Phoenix Film Festival)Phoenix, AZ
United States
April 14, 2024
Arizona Premiere
Official Selection -
Juggernaut Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film FestivalChicago, IL
United States
April 20, 2024
Midwest Premiere
Official Selection -
Indy Film FestIndianapolis, IN
United States
April 25, 2024
Indiana Premiere
Official Selection -
PopCon International Film FestivalIndianapolis, IN
United States
April 26, 2024
WINNER - Best Sci-Fi/ Fantasy -
Chicago Horror Film FestivalChicago, IL
United States
May 4, 2024
NOMINEE - Best Editing, Best Sci-Fi Horror Short -
First Contact Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film FestivalAtlantic Highlands, New Jersey
United States
May 18, 2024
New Jersey Premiere
NOMINEE -- Best Live Action Film, Best "First Contact" Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Cinematography -
Comic Con International Independent Film FestivalSan Diego
United States
July 26, 2024
San Diego Premiere
WINNER -- Best Horror/ Suspense Film -
Motor City Nightmares International Film FestivalDetroit, MI
United States
July 27, 2024
Michigan Premiere
Official Selection -
Gen Con Film FestivalIndianapolis, IN
United States
August 1, 2024
Official Selection -
Ravenheart International Film FestivalOslo
Norway
August 21, 2024
Norway Premiere
Official Selection -
Sci-Fi-London Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
September 14, 2024
UK Premiere
Official Selection -
Nashville Film FestivalNashville, TN
United States
September 20, 2024
Southeast Premiere
WINNER - Best Graveyard Short -
Planet 9 Film FestLos Angeles, CA
United States
September 22, 2024
Official Selection -
Glendale International Film FestivalGlendale, CA
United States
September 26, 2024
WINNER -- Best Sci-Fi Short Film -
H.P. Lovecraft Film FestivalPortland, OR
United States
October 4, 2024
Pacific Northwest Premiere
Official Selection -
Temecula Valley Film FestivalTemecula, CA
United States
October 12, 2024
San Diego Premiere
WINNER -- Golden Poppy Audience Award -
Brooklyn SciFi Film FestivalBrooklyn, NY
United States
October 14, 2024
New York Premiere
FINALIST -
Fargo Fantastic Film FestivalFargo, ND
United States
October 17, 2024
North Dakota Premiere
Official Selection -
San Jose International Short Film FestivalSan Jose, CA
United States
October 24, 2024
San Jose Premiere
Official Selection -
The Micheaux Film FestivalLos Angeles, CA
United States
October 27, 2024
WINNER -- Outstanding Sci-Fi -
SModcastle Film FestivalAtlantic Highlands, NJ
United States
October 24, 2024
WINNER -- Best Director; NOMINEE -- Best Short Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Short -
Imagine Fantastic Film FestivalAmsterdam
Netherlands
October 28, 2024
Netherlands Premiere
Official Selection -
FilmQuestProvo, UT
United States
October 31, 2024
Utah Premiere
WINNER -- Best Sci-Fi Short Film; NOMINEE -- Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing -
Lee Strasberg Film FestivalLos Angeles, CA
United States
November 9, 2024
Official Selection -
Pittsburgh Shorts Film FestivalPittsburgh, PN
United States
November 21, 2024
Pennsylvania Premiere
Official Selection -
San Fransisco Independent Film FestivalSan Fransisco
United States
February 6, 2025
WINNER - Jury Prize: Best Short Film -
Idyllwild International Festival of CinemaIdyllwild, CA
United States
March 4, 2025
NOMINEE -- Best Featurette, Best Director (Featurette), Best Screenplay (Featurette), Best Actress (Featurette), Best Actor (Featurette), Best Cinematography (Featurette) Best Original Score (Featurette), Best Sound Design (Featurette), Best Editing (Featurette) -
The Poppy Jasper International Film FestivalSan Fransisco
United States
April 13, 2025
Official Selection -
Capital City Film FestivalLansing, MI
United States
April 5, 2025
Official Selection -
Philip K. Dick Science Fiction and Supernatural Film FestivalNew York, NY
United States
April 2, 2025
Official Selection -
Mirada Corta Short Film FestivalMexico City
Mexico
April 5, 2025
Latin American Premiere
Semifinalist
David Tappan is an award-winning director known for his unique ability to merge character-driven narratives with high-concept storytelling.
Tappan’s short film, Universe 25, premiered at the 2023 ScreamFest. It later won Best Sci-Fi Short Film at FilmQuest 2024 and Best Graveyard Short at the Oscar-qualifying Nashville Film Fest in 2024. Kevin Smith's SModcastle Film Festival awarded him with Best Director for his work on the project. The film was further honored at the 2024 Comic-Con International, where it won Best Horror/ Suspense Film. Over 30 film festivals have granted the film official selections and awards, including prestigious Méliès fests such as Lund Fantastic and Imagine Fantastic.
Tappan co-founded Level 11 Films with his sister and writing partner, Kelly Tappan. Universe 25, their flagship project, has received critical acclaim. It has been described as “an awe-inspiring cinematic feat” by Overly Honest Reviews and “about as good as a Sci-Fi short gets” by Film Threat. A feature-length adaptation is currently in development.
Tappan's goal is to shine a mirror at audiences, representing the collective madness of humanity and illuminating the thin path we each must walk to find our peace. By blending elements of horror, sci-fi, and thriller, Tappan transports audiences to unfamiliar worlds -- not only to entertain, but to more vividly capture the dilemmas we all face in life.
We made this film with the belief that genre audiences crave thought-provoking cinema. We want to be removed from our familiar world not only to be entertained, but because it can more vividly capture the human experience. Our Sci-Fi/ Thriller is an allegory for a universal human dilemma: how can you find happiness when everything in life is transient? Where is hope in the face of relentless adversity?
With anxiety and depression defining our generation, my hope is to help audiences find the power that lies on the other side of pain. This film has been a labor of love for nearly two years and I’m excited to share it with the world.
"If we do not learn to perceive the mystery and beauty of our present life, our present hour, we shall not perceive the worth of any life, any hour.” - Philip Kapleau