The 2026 deadCenter Midnight Shorts Will Leave a Mark on Your Psyche
Sure, Nicole Kidman, we go to the movies “to laugh, to cry [and] to care.” But we also go to get fucked up. The 2026 deadCenter Midnight Shorts aim to do this in spades through 10 short films designed to provoke, frighten and maybe even break you.
The Midnight Shorts block is playing on Friday, June 12th at 9 PM and Saturday, June 13th at 9 PM in the Harkins Bricktown theater.
Pinky
Midnight Shorts kick off with a bang (or maybe more of a squirt) in Ariel McCleese’s “Pinky.”
This intense, 3-minute romp features a mom (Caitlin Thorburn) getting a little more than she bargained for during some routine breast pumping. “Pinky” packs the same punch as Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction,” but with a significantly bigger splash zone.
Wall Udder
The short block’s unexpected theme — milk — keeps going strong in Alexandra Hayden’s “Wall Udder.” After Christine (Sawyer Fuller) is woken up by her partner, Adam (Kevin Andrew Grady), the smell of sour milk on his clothes stokes her suspicion. The issue? Kevin is allegedly tapping another “wall udder,” a mounted set of four milk-secreting nipples, for a midnight snack.
Titular appendage aside, the short is a fairly accessible picture of being stuck in relative, abject poverty. For Christine, the wall udder is simultaneously a source of resentment and a reason to keep living. For Adam, it’s something he can continually take for granted until it’s tragically too late. In a lot of ways, “Wall Udder” is a perfectly concise image of dependence: it’s a symbol of life as much as it is a reminder of an inevitable death.
Headphones
It’s late at night. You’re working another closing shift in the service industry. Suddenly, the barely functional Walkman you’ve been listening to tells you that you and your best friend’s lives are in grave danger. So, do you listen?
Steven Arriagada’s “Headphones” is an interesting cursed object flick that says more about our reliance on technology than you’d expect. The film’s leads, Leinad Walker and Lyanna Kea, have compelling chemistry, even if the short feels like barely a snapshot of their story. The cinematography for “Headphones” is also solid, but again, it still feels like it frames a story that’s just getting started.
GONE WRONG
Streaming culture might just be pushing us into a more grotesque, apathetic world. “GONE WRONG,” a short from a team of students from EMSA, a prominent art school in France, seeks to explore how dangerous our increasingly online lives can be.
After Mei wraps up a livestream, an unexpected visit from a pizza deliveryman turns into a frantic chase through a densely populated apartment complex. The lone animated entry in Midnight Shorts, “GONE WRONG” moves at a breakneck speed, with plenty of clever gags and suspenseful moments to keep the tension sky-high.
Damsel in Geekstress (Geekete en Détresse)
Anyone who’s refreshed a webpage dozens of times waiting for a sale or pre-order to start we’ll feel at home — or in hell — watching Renaud Parra’s “Damsel in Geekstress.” Bound to her bedroom with the company of her pet rat and RGB-lit PC, Eva (Morgane Frioux) obsesses over two things: gaming and memorabilia.
While “Damsel in Geekstress” seems bleak, it might be among the more realistic shorts in the block. In the face of life’s cruelty, we can naturally grow protective of the most superficial comforts. Even if those comforts aim to destroy us. “Damsel in Geekstress” effectively channels that tendency, revealing just how easy it is to slip into reckless self-destruction.
Pleasure-Seeking
Completing the Midnight Shorts’ quartet of tech critiques, Michaela Holmes’ “Pleasure-Seeking” is a viscerally brilliant nose-dive into consumerism and social media. Sasha (Charlotte Friels) finds herself addicted to the rush of online shopping and validation through dating apps. However, a forced encounter with her neighbor, Tom (Will McNeill), causes her to spontaneously cry tears of blood.
“Pleasure-Seeking,” like “Wall Udder,” is an otherwise grounded short that cascades into absurdity thanks to one magically real element. This short, however, presents a biting commentary that only comes from a sharp understanding of its subject and a clear discipline for its craft.
STAIRS
Fans of David Cronenberg’s Crash will find a creative spiritual successor to that cult classic in Riley Donigan’s “STAIRS.” Ally (Betsey Brown), a recently engaged professional, unintentionally unlocks her deepest sexual desire after slipping down a flight of stairs. What follows is a battle of will between complacency and chasing the only act that makes her feel something.
“STAIRS” is a fascinating examination of kinks and obsession. Ally’s disarray is palpable, and her compulsion to self-harm may seem bizarre, but Donigan’s manages to make it accessible.
The Death of Therapy
Everyone benefits from therapy. Even the therapists. In Jared Hirsch’s “The Death of Therapy,” an epidemic of happiness threatens to uproot a therapist’s entire career, pushing her to an extremely desperate and hilarious extreme.
Absurdity reigns supreme, and the monkey paws curl hard in “The Death of Therapy.” Paired with a hilariously depressing ending, this short claims its spot as the block’s quintessential black comedy.
Long Time, No See
Water doesn’t always flow under the bridge. Especially when an insufferable bully from high school refuses to acknowledge your history. In Donald Saunderson’s “Long Time, No See,” Alex (Juan Manuel Salcito) comes face-to-face with his former nemesis, Oliver (Dylan Saunders). While neither has their lives entirely together, Alex is determined to serve Oliver his long-overdue comeuppance by any means necessary.
“Long Time, No See” takes revenge to the extreme as it quickly and indiscriminately mixes vindication with homicidal rage. Whether we admit it or not, Saunderson clearly understands that we all occasionally have violent thoughts, especially about those who wrong us. “Long Time, No See” brings those notions to the surface and reminds us of just how animalistic we can get.
Jealous People Are Ugly People
Wrapping up the Midnight Shorts is perhaps the entry with the most potential to be a feature film. Theo James Krekis’ “Jealous People Are Ugly People” follows Vasilly (Loris Scarpa), who becomes envious of his best friend, Luke (Zak Wadley). Luke seems to be at the prime of his career, while Vasilly feels stuck, despite the love of his girlfriend, Fatima (Emaan Durrani). However, after a spontaneous freak accident, Vasilly suspects his jealousy might be unintentionally hurling Luke into Final Destination-esque circumstances.
“Jealous People Are Ugly People” features an insightful, masterfully executed idea that could easily push beyond the limits of a short. Nuanced performances, exceptionally smart writing and a harrowingly tragic twist ending make this the ideal short to cap off the block.
Find more deadCenter 2026 coverage like this at The Cinematropolis.
