Title: Somniphobia (2021)
Director: Dillon Vibbart
Genre(s): Short, Horror, Psychological Thriller
Run Time: 25mins
Cast: Chris Attoh • Tatajana Marjanovic • Atticus Hinckley
A doctor with a special ability to visit people’s dreams assists a young woman to confront her terrifying nightmares.
Sominophobia appears to be a regular horror film until it reaches the end.
The young woman, Riley Rose is seeking therapy from a series of recurring nightmares, however, the most peculiar detail about her nightmares is that it’s the same dream every night.
In her nightmare, a ghoul emerges from her closet and grips her arm leaving ugly bruises. She finds a Somniologist, Dr. Brady – a man with the ability to enter and experience other people’s dreams.
As Dr. Brady visits Riley’s nightmare, he discovers that the real monster is not the ghoul in her dreams but her abusive boyfriend, Brian.
Riley’s nightmares were the result of her suppressing traumatic memories of her boyfriend’s physical and psychological abuse. The bruises on her arms came from her boyfriend’s beatings.
However, Brian manipulative tactics affect Riley to a point where she cannot pinpoint her abuser.
Dr. Brady encourages Riley to escape from her abusive boyfriend. As she does, the ghouls from so many nightmares before coming to attack her boyfriend while he is still in Dr. Brady’s house.
The film was so good, I wished it was a feature film instead of a short.
It teaches that often times, the real monsters are in our own house, disguised as family, friends and most often partners.