Horror’s Next Generation of Filmmakers NO DRAMA with Chandler Crump, Charlie Dennis, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf, and Ariel Zengotita
Update: 2025-09-24
Description
Horror has always been a space for bold voices. In this episode of Seen on the Screen, Jacqueline Coley sits down with five up-and-coming filmmakers fresh off their short films premiering at the 50th Anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival. Chandler Crump, Charlie Dennis, Helena Hawkes, Jared Leaf, and Ariel Zengotita were selected for NO DRAMA, a global talent experience powered by Monkeypaw Productions, Universal Pictures, and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Each filmmaker brings a distinct point of view, using horror as a lens for personal expression and sharp social commentary—making their shorts as thought-provoking as they are thrilling. Together they reflect on their inspirations, the challenges of creating horror in short form, and the thrill of premiering their work at one of the largest film festivals in the world. From first encounters with the genre to behind-the-scenes stories about collaborators and surprises, this conversation captures the humor, heart, and ambition of a new generation of horror storytellers.
Meet the filmmakers and their films:
Each filmmaker brings a distinct point of view, using horror as a lens for personal expression and sharp social commentary—making their shorts as thought-provoking as they are thrilling. Together they reflect on their inspirations, the challenges of creating horror in short form, and the thrill of premiering their work at one of the largest film festivals in the world. From first encounters with the genre to behind-the-scenes stories about collaborators and surprises, this conversation captures the humor, heart, and ambition of a new generation of horror storytellers.
Meet the filmmakers and their films:
- Helena Hawkes — Thick Skin: Body-horror obsession peels back the demons within.
- Chandler Crump — Morty: A stuffed toy’s online counterpart opens a door to something darker.
- Charlie Dennis — The Pigs Underneath: A working-class community trapped by a brutal survival quota.
- Jared Leaf — Spilled Milk: A Black father’s search for answers leads to the Milkman—and a reckoning.
- Ariel Zengotita — Imago: A toxic mother-daughter bond turns monstrous as transformation begins.
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