Every queer person knows that if there’s a way out of a bad situation, you take it. But bad situations have a way of trying to pull you back in. And what’s truer horror than that? In a phenomenal new queer horror short, Burning of a Family Tree, the exact sensation of responsibility, yearning, anger, fear, and hope for catharsis many queer folks feel is distilled into 10 glorious minutes. All the while, the short weaves a compelling tale that brings an eerie new horror villain into the mix, promises deeper lore, and has you thinking, I could watch 80 more minutes of this. If you’re a queer horror fan, you won’t want to miss Burning of a Family Tree… And the good news is that it’s screening in film festivals now. Here’s more about the short and where you can watch it.
A release shares that the queer horror short, Burning of a Family Tree, is written and directed by Alison Mattingly. The short “follows non-binary protagonist, Eden Becker (Haven), who returns home to their estranged family after the death of their abusive father, Gerald. There, Eden discovers their family’s religious fanaticism has evolved into a cult-like nightmare, forcing them to confront their traumatic past…and their father’s reanimated corpse.”
Burning of a Family Tree stars the incredibly talented Jack Haven (I Saw the TV Glow, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma), as well as Robert Lewis Stephenson (Landman, Criminal Minds), Jonathan von Mering (The Pitt, The Holdovers), and Conn Barrett (It’s Florida, Man, The Legend of Resurrection Mary). The entire cast delivers compelling performances, making this queer horror short rich with the inner lives of its characters, even in only a handful of minutes. Every character is truly dimensional and we get a sense for all their different dimensions and relationships.
And it’s worth mentioning that in only 10 minutes, this short made me jump several times. It’s SCARY.
Burning of a Family Tree had its World Premiere at Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2026 and will hold its LA Premiere at ScreamFest Horror Film Festival this October. Mattingly shares, “Playing at ScreamFest has long been a personal goal of mine as a filmmaker, and I’m beyond ecstatic to see that dream realized with, Burning of a Family Tree. Through Eden’s journey, my goal was to form a catharsis for not only myself, but all the trans and queer individuals in this country and across the world who have had to live under the terror of a looming monster like Gerald.” Mission accomplished with this queer horror short.
You can also catch Burning of a Family Tree at the following film festivals and dates:
- Oct 5th (Block 3 @ 3:30p) – Chicago Horror Film Festival (Chicago)
- Oct 10th (Block 3 @ 3:00p) – ScreamFest LA (Los Angeles)
- Oct 16th (Scare Package Block @ 5:30p) – Seattle Trans Underground Film Fest (Seattle)
- Oct 15-18 (TBD Screening Block) – Nightmares Film Festival (Columbus, OH)
As we said, if you’re a fan of queer horror, you HAVE to get yourself to a screening of this short. For more information, you can follow the film’s social media account @BurningOfAFamilyTree.
Editorial Note: Alison Mattingly is employed by Legendary Digital Networks, of which Nerdist is a subsidiary.
The post BURNING OF A FAMILY TREE Is a Phenomenally Creepy Queer Horror Short, Screening Now appeared first on Nerdist.
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This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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