Candlelight

During a thunderstorm, a man lights a candle in his darkened home, where he appears to be pursued by something sinister.

A young man (Tatomir) is inside his house and outside it is pouring with rain. Suddenly, the lights go out, causing him to panic and hastily look for a candle and light it. As he tries to remain calm, he hears frightening noises and objects appear to be moving by themselves, indicating that there is some sort of entity is his household.

This is quite a spooky short horror film, which centres on the idea of being alone in the dark. The idea that one is in the darkness all by themsleves and there is something out to get them. Not a single word is spoken, the man is the only person seen and the audience observes the silent protagonist as he desperately tries to keep his candle lit, as if light is the only thing that can protect him from whatever it is that he is afraid of.

Almost the entire story takes place after the lights seize to work and watching the man walk around in the darkness is unsettling and creates feelings of isolation and claustrophobia. The lighting effects are rather creative and add to the sinister atmosphere.

The sound effects play a key part in giving this film a chilling atmosphere. There are the sounds of rain, thunder, wind blowing and doors screeching, all of which create feelings of dread. But the most frightening sound is the growling sound that is produced by an unseen entity. When the growl is heard, the viewer expects something to jump out from the darkness.

As Tatomir's character is the only individual in the film, his performance is vital in making the story work and he does so very effectively. He is convincing as he attempts to remain calm and keep his candle lit, while at the same time appearing to be menaced.

This short goes to territories that deal with a haunted house and things that go bump in the night. The protagonist being by himself in the darkness that takes over and the unnerving noises will most likely give the audience the chills.