Spooky Encounters of the Sad Kind

One of Jonathan Wilhelmsson’s most recent projects, Spooky Encounters of the Sad Kind (2025), follows a not-so-spooky encounter with a friendly ghoul in London, despite its creation under the Swedish filmmaker. Throughout the span of 12 minutes, our protagonist, Liz (Karen Olrich-White), forms a rather sudden bond with the resident ghost, rhythmically named Toast (Tom Lorcan), attempting to document his story and uncover the truth of his death behind his back. However, this investigation creates tension, allowing for both characters to learn an important lesson along the way.

The short takes a welcoming stature to lure the audience in, eventually unpacking existential themes such as loneliness and the human need for endorsement. A mockumentary style from the creation of Liz takes a comedic spin on the “Blair Witch” supernatural format and enhances our personal attachment to these characters with whom we spend so little time. The in-universe “phase filters” serve as an adequate and easy explanation as to how Liz is able to communicate with Toast, who’s awkward and polite personality does not match his own antics at all, or how you may picture a soul beyond this life. As Toast discovers his human companion’s research into his life, the relationship between these two reaches a boiling point - this spawns a very open and honest conversation regarding their interest. The revelation that Liz and Toast both find themselves completely isolated, despite constantly seeking the validation of others, displays how no matter how much we seek approval, it does not matter if we have no meaningful relationships to share our victories with (even in death). It is recommended that you watch the film to discover for yourself if the two can reconcile and find this comfort within each other, or potentially in others?

Jonathan Wilhelmsson headed direction and writing of the film, with Wilhelm film primarily producing the venture in association with Film I Dalarna and Wänga. Currently, the film has only been screened at festivals, but is soon to be released publicly on the director’s YouTube channel on the 20th October 2026. Spooky Encounters of the Sad Kind deservingly won the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival’s “Best Narrative Short” award, for it’s charming and offbeat nature.

This short film is a prime example of how such a small twist on previously established genre norms can flip expectations of a typical ghostly encounter into a novel, friendly depiction. Ironically, whilst Toast may not be flesh and blood as we meet him, his character is used to explore such raw human behaviours such as an over-compensation of sociability to deter the truth of forlornness. Liz’s fictional documentation of this spooky encounter is a recommended watch of anybody who is in need of a laugh and drawn in by the comfortable appeal, which masks a deeper intent.