A provocative question: What if your last hope against eviction…was a ghost?
Los Angeles, CA (August 16, 2025). Set against the harsh realities of skyrocketing rents, mass displacement, and soulless gentrification, Halfway Haunted dares to imagine a world where the supernatural becomes a tenant’s final ally. Written and directed by Rudykoff, this genre-bending short film offers a darkly comedic, politically charged take on the housing crisis – following the unlikely partnership between a desperate renter and the ghost haunting her apartment. Together, they take on a ruthless real estate developer bent on erasing not just their home, but the history and and community that it represents
A haunted house story with bite, Halfway Haunted combines heart and horror with sharp social critique. By inverting classic horror tropes, the film transforms the ghost from a threat into a symbol of resistance. In today’s housing market, it’s not the ghost who haunts you – it’s the landlord.
Toronto-based filmmaker Sam Rudykoff, known for his award-winning short Cruise (which screened at over 75 international festivals), taps into the anguish and anger of lifelong renters to craft a timely and unsettling metaphor about the fight to hold onto one’s place in the world.
“There’s a feeling of total helplessness when you’re dealing with a bad landlord. It’s really dreadful knowing that some jerk has absolute power over whether you have a place to live.” Rudykoff says. “I’d much rather put up with a bit of haunting if I had the choice- so I made a film where somebody does have the choice.”
The Official Trailer for Halfway Haunted Directed by Sam Rudykoff
The film is produced by Mark Delottinville of Big Pig Co.. A seasoned producer whose past collaborations with Rudykoff include Cruise and The Door. Delottinville brings a sharp eye for bold, emotionally resonant storytelling to the project, and has a reputation for championing visionary, independent filmmakers. With a background in both narrative and commercial production, he’s known for balancing creative risk-taking with practical precision – helping elevate HALFWAY HAUNTED from a clever concept to a polished and powerful piece of short-form cinema.
Reuniting Rudykoff with trusted cinematographer Peter Schnobb. The film also features a powerhouse cast: Hannan Younis (What We Do in the Shadows) as Jess, the embattled tenant; Kristian Bruun (Ready or Not) as the deadpan ghost with unfinished business; and Sugar Lyn Beard (The Studio) as the smiling, corporate face of capitalist doom.
Premiering at HollyShorts 2025 – one of the world’s leading showcases for short-form storytelling – HALFWAY HAUNTED is already creating buzz for its bold vision, biting humor, and deeply felt message. Supernatural horror meets social commentary in a film that proves sometimes, the most powerful resistance comes from the other side. This ghost story hits close to home.
About HollyShort Film Festival
An Oscar®-Qualifying short film festival based in Los Angeles. Since its establishment in 2005, HollyShorts has grown into a premier platform for independent filmmakers worldwide. As an Academy Awards-qualifying festival in four categories, HollyShorts presents a diverse selection of innovative short films across various genres.
About BitPix
Bitpix is a streaming service for shorts films, accessible on over 1000 devices including iOS devices, Android devices, MACs, PCs, streaming media boxes such as Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast. Bitpix was created by filmmakers for filmmakers. Born and bread out of the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival, Bitpix is your home to watch the best short films from around the world—every day. Bitpix News is your home for the latest news, reviews, and updates about these shorts featured on the platform.
About 88th Street Productions
HSFF provides 88th Street Productions access to over 40,000 short films and filmmakers in all genres, The Company has long standing relationships with these filmmakers, talent and entertainment industry executives. 88th Street is able to activate these relationships to source to access projects in all genres. Alta Global Media provides access to established filmmakers, executives and talent agencies.
You can comment here or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
INDIE ACTIVITIES
Broken Bird, Biracial Girl Conflict with Culture and Identity
A Short Film by Rachel Harrison Gordon is a coming of age drama SocialsWebsiteIMDbLinkedInInstagramVimeo
Year One with Elizabeth Yu A Coming-of-Age Drama Releases November
Freestyle Acquires Elizabeth Yu Coming-of-Age Drama YEAR ONE for November Release
Scurry One-Shot Apocalypse Horror by Luke Sparke Out Oct 3 on Digital
Luke Sparke’s One-Shot Horror Sci-Fi Scurry
