Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had a tiny fear of the dark. It’s not so much fearing the dark as it is the uncertainty of it all. The pitch blackness, the mysterious sounds, the weird shadows, etc. It can be terrifying, especially for a little kid. In the short, 9 STEPS (9 PASOS), the director explores this fear and how real it can feel.

9 STEPS was written and directed by Marisa Crespo and Moisés Romera. The story centers around a young boy named Saul (Pablo Muñoz) who is scared to walk down the corridor in the dark. His restless father (Jordi Ballester) pushes him to face his fear of the unknown. But not everything is as it seems…

Wow. This is one of the best shorts I’ve ever seen. Thrilling, powerful, and terrifying all in less than 8 minutes. It completely took me by surprise in the best way possible and I can’t say many short stories have ever done that. All the performances were great and left a lasting impression. This short is just another example of why you should never overlook a story that has subtitles. You will miss out.

Jordi Ballester is a phenomenal actor and fits this role perfectly. I completely understood why the father wanted his son to face his fears and walk down the corridor alone and in the dark. He wanted him to see that there was nothing to fear and that all would be okay once he made it past those 9 steps. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned and the father gets a terrifying surprise.

Pablo Muñoz delivers a brilliant and emotionally driven performance. I could feel his fear radiating off my screen. His fear made me scared. Each step he made had me on the edge of my seat. 

I can’t say much else without giving any spoilers away, so I will leave you all with this. If you’re looking for a story that will send shivers down your spine in a matter of minutes and leave you with a sense of shock, 9 STEPS is for you.

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Tori Danielle

Co-Owner at PopHorror

Tori is a published author, co-owner of PopHorror.com, and lover all of things horror and macabre. She spends her days working at her full-time job and then coming home and spending endless hours writing for several sites. When she’s not working, she’s obsessing over everything Harry Potter and has officially received her invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is also producing several upcoming films including 13 Fanboy. If she was a Pokémon she would be Jigglypuff. You can follow her on Twitter @twistedtori87 and on Instagram @twistedtori87.

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