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By: Myriam Akbar To honor Women’s History Month, I would like to highlight Black women screenwriters who explore the horror genre. In general, I feel that those behind film ideas are less talked about than those behind the camera. I am inspired by and strive to learn from these women as I pursue screenwriting and filmmaking myself. They’ve worked on stand-out films in the genre and we should most definitely keep our eyes out for more of their work.  1) Akela Cooper Akela Cooper was raised in Missouri and graduated from Truman State University with a degree in Creative Writing. She also received a MFA from the USC School of Cinema-Televison. Her television filmography is extensive and shows her versatile talent, writing and producing episodes of various genres. In terms of horror films, Cooper wrote Maglinant and M3gan . She also co-wrote Hellfest , M3gan 2.0 , and The Nun II .  2) Nikyatu Jusu Nikyatu Jusu was born in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Duke University, graduating ...

By: Myriam Akbar Meet BriHeartsHorror – a bright and passionate content creator who is present on Instagram, Tiktok, and Letterboxd. Bri was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. During the day, she works with middle schoolers as a licensed therapist. However, she spends the rest of her time being a horror movie lover and part-time content creator. BriHeartsHorror as it exists on TikTok began in December 2021. Bri posted her first video, featuring an audio where she gave her opinions of horror franchises. To her surprise, it went viral and she started gaining a following.  When asked about when her passion for film began, Bri said, “I grew up loving movies and television. My mom is a huge fan also, so we bonded by watching things together. She introduced me to so many of my favorite movies and television shows.” In terms of horror, Bri enjoys the subgenres slasher, psychological, zombie, and body. However, she also likes comedies, coming of age dramas, and thrillers.  “I th...

By: Myriam Akbar I’ve always loved bite-sized storytelling, whether on the screen or page. Since I was a child, anthologies have been one of my favorite narrative forms. Twilight Zone, Goosebumps, Creepshow, Trilogy of Terror, Tales From the Hood . Contained, thematic, and addictive. This pushed me to study short stories while pursuing my degree in Literature and Creative Writing. However, strangely enough, it wasn’t until about a year ago that I began watching short films. As a script writer and an aspiring filmmaker, it only made sense that I study that narrative form in addition to full-length projects. It has been such a fun and rewarding experience.  In honor of BHM, I have compiled a list of short films featuring Black talent–whether it be lead actors or filmmakers. WAKE by Bree Newsome; for example, is a favorite of mine that I’ve been rewatching every year. The films on this list are mostly of the horror genre but there’s also some thriller, comedy, and sci-fi mixed in. Th...

By: Myriam Akbar HIM is a supernatural cult horror film directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele. On a surface level, the plot follows a rising football star named Cameron who goes to remote grounds for an intense mentorship after an injury that could end his career. However within that, supernatural elements and religious allegory are used to examine the obsessive and exploitative nature of American football culture. Following its release, reviews were initially negative in terms of online discourse but became divisive as more people watched the film. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 56% score based on 1000+ verified ratings, impacting the overall reception of the film. Often people use these scores to determine whether they’re going to watch in theaters or wait for streaming–sometimes whether they’re going to watch at all. From what I gathered, viewers had issues with the cohesiveness of the story, lack of scares, relatability to the characters, and multitude of complex theme...

By: Myriam Akbar Marshmallow is a 2025 indie sci-fi horror film that feels like an episode of Goosebumps —focusing on adolescence, adventure, and a frightening mystery. However, it’s clearly made for a broader, more mature audience and has higher stakes. This slasheresque camp tale is written by Andy Greskoviak and directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio. The plot follows children attending a summer program as they investigate an urban legend-like mad scientist. It’s now available to watch on Shudder, rightfully becoming a part of horror discourse and receiving the praise it deserves. Viewers like myself were blown away by its originality and third act’s plot-twist.  The film opens with twelve year old Morgan having a terrifying nightmare involving water, moving to a scene of him attempting to play basketball with his new neighbors who cruelly reject him. One evening during dinner, he and his family discuss his leaving for summer camp which fills him with agitation. His grandfather attemp...

By: Myriam Akbar Recently I had the opportunity to interview screenwriter Andy Greskoviak about his film Marshmallow , directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio. We dove into his passion for filmmaking, inspiration for film, and the themes explored throughout it. The plot of this sci-fi horror film follows children at a summer camp investigating an urban legend-like mad scientist. It’s currently available to stream on Shudder and rightfully receiving the recognition that it deserves. Like myself, viewers are raving about the inventive and unexpected nature of the third act’s unforgettable twist.  Greskoviak has been living in Los Angeles for the last decade; however, he was born and raised in Illinois–something he’s proud of. When asked about his personal relationship to cinema, he said, “Movies are the closest thing I’ve ever had to religion.” Like many of us who love film, that love began during childhood and this was no different for him. He recalls enjoying the feeling of being s...