“Best Horror”

★★★★★

“Don’t blame us if it gives you nightmares!”

A strict elderly teacher suddenly begins to seem (or not to appear?) That the students in her class are no longer children, but terrible monsters, pursuing their mysterious goals.

From the very first scene, we knew we were in for a treat with director Alexander Domogarov jr’s short horror Matthew 19:14, but we had no idea it would be as good as it was! What Domogarov jr manages to create in this film, is a horror that feels like classics from the 70s such as The Exorcist. The story starts off as simple, but the further we go down the rabbit hole the more chilling it becomes.

Domogarov jr also handles the writing which is done so to perfection. Having the lead character as an elderly woman is quite daring as others would typically go with a younger choice. However, in this case it only adds to the story and mood.

The camera work from Aleksey Strelov and Andrey Zubarev in this film is incredible which is truly inspiring considering it was achieved on a relatively small budget. The use of practical lighting throughout creates a dark and contrasted aesthetic which looks high end. The visuals will grab the attention of even the most casual viewer. The locations are wonderful and chosen wisely, the school was used to great effect along with the sets. The use of VFX in the film is subtle but incredibly effective, the quality is what you would expect from a mainstream movie. The score from Sergey Solovev is expertly created and works on every level in making a memorable horror.

Tatyana Kuznetsova delivers a chilling performance which will haunt audiences long after watching. This would be a challenging role for any actor but Kuznetsova takes it on with complete confidence and skill. The finale is particularly terrifying and will make a lasting impression. The child cast are also worth noting as they manage to steal every scene they’re in and deliver terrifying performances.

Everything about the film works and each crew member involved should be very proud of what they have achieved. It’s also refreshing to see such a well made film from Russian filmmakers. We’d love to see more from Alexander Domogarov jr in the future.

We highly recommend you watch this film if you love the horror genre but don’t blame us if it gives you nightmares!

— APEX Film Awards