In director Gene Blalock and writer Rachel Amanda Bryant’s short Vexed, our protagonist, Penelope (Rachel Amanda Bryant), sits alone at the bar after her blind date walks out. Hoping another drink will help shake off the experience, Penelope is soon joined by a stranger, Molly (Tiffany Lanae Sutton), who sits on the barstool beside her to commiserate about her equally lousy experience. An instant connection is made as they discover more in common outside of bad choices in dates. The two head back to Penelope’s apartment, but things are not as they seem.

“…an instant connection is made as they discover more in common outside of bad choices in dates.”
Vexed is not your typical romantic short; after all, it’s the Halloween season. As a horror film, Director Blalock sets the trap by having the two strangers connect to disarm each other before going in for the kill. But who is really the predator, and who is the prey?
Running just 8 minutes, Vexed gets right to the point, setting the stage for a much bigger story by the end. Though the story will feel familiar, Rachel Amanda Bryant and Tiffany Lanae Sutton, our two leads, explore their characters’ emotions as both face the consequences of their choices. Ultimately, this is a very simple and terrifying story with a little bite.