While cinema has always been the thriving medium of visual storytelling, it is only in the last 15 to 20 years that short films have developed the immense popularity they now have. Thanks to Internet culture, a variety of amazing shorts have become incredibly successful and inspired millions to tell their own stories. From comedies and dramas, to science-fiction or horror, a good story is a good story and great filmmaking can transcend any genre it tackles. So in that spirit, let’s shine a light on the best short films this last decade has given us:

10 Short Films Hiding On YouTube That Feature Huge Stars

10 Naysayer (2019)

This clever short film stars Steven Yeun, who is better known for his role as Glenn Rhee in AMC’s The Walking Dead. In it, he plays the role of Ian, a young father who gets tired of being kept away from his son, and decides to take matters into his own hands. As the infant cries in the backseat of his car, Ian calls his ex-wife Michelle to tell her not to worry about their son going missing, and an increasingly intriguing conversation begins to escalate between the two.

Director David M Helman (who is originally known for directing music videos) delivers a tense and mature award-winning movie, with incredible performances from Yeun and Alanna Masterson (also a former star of The Walking Dead), who plays Michelle. “Naysayer” is a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, and it will take you a while to process what this story is really about.

9 Alison (2016)

“Alison” tells the story of Jay, an ordinary young man who is going through a particularly difficult night, as he attempts to take care of his drunk girlfriend, Alison. From the looks of it, it is not the first time this has happened, and as he desperately tries to get some control over Alison, Jay begins to question his own commitment to this relationship. While he loves Alison with all of his heart, he is soon forced to realize that their dysfunctional romance is not sustainable.

Written by Jessica Rose (who also stars as the titular Alison), this movie shines an unapologetic spotlight on mental health, toxic relationships, and the collateral damage that comes with love and the price you sometimes have to pay for it. It is a sad and unfortunately relatable film that will inevitably stay with you long after you first see it.

8 Science Of Love (2018)

This French sci-fi film takes place in a not-so-distant future, where a company called Lovecount has developed a revolutionary technology that is able to quantify love. We follow the story of Milo, a young husband-to-be who decides to take the Lovecount test with his fiancée out of pure entertainment. But, while the whole experiment is for funs and giggles at first, serious doubts begin to consume Milo when the test results reveal that his fiancée might be in love with someone else.

Written and directed by Timothée Hochet, and starring one of the biggest French YouTube stars Cyprien Iov, “Science Of Love” is a dark and gritty look on social media culture. With its amazing direction, real themes and brilliant performances, the film has been compared to many grounded sci-fi flicks of the century, reminiscing of the best episodes of “Black Mirror”.

7 The Neighbors’ Window (2019)

Alli, a middle-aged mother of three, has grown increasingly bored of her daily routine with her husband and her children. She struggles to come to terms with the reality of her best years now being behind her. But, when a young and sexy couple moves into the building across from hers, Alli begins to develop a bizarre obsession that compels her to continuously spy on her new neighbors’ intimate moments with a pair of binoculars.

This Oscar winning drama was written and directed by Marshall Curry, who is mostly known for making documentaries. The film is inspired by a true story told by Diane Weipert, the real life Alli (who is brilliantly portrayed by Maria Dizzia), on the “Love + Radios” podcast. An absolute must-watch with a lot of heart, “The Neighbors’ Window” will leave you thinking about the depths of your own life for a quite a while.^[1]

6 FTL (2017)

Ethan Kane is an astronaut who is about to complete his final mission, during which he will become the first man to travel through space at light speed. With his wife, his son, and the rest of the population watching him, the now legendary pilot makes History as he jumps from Earth to Mars in a few seconds, prompting a triumphing celebration all around the globe. But the spacecraft malfunctions when initiating the return trip, and Ethan travels to an unknown place, disappearing in a blink in front of the entire world.

“FTL” (Faster Than Light) is a true gem of science-fiction. Director Adam Stern delivers a strong and surprisingly emotional film, with Canadian actor Ty Olsson owning the screen in the main role. It will give you serious “2001: A Space Odyssey” vibes, as the story unfolds in the most unexpected way. “FTL” feels like a small piece of a much larger story, one that we hope to see in the form of a feature film one day.

10 Sci-Fi Short Films That Will Give You The Creeps

5 Up On The Roof (2013)

Marcus, a troubled and neglected young boy living in poverty, has built himself a cozy hideaway on the rooftop of a building, where he camps out in loneliness to avoid problems. Unfortunately, his safe haven is jeopardized when his crush Trish (played by Game Of Thrones’ Maisie Williams) finds him and asks for help, triggering the rage and jealousy of her abusive boyfriend Darren.

This moving and somber film, directed by Nour Wazzi, deals with a surprisingly mature and realistic view of the troubled youth of London, with powerful performances from Maisie Williams and Michael Matias. It is a simple film in essence, about two young people in pain bonding during tough times. “Up On The Roof” is a tale of struggle and humanity that everyone should experience.

4 Made Public (2019)

“Made Public” is a smart comedy about a naive young man named Dave, who completely ruins his perfect wedding day after expressing his doubts about marriage in a social media post that accidentally went viral the night before. As he tries to clear things up with his bride before the ceremony, things take a turn for the worst, and he learns the hard way that he should have never messed with a woman’s dream wedding.

A surprisingly inventive take on the effects of social media, this movie almost entirely relies on the chemistry between its two leads, Josh Zuckerman and Jeanine Mason, who give unbelievably compelling and nuanced performances. “Made Public” makes a clever commentary on this generation’s constant need to share every details of their lives publicly, and is made only stronger by delivering on a scenario that feels more plausible than ridiculous.

3 ReMoved (2013)

“ReMoved” tells the dark and unfortunate tale of 10 year-old Zoe, a young girl with a difficult life who is taken away from her neglecting mother and her violent stepfather by Child Protective Services. Separated from her baby brother, Zoe struggles to adapt to her new reality in the foster care system, and the behavioral issues linked to her former environment begin to come out in the form of a hardened defense mechanism caused by anger and confusion.

An intense film full of passion, “ReMoved” became highly popular on YouTube, mainly praised for Nathanael Matanick’s fantastic directing and Abby White’s breathtaking performance as little Zoe. Two years later, a sequel to “ReMoved” titled “Remember My Story” was released to the world, giving audiences a much needed sense of closure on Zoe’s journey. The shorts became a gold standard of storytelling on YouTube, and is often used as a blueprint for amateur filmmakers on the platform.

2 Jada (2016)

Following a similar theme as the previous film, this 2016 gem follows a day in the life of the titular Jada, a homeless 7 year-old who lives alone in the streets of Venice Beach. As she navigates the world with her wits and makes a bit of money by selling handmade “stick people” to whoever wants them, Jada suddenly finds her day disrupted when a man she doesn’t know comes looking for her.

A wonderful story with endless amounts of emotion to give, “Jada” is a true gift that reflects on a reality way too often overlooked by most people. Director Doug Roland delivers a vibrant and admirable film with amazing characters, great performances and moving music that adds a heavy layer of heart to an already profoundly genuine and passionate narrative.

1 Night Shift (2017)

Produced by legendary actress Viola Davis, this absolute masterpiece of a film tells the story of Oliver, a down on his luck LA actor whose career has faded over the years. In the middle of a divorce he struggles to come to terms with, Oliver ends up working as a bathroom attendant in a night club to make ends meet. The story unfolds as we follow him during a particularly difficult night at work, during which he has to face the reality of his situation.

Written and directed by Marshall Tyler, this Sundance Festival favorite delivers an incredibly human film. Tunde Adebimpe’s masterful performance as a man reaching a new stage of his life with a lot of difficulty is a true marvel to watch, as he brings life to this vulnerable character struggling to reconnect with his own dignity. “Night Shift” is easily one of the greatest short films ever made, and a definite must watch for any film enthusiast out there.

10 Must-See Animated Short Films

The horror genre has been thriving in the past few years, and there seems to be no shortage of creativity when it comes to figuring out new and inventive ways to spook audiences. That said, one of the most efficient ways to experience horror is in its shorter formats. Horror short films have grown increasingly popular in the last ten years, and they have become a true staple of Internet culture. So, with the Halloween season being in full force, let’s celebrate these gems and take a look at those who shocked the world beyond this realm. Here are 10 incredible horror short films that will keep you up at night:

10 Must-See Animated Short Films

10 Alone Time (2014)

This 2014 horror-thriller directed by Rob Blackhurst tells the story of a young woman named Ann, who is feeling a bit overwhelmed by her busy and fast paced day-to-day life in New York City. Feeling constantly stressed at work and at home, Ann decides to go on an impromptu hiking trip all by herself, in an attempt to get some quiet and recharge her batteries. We watch her go through her peaceful day off in the mountains, before she realizes that something incredibly wrong has been happening the entire time.

The brilliant writing of Alone Time is what makes it so effective in its approach to horror. It is a slow, quiet and intelligent movie that does a fantastic job at luring you into a false sense of security, by using a relatable character to get you through the story. And while it doesn’t use any jump-scares and loud noises to get you, the twist alone will send chills down your spine, manifesting as a disturbingly realistic instance that could happen to anybody in real life.

9 I Heard It Too (2014)

Taking inspiration from the famous two sentence horror story, directors Matt Sears and Tim Knight bring to life one of the most bone-chilling horror shorts ever made. I Heard It Too tells the story of Stephanie, a little girl who is woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of her mother’s voice repeatedly calling her from downstairs. Confused, she gets up to go to her, but as she reaches the stairs, her mother grabs her and takes her into another room. She holds Stephanie tight in her arms and tells her the now famous line: “I heard it too.” What ensues is a tense and terrifying quest to discover who (or what) was calling from downstairs.

Matt Sears has built an incredible body of work when it comes to horror, namely with his shorts The Sky, Give Her Back, or the award winning Charlie Boy. That said, I Heard It Too is without the shadow of a doubt his masterpiece of the genre, and a sign that we can all expect more scares from him in the future. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very start, and it doesn’t let go until it ends.

8 The Sermon (2018)

An isolated church community lead by an extremist preacher captures and tortures one of its own members, a middle-aged lady who was caught having an affair with another woman. The preacher’s daughter, who is the other woman, decides that is time for her to break free from the church’s excessive practices. So, she comes up with a plan.

As far as psychological horror goes, few movies have left a mark in recent memories the way The Sermon has. Director Dean Puckett offers a unique take on the genre with an award winning film reminiscing of Ari Aster’s Hereditary and Midsommar, completed with a beautiful vintage aesthetic that immerses the audience in the story’s infinitely dense atmosphere. The Sermon pulls no punches, and the message behind it is just as scary as the film itself.

7 STUCCO (2019)

This weird and unsettling flick was written and directed by Janina Gavankar (Star Wars, True Blood, The Morning Show), and she also stars as the main character J, an agoraphobic and emotionally broken woman who accidentally knocks a hole in the wall of her new home while trying to hang a piece of art. She realizes the wall was hiding what appears to be a secret room, but she doesn’t want to break it further. As she waits to get the original blueprints of the house, strange things start to happen to J, and soon, the possibilities of what might be hiding behind the wall begin to take over her mind.

Gavankar’s impeccable directorial debut won her the SXSW 2020 Special Jury Prize, and an immense amount of praise for both her writing and her performance. STUCCO is raw, unapologetic, and as unusual as a movie can be. Yet another welcomed entry in the realm of modern psychological horror. Don’t miss this one!

6 There Comes A Knocking (2019)

Emma, a lonely and grieving woman trying to navigate the recent loss of her husband John, installs a new antique door in her home. As she finishes, she realizes the door is locked (which she didn’t notice before installing it) and she is unable to open it without a key. She decides to wait for the next day to deal with it, but things don’t quite turn out that way, because that night, Emma is woken up by strange knocks coming from the other side of the door.

There Comes A Knocking was written and directed by Ryan Connolly, creator of the beloved YouTube channel Film Riot, and was meant as a concept blueprint for a feature film. The movie thrives on the emotional value it brings beyond the scares, making you feel for Emma as she tries to process a horrible tragedy. The imagery is just as beautiful as the story, the acting is top notch, and when the film gets to the creepy stuff, it doesn’t miss.

15 Great Short Films

5 The Jester (2016)

An exhausted young man, coming home from a late night shift on Halloween, stumbles upon a mysterious individual dressed as a jester who wants to perform magic tricks for him. He shows to be quite insistent, so the young man decides to humor him and just goes with it. Unfortunately, the tricks get creepier as they go, and when he tries to get away, the young man begins a horrifying game of cat and mouse as he realizes that the jester is not what he appears to be.

The Jester is a blast. Director and star Colin Crawchuck delivers an insanely entertaining movie, with a terrifying masked antagonist that is so incredibly charismatic (despite the fact that he doesn’t even talk) that you can’t help but kind of love him, even though he does unspeakable things. The jester feels like an unstoppable and mystical force of nature, who’s unpredictable behavior will put you on the edge of your seat as you nervously wait for his next move.

Due to its infinite popularity, The Jester got to have two sequels (from the same director) simply titled The Jester: Chapter 2 and The Jester: Chapter 3, that are just as well executed as the first one. Enjoy!

4 Larry (2017)

This brilliant film, courtesy of director Jacob Chase, tells the story of Joe, a nighttime car-park attendant who is completely bored at his job. Alone in his booth in the middle of the night, Joe finds an old iPad in the Lost and Found box below his desk, and decides to take a peak. There, he comes across the sinister story of Larry, a depressed monster that lives behind a window and is looking for his one true friend. As Joe read through the story, something begins to lurk outside the booth, in the parking lot. It looks like Larry is coming to visit his friend.

What makes Larry so incredibly effective is how claustrophobic it feels. The whole short takes place within the confines of Joe’s tiny booth, which also acts as the only source of light in the scene. Once the light starts flickering, all bets are off. This one is definitely a must. And if you like it, well we’ve got great news for you: Larry has been adapted into a feature film titled Come Play, starring Community star Gillian Jacobs, and is slated to come out in theaters this Halloween.

3 The Smiling Man (2015)

Okay, hold on. There is a good number of horror shorts titled The Smiling Man, so let’s clarify which one we are talking about here: this award winning Smiling Man was directed by A.J. Briones and is about an unnamed little girl who is home alone and suddenly stumbles across a bunch of balloons meticulously displayed around the house. As she follows the balloons and makes her way downstairs, the little girl finds herself face to face with a terrifying being only known as the Smiling Man.

There are no words to describe the anxiety-inducing nightmare the creature in this film is. It is without a doubt one of the scariest horror beings of recent memory, one that could become a new icon of horror cinema if this film is ever given the feature treatment. The Smiling Man definitely leaves an impression, and it will stay with you long after you see it.

2 Behind (2015)

This incredibly clever and creepy Japanese short film was directed by Rick Kawanaka, and follows the night of a young woman working on her computer at home, who grows a bit startled when the door behind her keeps opening by itself. After having to frustratingly get up to close it a few times, she becomes nervous and decides to turn on her webcam to see what exactly is happening behind her.

In classic Japanese Horror fashion, this film is a masterclass of rising tension, and every second feels slightly more uncomfortable than the one that came before. It uses a simple concept and exploits all of its potential and mere minutes. Given its incredible success in Japan back in 2015, Behind became the first in a series known as Alone In The House, that regroups a catalog of short films just as creepy as this one.

1 Lights Out (2013)

There it is. The one, the only, the modern classic. Lights Out follows the petrifying experience of a woman who is about to go to bed, but is stopped dead in her tracks when a silhouette appears in the hallway as she turns off the lights. Alarmed, she flicks the light switch on and off to see who it is, and she comes to the frightening realization that this silhouette only appears in the dark, and moves only when she can’t see it.

This is the short film that broke the internet, back in 2013. Director David F. Sandberg saw his career take a colossal turn after Lights Out, not only by getting to make a feature length version of the film in 2016, but by going on to direct giant Hollywood blockbusters like Annabelle: Creation and Shazam! in the following years. Lights Out is widely considered to be the ultimate horror short, with its brilliant concept still capturing and spooking audiences to this day. If you haven’t seen it yet, do not miss out on it.

10 Short Films Hidden Away Online That Feature Huge Stars

About The Author: I write about cinema and pop culture!

One would expect that most film adaptations are from famous novels, which is the case in some instances. But through the years, plenty of well-known movies were adapted from short stories printed in newspapers or book compilations—with famous and not-so-famous authors’ shorter reads becoming movie blockbusters.

Films like Apocalypse Now, Minority Report, 3:10 to Yuma, and Johnny Mnemonic are all such short story adaptations. And then there was Agatha Christie—the woman whose literary works are only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her novels and short stories have seen a multitude of remakes of adaptations—with avid detective fans still being mesmerized by the petite Mrs. Marple and the little Belgian, Hercule Poirot, in solving crimes.

Whatever your favorite movies are, the chances are that one or more of them were adapted from a novella or short story, just like the ten on our list.

Related: 10 Influential Movies With Dark And Surprising Origins

10 The Living Daylights (Ian Fleming)

Octopussy and The Living Daylights was the 14th and final James Bond book in the Bond series by Ian Fleming. The titular stories were published together after his death in 1964, with two additional stories added in later years. Both “Octopussy” and “The Living Daylights” were later adapted for the silver screen but were separately published in various magazines before this collection.

“The Living Daylights” is only about 36 pages long, depending on the publication platform. It is read in less than 28 minutes by Dan Stevens on YouTube! When visiting the local library, one finds that most of Flemings’ stories were on the shortish side, which is difficult to believe when watching the long, action-packed movies. Despite the author’s death at a youngish age, the 007-franchise was long established by the time of its publication, and the 1987 movie, starring Timothy Dalton as Bond, made $191.2 million worldwide. Not bad at all for a film made from a short story.^[1]

9 Jumanji (Chris Van Allsburg)

Jumanji, the 1995 film, was based on a children’s book written and illustrated by American author Chris Van Allsburg who also penned and illustrated The Polar Express, another picture-book-turned-film starring Tom Hanks. As it goes in movies made from books, Jumanji saw many changes, such as the swapping of main characters and adults being added—with Robin Williams as one of the adults.

Jumanji was such a success that an animated TV series ran from 1996 to 1999. Van Allsburg, who had won many writing accolades, went on to write “Zathura” (2002)—a science-fiction sequel to “Jumanji,” which was adapted to film as Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005). Two more films followed—Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).^[2]

8 The Illusionist (Steven Millhauser)

The 2006 film, The Illusionist, starring Edward Norton and Jessica Biel, is a loose adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser’s short story, “Eisenheim the Illusionist,” from the short stories collection, The Barnum Museum: Stories. It tells the story of Eisenheim, born Eduard Abramovich, an illusionist in Vienna at the turn of the nineteenth century. The film is about magic, class, politics, and passion, with Abramovich and his childhood love meeting again after fifteen years, throwing him into a rivalry with her high society fiancé.

American film director Neil Burger adapted the story, changing quite a lot from Millhauser’s ink and paper version. Nevertheless, the movie is enthralling and entertaining and made around $87 million at the box office worldwide.^[3]

7 The Birds (Daphne du Maurier)

The short story “The Birds” was first published as part of a collection of stories in The Apple Tree: A Short Novel and Other Long Stories by Daphne du Maurier. It has been republished through the years under other titles. The plot depicts birds attacking humans in Britain and all over Europe in rebellion against the way humans rule the world. Du Maurier’s inspiration for the story apparently came from her observing a farmer being attacked by a flock of (probably poisoned) gulls while he was plowing a field.

The story caught the eye of Alfred Hitchcock, and he used the idea loosely to create a film with the same name, released in 1963. There are many contrasts between the two versions, such as different characters and settings. While the short story played out in London, Hitchcock’s film was set in California.

Interestingly, Hitchcock and Du Maurier, combined previously for the film Rebecca (1940), of which a Ben Wheatley remake was released in 2020.^[4]

6 The Killers (Ernest Hemingway)

The Killers was a 1946 American film noir starring Ava Gardner that also débuted Burt Lancaster. It is partly based on a 1927 short story with the same title by Ernest Hemingway. The story follows an intriguing investigation into the contract killing of a former boxer who got involved in crime after his career was cut short.

Directed by Robert Siodmak, the film was released in August 1946, and Anthony Veiller was credited for the screenplay, which was co-written with John Huston and Richard Brooks. The movie was a success and earned four Academy Award nominations. Hemingway, who was not normally satisfied with how Hollywood altered his work, allegedly admired the film.

In 1956, a 21-minute student film from the story was directed by Andrei Tarkovsky and two classmates at the State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow. And incidentally, Don Siegel directed a remake in 1964, in which Ronald Reagan starred for the last time before becoming a politician.^[5]

5 Million Dollar Baby (Jerry Boyd aka F.X. Toole)

Actor/director Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (2004), about a female boxer—starring himself, Hillary Swank, and Morgan Freeman—was based on a short story with a near-same title (“Million $$$ Baby”). The story was from the short fiction collection Rope Burns by F.X. Toole, an American writer born in Ireland as Jerold (Jerry) Hayden Boyd. Boyd had interesting jobs, but it was boxing that he was most passionate about, and his job in the gym gave him the insight to write his graphic stories. The story’s title was apparently inspired by the nose art of a World War II bomber. Boyd used the pseudonym to keep his writing separate from his job.

The screenplay was written by Paul Haggis, and even after Eastwood came aboard, it took a long time to make the movie—due to the many social controversies regarding the project. Unfortunately, Boyd died before he could see his short story adapted for film win four Oscars, including one for Best Director—making Eastwood the oldest winning director in Academy Awards history at the time.^[6]

4 2001: A Space Odyssey (Arthur C. Clarke)

The film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), a science fiction classic exploring evolution and various futuristic issues, such as nuclear war and artificial intelligence, was based on short stories (“The Sentinel” and “Encounter in the Dawn”) by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. Director Stanley Kubrick decided to rework the stories into a novel for which Clarke had been credited as the author. It became an iconic film and is regarded as one of the most influential science fiction stories ever—remarkable since its release was a year before the moon landing. Clarke wrote sequels, of which one, 2010: Odyssey Two (1984), made it to the silver screen.

Clarke and Kubrick aimed to tell a realistic story and respected the laws of physics. How realistic it would turn out, they probably never guessed. Quite a few technologies featured in the film turned out to be predictions of technology we use today, such as flat screens, tablets, and voice-activated appliances—to name but a few. With insight from NASA scientists, predictions made about the human body in space travel had been and is still being researched today.^[7]

3 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (James Thurber)

“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” a 10-page 1939 short story by James Thurber, was first made into a movie in 1947. The author consulted in the making of the film, but he apparently hated the end result.

The 2013 remake, starring Ben Stiller, tells the story of how the work of an employee at Life magazine as the negative image manager is coming to an end due to digitalization. Mitty is always daydreaming about being heroic and doing adventurous things but never does anything of note. That is until he loses the negative for the final cover and goes on a brave search for it—and finally does some of the adventurous stuff he has always dreamed about.

The film differs wildly from the original short story and received mixed reviews. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful piece of escapism with an ending that makes one want to live life to the fullest.^[8]

2 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

F. Scott Fitzgerald is well-known for his novel The Great Gatsby, which was first made into a feature film in 1926 and has since had three remakes. Few people realize, though, that the brilliant story for the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button also came from his pen and was a short story published in 1922. The story contained less than 10,000 words. After years in the making, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Tilda Swinton finally starred in the 2008 film, directed by David Fincher with the storyline developed by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord.

The story depicts the life of Benjamin Button, a man who was born old and grew younger until he died as a baby again. If such a story wasn’t difficult enough to get to be believable on paper, the film version was even more of a challenge. The project saw director after director leaving the set—unable to solve problematic story issues and getting the expenses for such a complicated movie venture covered. When the director, cast, and a cheaper location were finally in place, hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, where the film was being shot. Filming was eventually done between November 2006 and September 2007, after which the long post-production process followed—a long winding road for such a short story!^[9]

1 The Shawshank Redemption (Stephen King)

One of the most acclaimed movies, making it to most movie lovers’ top 10 list, is The Shawshank Redemption, written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. This 1994 film was based on the 1982 novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” from the collection Different Seasons by Stephen King. King has 34 stories and novels adapted to feature films to date—the most for a living author.

The Shawshank Redemption was nominated for seven Oscars but won none. While it was a box office flop, the movie gained popularity outside theaters and was the most rented movie of 1995.

The bulk of the movie was shot in Mansfield, Ohio, using the Ohio State Reformatory—not in Maine, where the Shawshank State Prison is situated. The tree made famous by the movie doesn’t stand anymore as lightning and wind destroyed it. And don’t even bother—there isn’t any money buried along the low wall either.^[10]