The psychological horror short, The Prowler, written, directed, and edited by Puerto Rican filmmaker Christopher Piñero, has had a successful run on the genre festival circuit. The film was an Official Selection of Another Hole in the Head (2025) and this year at Panic Fest and the Chattanooga Film Festival.
The next scheduled screening will be at the LA Shorts International Film Festival this month. This is an Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying event, from July 30 to August 12, 2026, at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE.
About the film: A tense psychological horror experience where shifting perception reveals a far more disturbing truth beneath the surface.
The film stars Aaron Dominguez (Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building) as Victor. The opening scene in a home is quiet, but perhaps not uneventful given the look on one character’s face. Then a sound prompts the character to walk through the home. Is there someone or something there? The look on the character’s face reflects gradual uneasiness, and the sounds and music have the audience prepare for the worst.
As this is a short film, questions remain, and I am left wanting more. Curiosity remains about each of the characters and their stories. Perhaps a feature film? Dominguez’s performance is engaging enough to want to know more about what he has been through and what he is capable of.
About the filmmaker: Christopher Piñero began his filmmaking career as an actor at the New York Film Academy in New York City. After appearing in several short films and teaching himself every aspect of filmmaking, he discovered his true passion lies in writing and directing. His work is deeply influenced by his experiences growing up in a Puerto Rican family, often exploring themes of perception, identity, and the unseen forces that shape human behavior.
Piñero has directed several award-winning short films, and his debut feature, A Dark Place, was distributed through Gravitas Ventures. His last short film, Gone, premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. With The Prowler, Piñero continues to build a body of work centered on psychological horror and suspense, establishing himself as an emerging voice in independent genre filmmaking.
For more information on the festival screenings, visit https://www.lashortsfest.com/
Source: LA Shorts International Film Festival