Alma Mater
2021 · 5m · USA
Directed by Matthew P. Higgins
Genres: horror, mystery, thriller
Tones: contemplative, dark, tense
A man discovers disturbing information while reading his father's high school yearbook.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
The yearbook-as-portal thing feels like it's been done, but if Higgins actually commits to making the mundane *wrong*—turning domestic archaeology into genuine dread—then maybe there's subversion lurking under the premise.
A lean, tonal piece that understands how to layer unease through editing and sound design; the formal control suggests a director thinking in frames rather than just plot beats.
The real architecture here is likely in how Higgins uses the static object—the yearbook itself—to accumulate horror; that choice to let a found document carry the weight is what separates this from generic teen-scare product.
Festivals
- Screamfest 2021