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One of the highlights from this year’s Midnight Shorts Program at SXSW was Apotemnofilia.

Apotemnophilia syndrome is defined as “the desire for amputation of a healthy limb,” and just from the title of this short film, director Jan Pita has already hinted at what audiences can expect. Set entirely in a dressing room, we witness Clara (Lucía Azcoitía) descend into madness as she increasingly believes that bugs are nesting and swarming within her body, particularly her leg. She attempts to excise these critters with various implements scattered around the dressing room. Director Pita lovingly pans over a large pair of metal scissors pretty early in the film, playfully hinting at what’s to come.

Make no mistake, there is a lot of gore shown here, and it’s not for the faint of heart. That being said, the practical effects used in Apotemnofilia are quite a sight to behold. The editing, direction, and acting keep you on the edge of your seat. Apotemnofilia is body horror at its finest. During the post-screening panel, Pita explained how he was influenced by the gore of old movies he’s watched and attempted to replicate that in Apotemnofilia. Despite having a runtime of only ten minutes, I’d say he’s more than succeeded, and Apotemnofilia is an instant classic.

★ ★ ★ ★ out of 4

This review was originally published as part of our SXSW coverage. Photo Credit: Manu Galán