Aligned with the subgenre of horror films associated with the Christmas holiday, an innocent game of hide-and-seek between siblings on Christmas Eve sets the stage for the survival of the youngest sister from a violent family invasion. Accidentally locked in a work shed while her family is being brutally murdered, 10-year-old Mia must first survive without food or water day after day, and then—when she is discovered by the murderer—must struggle to survive what seems an assured death at the hands of a deranged, dying madman. There are children-in-peril narratives and … then … there are truly mindblowing, horrific, nail-biting, cover your eyes children-in-peril narratives that have you on-the-edge of your seat, jaw clenched, dreading the worst.
The World Premiere of Australian helmer Steven J. Mihaljevich’s Shed (2025) has at its intense center an incredibly nuanced performance by Mani Shanks, a young actress Mihaljevich has groomed and guided through two of his previous efforts (Violett, 2023; An Artist’s Curse, 2024) to remarkable achievement. As Mia, Shanks brings to life, and to heart, the ingenuity of a young girl facing and conquering fear and trauma to overcome inconceivable odds. Her harrowing performance was awarded Screamfest’s Best Actress Award.
The ultimate multi-tasker, Mihaljevich not only co-produced Shed, he wrote the script, directed the film, and won Shed’s second Screamfest award for his editing of cinematographer Shane Piggott’s crisp and inventive cinematography. The ratcheted pace achieved by Milhaljevich’s editing skillfully strengthens Shanks’ breakout performance, melding terror with the tragic poignance of an undeserved loss of innocence. Both Milhaljevich and his protégé Shanks are rising talents to watch.
