Gracie Sees a Ghost to Premiere at Film Festival
The short film debuts in Austin on October 31, 2026, as a proof-of-concept for a future feature-length project.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Horror
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Local horror fans can catch the world premiere of the short film Gracie Sees a Ghost at the Austin Film Festival on October 31, 2026. This proof-of-concept project, which explores a family annihilation story, marks the latest work from the Melbourne-based RIPPA Films collective.
Why it matters
The screening offers a preview of a developing feature film from a rising international collective. For local audiences at the festival, it provides a chance to see how independent filmmakers translate workshop-developed scripts into finished horror productions.
The production was completed over two weeks, utilizing a skeleton crew. While the short serves as a proof-of-concept, the future budget and distribution plan for the full-length feature film are still currently under development.
The players
Gemma Carfi
She is the director of the short film Gracie Sees a Ghost.
Jesse Bouma
He is the writer of the short film Gracie Sees a Ghost.
RIPPA Films
This is a four-member film collective based in Melbourne.
The details
Directed by Gemma Carfi and written by Jesse Bouma, the film was developed through collaborative workshops with actors. The production crew utilized a lean approach in Melbourne to complete the project, which stars Jessica Yates, Georgie Jennings, and Arielle Carver-O'Neill. The team is currently working on the feature-length script while preparing to approach potential funding bodies for the next stage of the project.
Timeline
2023: Jesse Bouma and Gemma Carfi met at the VCA.
August 2024: The film was shot in Melbourne.
October 31, 2026: The film premieres at the Austin Film Festival.
The Texas Context
This project follows the established path of using an international short film premiere at major festivals to attract interest for a larger feature project. It mirrors trends seen at other local festivals where independent creators launch proof-of-concept shorts to validate their vision before approaching larger industry funding bodies.
Attendees at the Austin Film Festival will be able to view the premiere on Halloween. Those interested in the future of the feature project can monitor the collective's development progress for updates on production funding.
The takeaway
Horror fans should look for how the film handles its family annihilation theme during the festival screening. Keep an eye on future festival lineups for news regarding the final feature-length adaptation of this concept.
Further reading
You can find more coverage of independent genre films at Austin Horror.
Source note: This article includes information reported by IF Magazine.
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