I reported on the intriguing-sounding short film TINGLE MONSTERS after it dropped its official trailer about a month ago, but now the full film is out right now, and you can watch it in the embed at the top of the article! It's the first ASMR horror film, and was an official selection at multiple film festivals, including Cinequest, Oxford Film Festival, Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, and FilmQuest. Here's the official synopsis:
The film features an ASMR vlogger with a devoted fan base who returns from an extended absence with a live stream that spirals out of control. Through this context, Serio explores her belief that violence against women truly starts with words. Using the vehicle of an ASMR live stream, Tingle Monsters shows how what people say and think about women affects their real-world treatment. Audiences will witness the consequences of harassment turn dangerous both on-screen and off as her fans, who are watching it unfold from their own screens, comment live.
And here's what writer/director Alexandra Serio has to say about the film:
I firmly believe that through gender parity and telling women-driven narratives we can begin to change the world. But we must start by taking a sobering look at where we currently are. Tingle Monsters aims to do that
Personally, I love the experiment, and especially how the film utilized – and subverted – the use of tropes in modern visual mediums (such as streaming culture and ASMR) to great, horrific effect! Looking forward to see what other filmmakers do with that in the future!