Hello, 4min., UK
Directed by Sebastian Roberts
A man keeps receiving strange phone calls from a supernatural presence whilst waiting at a bus stop.

https://www.instagram.com/sebastianroberts2/

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I took some time away from filmmaking, and when I decided to come back, I was very conscious about doing it in a sustainable, practical way. Instead of jumping into something ambitious, I wanted to make a contained, execution-focused short that I could bring from concept to completion. That’s what motivated me to make Hello. It was also a chance to retrace my creative roots and reconnect with the kind of horror that first shaped my taste, particularly the influence of J-horror. In that sense, the film works both as a proof of concept and a creative reset.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
I wrote it around 2012–2013 under the title Boo. It sat with me for years, and in 2024 I found it was the right project to pull off the shelf and develop properly. From there, the actual production was very focused, efficient and smooth. We shot the film in three days, and post-production wrapped in September 2025. So while it took a while, the finished film came out better than I expected, so I’m proud of that.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Oh fuck…

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Post-production was the biggest obstacle. I wasn’t supposed to edit the film, but when our editor ran into hardware problems and funding fell through, I had to take over. Going from director to editor is challenging because you lose that outside perspective and start second-guessing the film in new ways. On top of that, the VFX compositing ran into some issues of its own which required bringing in compositors on Fiverr and finishing a good portion of the work myself. It was a very hands-on, problem-solving-heavy post workflow.

5. There are 5 stages of the filmmaking process: Development. Pre-Production. Production. Post-Production. Distribution. What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

Production, big time. Being on set and finally seeing the idea turn into something tangible is still the most rewarding part for me. We could’ve shot the film in a day, but we decided to prioritise quality over speed. I’ve been on projects where everything had to be rushed, and led to having too little coverage in post. I wanted to avoid making the same mistakes.
The extra breathing room paid off. We got strong material, plus we also came up with new shots along the way. Like the opening with the dripping blood and the drone shots.

On top of that, the atmosphere on set was great. Crina’s makeup and the practical effects were fantastic, and seeing all of those elements come together was exactly why production is my favourite. Above all everyone was great to collaborate with, great vibes, great people.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I’ve always loved movies, but I realised I wanted to make them when I saw The Mask of Zorro in the cinema. Before that, I was mostly drawn to animated films, especially from the Disney Renaissance. Zorro was the first live-action film that really grabbed me. It struck a chord, showed me what was possible with storytelling, performance, and spectacle, and flipped a switch in my head from just loving movies to wanting to make them.

7. What film have you seen the most times in your life?
I’ve watched more horror films than any other genre, but if I had to pick one it would be The Dark Knight. That said, in terms of rewatching my favourites and influence, a lot of the films I revisit tend to be horror. Like the original Ring, Ju-on, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Ghostwatch, Host, and Threads. Those are the kinds of films I keep coming back to, either for inspiration or to study how they build atmosphere and tension.

8. In a perfect world: Who would you like to work with/collaborate with on a film?
That’s a tough one, because there are a lot of people I’d love to collaborate with. Staying in the horror space, I’d be thrilled to work with actors like Danielle Harris, Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Lauren LaVera, and Neve Campbell, etc. People whose work I grew up watching and who’ve helped define the genre. On the craft side, I’d also love to collaborate with the team behind the Terrifier films, especially their SFX and practical effects crew. That kind of hands-on, effects-driven filmmaking is really inspirational. And more broadly, I’m always open to jumping into projects that are doing interesting things in horror, say if something like IT: Welcome to Derry ever came calling, I’d absolutely jump at the opportunity.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
It’s been a helpful experience so far, especially with the Gold subscription. FilmFreeway makes it easy to submit, track statuses, and keep an eye on upcoming deadlines, so it’s become my go-to platform for managing the festival run.

10. What is your favorite meal?
A homemade ragù with pasta. I was in Bologna last year and had the best ragù I’ve ever tasted.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I’ve started pre-production on Corpse, my next short horror. I’m also developing a feature-length adaptation of Hello, which will expand on the short. So it’s pretty much about building on this momentum and getting the next projects moving.