Don't Die First (10:35)
Dread Central; IMDb; LBC Films; Short of the Week; YouTube

This 2021 short film was presented by Alter in 2022.

It begins with a group of friends in a cabin in the woods, while some creepy killers lurk outside. The one Black man in the group calls a helpline: Don't Die First, for Black people who find themselves in horror situations. It's an amusing premise based on a well-known horror trope. But this short isn't about any one situation, as we see the two operators at the helpline, veteran Monica and rookie Craig, fielding a series of calls from Black people in various horror situations, and advising them on how to survive. The short works reasonably well as a comedy, until they receive one call that's different from any of the others. I don't want to spoil it, but suddenly, the short is decidedly not a comedy anymore. The final situation Monica and Craig have to try to deal with is very reality-based, and realistically terrifying and harrowing. It winds up being a very powerful, thought-provoking film that completely catches you off guard, and that's why I think it's brilliant.