Chicago’s independent filmmaking scene continues its genre resurgence as Swym Good Films, the rising Black-owned production company founded by Chris Paicely and Miles August, releases the trailer and poster for its chilling new horror short The Girl in the Street, now beginning its film festival run.
Directed by the duo known as Chris & Miles and written by Paicely, the SAG-AFTRA production stars Shawn Roundtree Jr. (The Emperor of Ocean Park), Whitney Blair Masters, D’Andra Laneé, and Chris Anthony, and features a special vocal cameo by none other than horror legend Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street).
“Having Heather Langenkamp lend her iconic voice to our short was a dream come true,” said Paicely. “As lifelong horror fans, we never imagined having the chance to collaborate with someone who literally helped define the genre. Her moment in the film is a turning point in the story, and she was the perfect person to represent that shift.”
The Girl in the Street follows Malachi (Roundtree Jr.), who relocates to a remote town after accepting a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity, leaving behind his ailing younger sister (Laneé). Upon arrival, a bizarre encounter with a truck driver (Anthony) shakes his confidence. But things take a darker turn when a bloodied, masked woman appears screaming in the street outside his new home. Faced with a life-altering choice, Malachi must decide: help her, or stay safely inside. What unfolds is a nightmarish meditation on morality, complicity, and the sinister side of suburbia. Watch the trailer below:
“In The Girl in the Street, horror doesn’t lurk in the shadows; it stands exposed in the light of day,” says August. “When Malachi moves to a quiet town hoping for a fresh start, he’s faced with a haunting question: ‘What is one willing to sacrifice to be a good person?’”
The film dares to ask whether being “good” is enough when survival is on the line—and what it really costs to maintain the illusion of civility.
“This is a story about morality—specifically, the thin and often painful line between being a ‘good person’ and doing what’s simply convenient,” say Chris & Miles in a joint statement. “It confronts the haunting consequences of selfishness and complicity. We were drawn to this story because it taps into something deeply human—the quiet guilt we carry when we turn away from someone in need—and pushes that tension to a horrifying extreme.”
“We also wanted to explore the insidious power of conformity and indoctrination within suburban spaces. Inspired by films like Get Out and The Wicker Man, we set the story in a world that feels familiar on the surface but hides ritualistic rot underneath.”
Shot by cinematographer Lana Mattice, known for her narrative and commercial work, the short was polished by industry vets at Fotokem (Disney, Strange Darling) and Esho Sound (Anora), and scored by Pablo Fuu (When Evil Lurks).
Chris & Miles previously collaborated on the award-winning sci-fi short ALUS (2022) and the psychological horror short BOUND (2023), building a reputation for genre storytelling with emotional and social resonance.
Paicely is a former journalist turned filmmaker whose storytelling roots stretch from The Huffington Post and Uproxx to PR campaigns and the creation of StoryPaced, a Black-owned production company. In 2022, he co-founded Swym Good Films and continues to balance fatherhood and community work with a growing creative slate.
August is a filmmaker, composer, and visual artist whose background in music, design, and advertising informs his holistic approach to storytelling. In 2023, he founded Notra Films while continuing narrative work through Swym Good Films, blending sonic and visual worlds into bold, character-driven pieces.
With The Girl in the Street, Swym Good Films aims to elevate Chicago’s indie horror scene and provoke audiences to question their moral boundaries, even in broad daylight.
Look for it on the festival circuit.
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