Chicago-based Swym Good Films tees up a gripping double feature on August 31 at the Gene Siskel Film Center—pairing their new shorts SILK and The Girl in the Street in an evening that promises jolts, moral drama, and genre innovation.
The Girl in the Street, directed by Chris Paicely and Miles August, explores the fraught line between morality and survival. A young man, Malachi (Shawn Roundtree Jr.), relocates to a small town just as a bloodied masked stranger appears outside his window. Critics praise the short as a “tense and unsettling” morality tale that pushes viewers to confront the cost of doing the ‘right thing’ when danger beckons.
A First Look review from Close-Up Culture notes that “the image of the limping girl in the street unsettled this reviewer for hours,” citing its decisive confrontation with indifference and suburban conformity.
Featuring a vocal cameo by horror icon Heather Langenkamp, the short punches well above its runtime in cinematic impact. Watch below:
Meanwhile, SILK—directed by the same duo and starring Ava Gong and Paige Larkowski—unfolds as a surreal horror thriller, where a desperate woman discovers a mysterious infomercial promising instant relief… only to realize that transformation demands a chilling price. Though less has been publicly written about SILK, its premise suggests a similarly provocative tone rooted in psychological horror and subverted hope.
Both films showcase Swym Good’s knack for cinematic craft and emotional depth, backed by Chicago-based creators with strong backgrounds in indie and commercial filmmaking. Chris Paicely brings a master’s in journalism and deep narrative experience, while Miles August blends visual artistry and sound design to shape immersive experiences.
This premiere is a rare opportunity to experience two bold shorts that blend genre thrills with moral depth—a perfect evening for horror fans, Chicago cinephiles, and anyone who loves emotionally resonant filmmaking.
ALSO READ:
Give Sarofsky credit – They soared with title creation for Superman!
