Watch the Short Film VIRAL

“Director Michael Rich released his award-winning short film “Viral” on YouTube this week.

“Viral,” which played at Dances With Films, Panic Fest, Nightmares Film Festival and the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2022, is a horror film about an auto repairman who fights to survive the night after hitting a mutant creature in the road.

The film took home “Best Recurring Nightmare” (aka – alumni film) at Nightmares Film Festival.

“I love underdog stories and getting the audience behind a unique character,” said Rich. “Once we decided on a literal monster as the antagonist, I knew we needed to go with bad-ass, all practical effects.”

Allan B. Holt (True Blood, Westworld) designed and fabricated the creature.

Rich, a graduate of Chapman University, lives and works in Los Angeles.”