Table of Contents
Three Key Takeaways
- Melissa Puente’s Shadow Rabbit explores the haunting intersection of childhood trauma and the loss of innocence through a deeply personal horror lens.
- The film’s minimalist creature design—a simple shadow figure—reflects a creative breakthrough, emphasizing atmosphere over complexity.
- Made on a shoestring budget with a dedicated volunteer crew, the film underscores the power of community and flexible, resourceful independent filmmaking.
Melissa Puente, an Emmy-winning editor, producer, and writer, brings a hauntingly intimate vision to life in her horror short Shadow Rabbit.
Featuring her eight-year-old daughter Abigail Puente, the film delves into the eerie world of childhood fears and trauma.
Selected for the prestigious FilmQuest 2025 festival, Melissa’s no-budget project is a testament to passion, creativity, and the strength of collaborative spirit.
What drew you to make this film? Why this story, and why now?
When I was a young girl I was haunted by shadows that would come in to my room at night and terrify me. I wanted to tell a visual story about the loss of innocence and the inner world of a child who experiences a traumatic event.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time—creatively or logistically? Was there a moment on set or in post that completely changed how you saw the story?
There are so many layers of discovery that can happen in the filmmaking process. For me I think I was trying to really clarify what this creature really looked like and how to execute that. We went through so many versions of it and I realized I had been trying to make it super complex and something that it wasn't and really I could just make it these simple shadows that were trying to push through into this girl's inner self. Simple shadows in the dark that are in a place they aren't supposed to be can be scary enough.
"Simple shadows in the dark that are in a place they aren't supposed to be can be scary enough."
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you—something only you could have made?
I think the whole thing was really mined from the depths of who I am as a person and how I feel about experiences that shaped me fundamentally. When I show my short to people, they feel very connected to me after watching.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
How to make a cool looking horror short with negative budget and have it even be something at all worth making. I just made it in my house with items that I bought on Facebook marketplace and sold afterwards (for a slight profit!) that evoked the terror of my nightmares as a child.
"When I show my short to people, they feel very connected to me after watching."
What do you hope audiences take away from your film?
That you are not alone if you have experienced traumatic or painful experiences. That there can be a separation from the soul and the body when this happens and we are left with the horror of it all and it's something that shapes who we are. Bringing voice to those experiences can be healing and uniting and that's what I'm hoping for here.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kind of stories you want to tell next?
I want to tell stories about women going through life changes, coming of age or life transition stories that show the dark side of their experiences but also explores the humor and their unique voices.
"Being flexible, improvising, and sometimes letting go of what you envisioned for something that works for the project and all the resources you have on hand."
What’s a tool, technique, or resource that really helped you during production?
Collaborators for sure. We had to shoot during the night, and everyone was working their 9-5 jobs. I had no money to pay anyone so everyone was working for free on set. My DP was incredible. My grip was an absolute rockstar. I even had a producer fly herself in from Los Angeles to be there and help get the execution right. I think the power of our filmmaking community continues to sustain especially during these rocky times we find ourselves in.
Independent filmmakers often rewrite the rules out of necessity. What do you think is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into that on this project? Is there a lesson or breakthrough you’d share with others navigating this path?
Being flexible, improvising, and sometimes letting go of what you envisioned for something that works for the project and all the resources you have on hand.
"There can be a separation from the soul and the body when this happens and we are left with the horror of it all and it's something that shapes who we are."
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for FilmQuest, one of the world’s top reviewed genre film festivals?
It means the absolute world to have gotten in to FilmQuest. I shot this film with the hopes of being accepted.
"It was a race against time and resources to get it in and I couldn't be more grateful."
FilmQuest celebrates the majesty and might of genre filmmaking across fantasy, horror, sci-fi, action, thriller, western, kung-fu, and beyond. How does your film fit within—or push the boundaries of—genre storytelling?
There is a cathartic release in being scared, especially when there's a story and a purpose behind the thrills. That's what my story has.
"I even had a producer fly herself in from Los Angeles to be there and help get the execution right."
Where do you see this film going next?
This is the first festival I applied to and I was thrilled it was accepted, I'm looking forward to other submissions.
“At the core of all my work is a desire to heal the wounds of audiences."
