Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Sharon Chetrit taps into the unspoken: Soup was born from that silence. It's a primal scream disguised as a domestic moment.
- A sound transforms a story: We brought in this eerie waterphone sound—like this underwater scream—and suddenly the hallucinations felt alive.
- Practical effects bring nightmares to life: I went all in on practical effects—no digital tricks. Every illusion in Soup is something we physically built or captured in-camera.
Los Angeles-based filmmaker Sharon Chetrit is set to debut his short film Soup at the HollyShorts Film Festival.
Known for his innovative storytelling, Chetrit explores the intersection of surrealism and reality.
The film stars Vered Feldman, recognized from Netflix's 'The Girl from Oslo,' and Ishai Golan, famed for his role in 'Tehran.'
Chetrit’s work is celebrated for its avant-garde approach, blending live-action with experimental VFX, and Soup continues this tradition by addressing themes of postpartum and mental health through a unique, visceral lens.
What drew you to make Soup? Why this story, and why now?
I come from a Moroccan family where these kinds of topics—postpartum, mental health, female rage—just aren’t spoken about. They’re buried, dismissed, or turned into jokes. Soup came from watching women I love hold it all together while quietly falling apart. I wanted to give that silence a voice. Soup was born from that silence. It's a primal scream disguised as a domestic moment. The kitchen, the pot, the illusions—it all spiraled from the pressure of what we expect women to carry. And honestly? It felt like the right time to stir that pot.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process this time?
We shot in a real kitchen, no tricks. But when Vered (our lead) stirred the soup and looked into the pot… something cracked open. It stopped being just my story and became something bigger. Post was another beast—every sound and cut felt like a heartbeat. We brought in this eerie waterphone sound—like this underwater scream—and suddenly the hallucinations felt alive. That one sound made it all click. It wasn’t just horror—it was something ancient, like the body remembering something it was never allowed to say. I started seeing the film as a hallucination more than a narrative.
"Deciding not to explain everything. To trust the audience would feel it without being spoon-fed."
Is there a moment in the film that feels the most you?
The fetus in the soup. 100%. It’s absurd, terrifying, and oddly sacred. That blend of surreal and grounded horror—that’s my brain on film.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making this film?
Deciding not to explain everything. To trust the audience would feel it without being spoon-fed. I cut some lines I loved because silence said more.
What does it mean to you to have your film selected for HollyShorts?
It’s wild. This story was born in a tiny kitchen, and now it’s echoing around the world. That means everything. HollyShorts is one of those rare festivals that really gets what short films are about. They don’t treat shorts like a stepping stone—they treat them like an art form. Being selected by a festival that puts indie voices first, and gives space to bold, weird, personal stories like SOUP—that’s huge.
How do you hope being part of HollyShorts will shape the life of this film?
I hope it sparks bigger conversations—about mental health, motherhood, identity. And selfishly? I hope it helps me connect with folks who dig this type of storytelling. Let’s make more unique things together.
What's a tool or technique that really helped you during production?
I went all in on practical effects—no digital tricks. Every illusion in SOUP is something we physically built or captured in-camera. That choice grounded the horror and made it feel tactile, almost too real. I also wanted to design the entire film to feel like one continuous shot—like you’re trapped inside this hallucination with her. There’s no escape, no relief… You only get to blink at the very end.
"Indie filmmaking is punk. You’re not breaking rules to be edgy—you’re breaking them because no one gave you the rulebook."
Explore the hauntingly surreal world of Soup and join Sharon Chetrit on his journey at the HollyShorts Film Festival. For more details, check out the film's trailer below.
