The haunting psychological horror short VOID, written and directed by Javier Cano Larumbe, has been officially selected for the Cleveland International Film Festival. Drawing directly from the director’s childhood experience of navigating his parents’ divorce, the film transforms personal memory into a chilling exploration of fear, emotional isolation, and the inner world of a child struggling to be heard.
A co-production between Forty Entertainment and Mamma Team Sonder, the film is also produced in association with Arcadia Motion Pictures, the Oscar-nominated company behind Robot Dreams, bringing together a team with a strong track record in both international storytelling and high-end production.
VOID follows eight-year-old Félix, a boy who becomes convinced that a sinister presence has taken hold in his home. While the adults around him remain distracted and unaware, Félix is left to confront a darkness that feels both external and deeply internal. What begins as a familiar childhood fear of the dark evolves into something more complex and unsettling, a manifestation of confusion, anxiety, and the unspoken emotional turmoil of a family in crisis.
At its core, the film examines the disconnect between children and adults in moments of upheaval. Through the lens of horror, Javier Cano Larumbe explores how children often lack the language to articulate their emotions, while adults fail to recognise the depth of what is being expressed. The result is a powerful metaphorical narrative in which fear becomes the only available form of communication.
The title VOID carries a dual meaning, reflecting both the emotional emptiness left in the wake of family breakdown and the unseen presence that fills that space. By externalising this “void” as a dark entity, the film bridges psychological reality and genre storytelling, using horror as a means of understanding trauma. It also touches on the relationship between horror and mental health, drawing on the idea that fear within a cinematic space can offer a form of emotional release.
Director Javier Cano Larumbe, a graduate of ESCAC, has built an international profile with work selected at festivals including Fantasporto and Aesthetica, and through collaborations with acclaimed filmmakers such as Juan Antonio Bayona and Claudia Llosa. With VOID, he continues to refine a distinctive voice that blends emotional storytelling with genre sensibility.
The film is produced by Forty Entertainment founders Cristina Oliva and Martí Font Isern, alongside Albert Soler from Mamma Team Sonder, the entertainment division of Mamma Team, which supports emerging filmmakers and international co-productions. Their recent work includes titles presented at Sitges and Málaga Film Festival, reflecting a commitment to bold, globally resonant storytelling.
Cinematography by Àlvar Riu creates a tense and immersive visual language, capturing the claustrophobic atmosphere of the home and the shifting boundary between reality and imagination. The film’s sound design, led by Roger Navarro and renowned re-recording mixer Oriol Tarragó, whose credits include collaborations with J. A. Bayona on The Orphanage, The Impossible, and A Monster Calls, plays a crucial role in shaping the film’s psychological intensity. Visual effects supervision by Laura Pedro, a three-time Goya Award winner, brings a subtle realism to the film’s unseen presence, enhancing its emotional and atmospheric impact. The score by Bernardo Castro, a Berklee-trained composer, further deepens the film’s unsettling tone.
The cast is led by María Valverde, a Goya Award-winning actress with an extensive international career, alongside Tomeu Artigas in his screen debut, and Javier Beltrán, widely recognised for his portrayal of Federico García Lorca in Little Ashes.
Blending personal truth with genre storytelling, VOID stands as a striking exploration of childhood fear, emotional disconnection, and the unseen forces that shape our inner lives. Its selection at the Cleveland International Film Festival marks a significant moment for a film that uses horror not only to frighten, but to understand.
