Shorts Exclusive: Oscar-Qualified Short, ‘After Dark’, Debuts Trailer

The award-winning short film After Dark, directed by Scottish-Norwegian filmmaker Iain Forbes, confronts the unsettling questions that arise when empathy collides with fear, prejudice, and survival instinct.

On his way home one night, Kristian encounters a young woman in desperate need of help. He agrees to accompany her to the train station, but as the night unfolds, he begins questioning both her story and himself.

Through this tense and intimate encounter, After Dark explores the contradictions of human behavior, where compassion clashes with fear, and kindness is tested by preconceptions. The film was Oscar-qualified after winning Best International Short Film at the Foyle Film Festival in 2024, cementing Forbes’ reputation as one of Scandinavia’s most exciting emerging directors.

After Dark had its world premiere at Palm Springs International ShortFest (USA, 2024) and has since screened at leading festivals including Oslo Pix (Norway, 2024), Aesthetica Short Film Festival (UK, 2024), and Kerry International Film Festival (Ireland, 2024). Alongside its Foyle win, the film also received Best Short Film at Corto Noir (Italy, 2024) and Best National Film at the West Nordic International Film Festival (Norway, 2025).

Iain Forbes is a Scottish/Norwegian director based in Oslo. A graduate of the Norwegian Film School, his short Revisited won a Student Academy Award in 2023. His latest film After Dark continues his run of acclaimed shorts, following Snowman (2015) and Semper Fi (2017). Forbes also brings extensive experience as a first assistant director on Norwegian feature films including Disco (2019), Knerten og Sjøormen (2020), and Dancing Queen in Hollywood (2025).

Oda Roth is an Oslo-based producer and graduate of the Norwegian Film School (2022). She has since produced several shorts and creative projects, quickly establishing herself as a strong new voice in Norwegian cinema.

The cast is led by Simen Bostad as Kristian. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, Simen has performed on both stage and screen, including with Oslo’s acclaimed Antiteatret. On television, he is known for roles in Fling (2023), Bloodride (2020), and Knekt (2023). Opposite him, Billie Barker plays Mia. Barker trained at Romerike Folk High School and holds a degree in film production from Westerdals. She is best known for her role as Signy in Netflix’s Ragnarök (2021–2023), as well as appearances in Nach (2021), Venner fra før (2022), and several short films.