Javier Cano Larumbe on Creating VOID

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.

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 recognize the depth of what is being expressed. The result is a powerful metaphorical narrative in which fear becomes the only available form of communication.

I found this film refreshing with it’s focused storytelling and using the horror element to convey an important message to parents who are going through divorce. Learn to listen to your children and realize they are dealing with your current situation as well as its aftermath.

The film is haunting, but a very powerful short film and this is another film I will be keeping my eyes on through the film festival season.

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