Scenes from the short films of the queer horror series ‘Hot Ways to Die.’

Need a quick fix of homo horror? Thanks to João Dall’Stella, the queer film director has you covered with his Halloween short film series Hot Ways to Die. “If I’m dying, I’d rather do it while having fun and looking good,” the director stated. No truer words.

Found online, the special features seven short films and is capped by today’s release of VCR Cleaning, a film that mixes poppers and horror together – or maybe a typical Saturday night for some. 

VCR Cleaning synopsis: A man is having trouble playing one of his favorite video tapes. After taking a whiff of some special poppers, he begins to clean his VCR with a sinister, erotic motivation and succeeds in his mission to enjoy the tape no matter the cost. 

It happens. 

Other film installments in Hot Ways to Die include a deadly glory hole in Through A Hole, the bloody surprise in Dropping the Towel, a very special Jack-o-lantern in Smiling, the goings-on In the Gym Steam Room, a silky nightmare in During Climax, a questionably tasty snack in Getting Eaten Alive and the gory downpour that takes place In the Shower.

“For years, I was afraid of being queer and coming out of the closet. It took me a while to realize that living authentically means letting go of that fear. It’s similar to watching a scary movie – when you face your fear, there’s a sense of relief and excitement about what’s next,” Dall’Stella said in a press release.

João Dall’Stella is a Brazilian writer and director based in Los Angeles. His award-winning short film, Dia De Las Carpas, was awarded the DGA Grand Prize for Latino Directors. His short film Stalls appeared in over 50 LGBTQ+ festivals worldwide, notably featuring in OUTFEST 2020. His next project is the horror/comedy feature film Steam. 

For Hot Ways to Die, Dall’Stella worked on all the films with a fully queer cast and crew. 

“It’s important to see LGBTQ+ representation on screen as heroes and villains, showing the light and darkness of the human experience,” Dall’Stella mentioned. Films star queer actors Alex Honrato, Ty Chen, Jeremy Urann and more.

Once those trick-or-treaters are gone, curl up with some popcorn, dim the lights and take in a good horror flick – or seven. Watch all seven shorts from Hot Ways To Die here.

“Embrace your true darkness,” Dall’Stella. “As queer people, we fight a constant battle every day of our lives. I want everyone to know how powerful they are and that being ourselves authentically is the most important thing in our lives.” 

–Rich Lopez