A Tale of an Unimpressive Magician
From the Archives
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Short Films, 07-May-2026
A nervous magician performs one last trick. Gordy De St. Jeor directs “A Tale of an Unimpressive Magician,” a nightmarish, monochrome sequence, all in a single location where dark fate and punishment awaits. Smashed drywall litters the floor. Dust floats into the nether. An old man shivers as he walks over to a young woman sitting in a chair. They aren’t the only ones in the deteriorating space—a woman mumbles into a television, and a man silently holds a handstand in the corner. The young woman picks a card, the magician tries to find it, but he can’t. His entire fate depends on it. As it tensely unfolds, a terrifying, lo-fi opera murmurs in the background. The room remains a mystery, but its uncanniness is certain. De St. Jeor brings textures to an extreme, both in a worried human face and a crumbling wall. -JM. Writer/Director: Gordy De St. Jeor. Cast: William Sibley, Jillian Moray, Deborah Ann Harris. DP: Zayd Ezzeldine. Production Designer: Emmett Tekstra. Production Sound: Sound Guy Ethan. Sound Design: Adrian Arteaga. Editor/Colorist: Gordy De St. Jeor. Hair and makeup: Isa Alvarez.
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