Laura Hasn't Slept

Laura Weaver has not slept in days, her mind fraying under the weight of a recurring nightmare featuring a grinning entity. She enters the office of Dr. Parsons seeking relief, unaware that the room itself is becoming a trap. This ten-minute short film serves as the chilling origin story for the curse later expanded in the feature Smile. Released at the SXSW Film Festival in March 2020, it stars Caitlin Stasey and Lew Temple in a confined setting that maximizes psychological tension.

The project was born from Parker Finn's desire to create a standalone horror piece that could function as a proof of concept. Its success convinced Paramount Pictures to greenlight a full-length adaptation, proving that intimate storytelling could outperform big-budget spectacle. The film relies on sound design and close-up cinematography to convey Laura's deteriorating mental state without needing elaborate special effects. [edit]

The narrative unfolds almost entirely within the sterile confines of Dr. Parsons' office, creating an atmosphere of suffocating intimacy. Laura Weaver sits across from her therapist, recounting the details of a nightmare that has left her physically exhausted and mentally unstable. She describes a figure with an unnaturally wide smile that seems to feed on her fear and exhaustion. As she speaks, the line between her waking reality and her hallucinations begins to blur. Shadows shift independently in the corners of the room, and the ambient noise of the outside world fades into a distorted hum that mirrors her own racing thoughts.

Dr. Parsons listens with a clinical detachment that slowly gives way to something more unsettling. He does not offer standard therapeutic advice or reassurance. Instead, his questions probe deeper into Laura's psyche, suggesting he understands the nature of her affliction better than she does. The dialogue remains sparse but heavy with implication as Laura struggles to articulate the impossible reality she faces. The camera stays tight on their faces, capturing every micro-expression and twitch that reveals the growing instability in the room.

Tension builds as Laura notices inconsistencies in her surroundings. The lighting flickers in rhythmic patterns that match her heartbeat, and the silence stretches until it feels like a physical weight pressing down on her chest. She realizes that the therapy session itself might be part of the mechanism trapping her. The entity she fears is not just visiting her dreams; it is using the space around her to manifest. Dr. Parsons' demeanor shifts subtly, hinting that he may be more than just a doctor trying to help.

The film explores themes of isolation and the fragility of the human mind under extreme stress. Laura's desperate attempts to break free from the cycle of sleeplessness are met with a cold, unyielding force. The narrative leaves the audience in a state of high anxiety, questioning whether Dr. Parsons is trying to save Laura or if he is simply waiting for the right moment to complete the cycle of transmission. The short film ends on a note of impending doom, establishing the lore of the curse without revealing the full extent of the entity's power or the ultimate fate of the characters.[edit]