In a broken world, the greatest danger waits in the shadows.
“Shelter warrants … an entire series”
Indieshorts Mag
“Genuinely scary”
INDYRED
“the right horror tone”
Film Threat
In a broken world, the greatest danger
waits in the shadows.
Creative Team
Laurence Roberts
Director / Producer / Screenplay
Laurence Roberts (he/him) is an award-winning director, writer and artist who has worked on documentaries, narrative filmmaking, interactive media and public art. Born and raised in Toronto, Laurence is a graduate of the York University Film Program (1997), where he specialized in directing and screenwriting. His directorial style focuses on balancing the creation of engaging performances with artful cinematography and a keen attention to detail. After working in the film industry for many years, Laurence founded Forge Media + Design, where he served as principal and creative director for 20 years, leading innovative projects in experiential media and interactive narratives for commercial, educational, museum, and corporate clients, as well as creating award-winning public art installations. His documentary ‘Amidst Us’ was chosen for the prestigious Henri Langlois film festival in Poitiers, France and won the bronze plaque at the Columbus International Film Festival Awards (Chicago). His science fiction short film ‘Torchbearer: Calm Before the Storm’ garnered slots in several worldwide festivals, winning best science fiction short awards in both New York and Los Angeles. He was excited and honoured to return to narrative storytelling with Coffeeshop Creative’s award-winning ‘Fool’s Game’, and now the post-apocalyptic horror short film ’Shelter’.
Sameer Jawar
Conor
Sameer Jafar is a Palestinian-Canadian actor and filmmaker based in Toronto. He has booked roles across drama, comedy, and procedural television, with credits including Saint Pierre, Shoresy, Taken in Plain Sight, Potluck Ladies, and Savvy Sheldon. In addition to acting, he directs and writes films that have screened internationally, most recently Better Than a Mustache.
Madison Angus
Taryn
Madison Angus (she/her) is a multidisciplinary performer and artist based in Toronto, Ontario.
Select performance engagements include acting in national digital campaigns with Leon’s Furniture, portraying Musetta in Against the Grain Theatre’s Yukon tour of La bohème, soloist in the artist led Relay with Expect Theatre, modelling and singing at Fashion Art Toronto, and portraying Rosetta in Love in a Village at the Eastman Early Music Conference. Madison holds a graduate degree in Voice Performance from the University of Toronto and has trained as an actor through Second City and ProActors Lab in Toronto.
In addition to performing, Madison enjoys directing, writing, and visual arts. Select theatre direction credits include Opera Q’s Dido & Belinda as well as assistant directing Giulio Cesare with the University of Toronto. Madison is skilled in brand management and has directed national corporate campaigns with Leon’s Furniture and currently works in a similar capacity for WZMH Architects. Previous mentorship includes the Association for Opera in Canada’s RBC Future Launch Artist Fellowship, Nightwood Theatre’s Young Innovators Program, and Expect Theatre’s Playwriting Unit.
SHELTER is Madison’s first short film and she is grateful to have been a part of the process!
Stephen Bell
Director of Photography / Editor / Producer
A west coaster now based in Toronto, Stephen is the founder of the media design company Coffeeshop Film & Creative. His passion for all things digital has led Coffeeshop Film & Creative to be recognized as one of Canada’s leading media studios for the arts. From full length features and television series to feature advertisements and music videos, his passion and session directing for compelling visuals has been recognized both in Canada, the US and over seas.
Eric Moniz
Director of Photography / Editor
Based in Canada but with a global reach, Eric Moniz has directed and orchestrated a multitude of photo and video shoots both in Canada, the US and over seas. From feature film to television, his talent and dedication have earned him recognition and acclaim in the world cinematography, solidifying his position as a sought-after creative professional in the industry.
Full Cast & Crew
Gallery
Overview
Synopsis
In a desolate world reshaped by a mysterious event known only as the Shift, survivors Taryn and Conor wander the wastelands, hunted by unseen forces and desperate for refuge. When they stumble upon an abandoned research facility buried beneath the ruins, it promises safety—but the silence hides secrets more terrifying than the wasteland itself.
As they descend into the labyrinthine halls, they uncover traces of horrific medical experiments—projects left unchecked when the world collapsed. Deep within the darkness, something unnatural stirs: a shadow-born creature born of failed tests, feeding on fear and mind alike.When the entity takes hold of Conor, turning him violently against Taryn, she’s forced to fight for his life and her own, freeing him by driving a blade through the creature’s influence. Together, they flee the collapsing facility as the darkness expands behind them, the creature growing stronger in the shadows.
But as they emerge into the dying light, one truth becomes clear—the Shift was only the beginning, and the shadows are spreading.
Director’s Vision
Shelter started life as more of an experiment – a challenge to see if we could pull off a short film on short notice, no budget, and with a whole lot of enthusiasm to stretch our creative muscles. It was only one week from initial thought to rolling cameras!
An unusual location with a unique look was spotted by Stephen Bell on a weekend excursion – an old, abandoned group of buildings touted as the most haunted place in Ontario (Canada). It was clearly the best fit for a post-apocalyptic genre piece.
Keeping in mind a minimalist budget, I still wanted the piece to feel substantial. If we were to drop audiences into the middle of a world, it needed to feel real. Familiar, yet not. The heroes are dealing with a simple enough concept – find shelter and survive. In a world that is falling apart and everything is unpredictable, that is not a simple task. We wanted to pull the viewer into the world slowly and naturally. The actors and the visuals invite you in to learn and explore as the story unfolds. The characters needed to be authentic and relatable. The overarching mood needed to feel dangerous, disconcerting, and eerie. The deeper you delve, the longer you stay, the darker it gets.
Shelter was shot in two days and 2 locations. The first day, we operated off of battery power only, lasting as long as the batteries held out. Many scenes were only illuminated by one handheld light source. The cast and crew was small, but dedicated and talented.
Shelter may have started as an experiment, but what has resulted is a polished short film that explores the concepts of relationships, survival, and trust set in a near-future, post-apocalyptic world that puts all of these to the test.
Character Summaries
Film Specifications
Press
Film Reviews
“Shelter warrants a prequel or a sequel–or even better an entire series”
“I don’t think that could have been done any better – it looks amazing and it’s genuinely scary.”
– INDYRED
“Shelter is all about creating the right horror tone”