Sometimes silence is the only thing we need to hear. When put into the right hands, that absence of sound can fuel an entire narrative, and in the case of Honor Student, the silence is deafening. Directed by Aaron B Koontz, his latest short is both heartbreaking and powerful as we watch a woman meander through her sad life. With no dialog, Koontz relies on emotion and atmosphere to tell his poignant story—it’s a wonderful thing to see a filmmaker embrace that kind of emptiness, and it’s a big reason why his short hits so hard.

Written by Cassandra Hierholzer and Koontz, Honor Student isn’t traditionally what you think of when it comes to horror—there’s nothing supernatural or otherworldly about it—but there is, however, a genuine sense of terrifying realness to it that cuts just as deep as any movie monster.

A middle aged woman with nothing left to give meanders through her day just like any other, or so she thought.

If you liked what you saw, be sure to check out more short films like Honor Student right here on the Short Round!