Award-winning filmmaker Rishi Gandhi has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new live-action fantasy-horror short titled “The Beasts We Carry.” The deeply personal, visually striking, and socially resonant film was shaped by Gandhi’s own experiences as a South Asian American with post 9/11 xenophobia. The film channels real fear into psychological horror, asking: What if you could see the monsters inside people?
“Our monsters aren’t just scary, they’re true,” says Gandhi. “We want to create a mirror through horror, one that reflects not only what we fear, but why.”
Set in a post-9/11 New York teeming with suspicion and silent trauma, the story follows a young boy named Raju, the only person who can see what others cannot: the monstrous inner selves of those around him. These creatures aren’t ghosts or demons; they’re fear incarnate. As the paranoia around him deepens, the monsters grow more vivid, more violent… and far more real.
“This film is horror with intent,” says Gandhi. “Not just to scare, but to scar. Because some monsters aren’t fiction, they’re what happens when fear replaces understanding.”
Drawing comparisons to “The Babadook” and “The Sixth Sense,” the film utilizes stylized practical effects, creature design, and shadow-soaked cinematography to visualize internalized trauma. With key collaborators including producer Alex Torres (“Darker”), DP Mike Magilnick (“Founders Day”), and concept artist David Romero (“The Department of Truth”), the film looks to fuse genre craft with authentic emotional depth.
The Kickstarter campaign is live now and has a goal of $30,000. It runs through July 3, 2025. Exclusive backer rewards include behind-the-scenes access, concept art by David Romero, signed scripts, premiere invites, and producer credits.
