'AFTER DARK': Director Iain Forbes and Actor Simen Båstad on Humanity, Fear, and Their Oscar-Eligible Short

Written by Klep Napier for WeAreCritiX.com

The 2026 Oscar season is officially in motion, and among the rising contenders is a small but powerful short film making big waves across the festival circuit. After Dark, directed by Iain Forbes, recently won Best International Short Film at the 2024 Foyle Film Festival, qualifying it for potential nomination at this year’s Academy Awards.

I sat down with Forbes and his lead actor Simen Båstad to discuss the film’s inspiration, the psychology behind its ambiguity, and how such a simple story can reflect the complexities of empathy, danger, and human instinct.

A Meeting of Minds

When I asked how the collaboration came about, Båstad’s face lit up. “I knew of Iain before,” he shared, explaining how Forbes’ reputation as an innovative filmmaker had already preceded him. “He went to the same prestigious film school in Norway as my girlfriend, and I’d seen his earlier work. I always wanted to work with him, so when the call came, I was thrilled to play Kristian.”

Forbes made it clear that Båstad wasn’t just one of many options, he was the option. “Me and the writer, Andreas, both knew Simen from before. Early in the writing process, we said, ‘Maybe Simen could do this.’ We didn’t audition anyone else. We called him, and it just worked immediately.” He laughed recalling the moment. “Quickest casting decision I’ve ever made.”

The Real-Life Fear Behind the Fiction

When I asked Forbes where After Dark came from, his answer was immediate and personal. “The whole idea came from something that happened to me,” he revealed. “The first half of the film is verbatim my own experience.”

He recounted leaving a cinema one night in Norway when a terrified young woman approached him, claiming someone was following her. “I remember the ice-cold feeling running down my neck,” he said. “She seemed in danger. But as we walked, I started to think, wait, is this what I think it is?”

That uncertainty became the core of After Dark: a story about perception, empathy, and doubt. “The film ends with the character wondering what really happened, the same way I did.”

Simen Båstad on Playing Compassion and Caution

For Båstad, embodying Kristian was a study in restrained humanity. “He’s the kind of person you’d want to meet in a dark alley,” he explained with a smile. “He’s pure kindness. But he also represents how we wrestle with empathy, how far we’re willing to go for a stranger.”

Forbes nodded in agreement, adding that the film’s tension lives in that exact duality. “We wanted to explore who you’re willing to believe, who you’re willing to help, and where your line of safety and trust begins.”

Chemistry, Culture, and a Universal Conflict

Despite the film’s Norwegian roots, both agreed its moral conflict is universal. “I’m from the States,” I told them, “but I related immediately.”

Båstad agreed. “Norwegians can be a bit closed off,” he said. “Kristian goes farther than most people would. That’s what makes him special, and vulnerable.”

The film’s emotional balance also rests heavily on the dynamic between Båstad and co-star Billie Barker, who plays the mysterious young woman. “She walks that perfect edge,” Båstad said. “You want to help her, but you also feel like something’s off.”

Forbes shared that their on-screen chemistry came easily. “We only rehearsed once at the actual locations, but they found the tone immediately. It just clicked.”

Watch my full video interview with Iain Forbes and Simen Båstad

The Responsibility Behind the Story

When I brought up the film’s heavier themes, like victim-blaming, empathy, and who society chooses to believe, Forbes didn’t hesitate. “We were very aware of the responsibility that comes with this story,” he said. “It’s about who you’re willing to help, what kind of person you have empathy for, and the limits of that empathy. The ambiguity was intentional. It reflects the polarization of the world we live in right now.”

Between Thriller and Horror

While After Dark is marketed as a thriller, it teeters on horror. Forbes laughed when I told him the film reminded me of Tales from the Darkside: The Movie. “You’re not wrong,” he said. “We did toy with horror elements. The camera framing, the POV shots, the tension that something could come out of the dark at any moment. At one point, my producer even pitched her as a vampire.”

That edge of uncertainty — is she victim or predator — is what makes After Dark so gripping. It’s short, tight, and deeply unsettling.

Eyes on the Oscars

With After Dark now Oscar-qualified, both Forbes and Båstad are taking the whirlwind in stride. “It’s an honor,” Båstad said. Forbes added, “Honestly, we’re just excited people are seeing it. We never expected it to go this far.”

Voting for the Oscar shortlist begins in December, with final nominees announced in January 2026. Until then, the duo is focused on sharing the film with Academy members and new audiences alike.

“It’s been a wild ride,” Forbes said. “We just wanted to make something simple, honest, and haunting. That it’s connecting with people, that’s the real reward.”