Girls Night In with Writer Landon Lee & Director Allison Roberto

In this episode of *Exploring Humanity Through Sci-Fi*, host Tony Tolato dives into the satirical horror short *Girls' Night In*, directed by Allison Roberto and written by Landon LaRue. The film subverts classic horror tropes by placing two women in a tense, comedic showdown over a man—only to reveal the twist that the 'killer' is not a serial murderer, but a man who checks all the boxes except one: being a serial killer. The conversation explores the creative process behind crafting the characters, the challenges of shooting in a cramped bathroom space, and the intentional use of horror clichés to build tension before flipping into satire. Both creators reflect on their journey to Tribeca Film Festival, a dream come true for Allison, who is from New York, and Landon, who volunteered at Tribeca years ago. They discuss casting breakthroughs, the power of collaboration, and their decision to abandon a previously offered feature project due to misaligned messaging around women's rights. The film’s post-production was completed quickly during COVID with a tight-knit team, and it’s now available on Tubi, Plex, and Prime Video. The episode ends with excitement for a feature-length version in development. Key takeaways include the power of subverting genre expectations, the importance of authentic female representation in storytelling, the value of creative partnerships, and the impact of casting intuition. The creators emphasize that their goal was to make a film they could be proud of, especially in today’s sensitive cultural climate. The episode celebrates female creativity, resilience, and humor, with a strong message that women can excel in all areas of filmmaking—even while balancing motherhood and other life demands.