Miami film incubator and overall awesome organization FilmGate Miami recently held its first monthly film festival of the year. It was a ‘Free-For-All’ meaning films from all genres were eligible. The sold-out event took place on January 29, 2025, and featured ten short films. There were music videos, comedies, documentaries and more. One film stood out to us at The Jitney: Silence in the Dark. It is a short slasher film set somewhere in South Miami. It is beautifully scored and legitimately tense and well shot. Take a quick look at the trailer and read below for an exclusive interview with Writer and Director Steven Salgado.
Exclusive interview with Steven Salgado
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Steven Salgado, and I am the director and writer of Silence in the Dark. I am of Peruvian origin and have been living in Miami for thirteen years. I own an audiovisual company called Salgado Studios, and right now, I am in the final year of my master’s degree in film.
What does this short film mean to you?
A fresh start. Before the pandemic, I worked at a small film production company, where I wrote and directed feature films—it was my dream job. But when the pandemic hit, I lost my job and had to start over. I launched my own company and began making promotional videos. However, I eventually reached a point where I couldn’t resist the urge to direct a film again. That’s when I decided to start over with a short film.
How was the shooting experience? Any interesting stories about the filming? What was the location with the gas lamps and the Buddhist statue?
My initial idea was to shoot in a park, but when I couldn’t secure the necessary permits, a friend of mine, who is an actress, offered me her farm to film Silence in the Dark. The location was stunning, and everything in the set was already part of that house in Homestead. Only the flashback scene was filmed in the park where I originally wanted to shoot, but we had to do it clandestinely.
The entire experience was incredible. We were cold, sleep-deprived, and constantly on the move, but we had so much fun.
Why did you make the character mute? The actress isn’t actually mute, correct?
My first language is Spanish, but I originally wrote the first draft of the script in English. I initially envisioned English-speaking actors for the roles, but I wanted my wife to act in the story—I had written the character specifically for her. However, I didn’t want language to be a distraction in the scene, so I made the character mute.
My wife had to learn sign language for the role. She attended an association in Miami where sign language is taught, spending hours studying and communicating with members of the deaf community. She did an amazing job.
By the time we were about to start filming, the idea of using English-speaking actors had faded, so I reached out to my Spanish-speaking actor friends instead. I truly believe I ended up with the best possible cast for this project.
At FilmGate, you shared that this film is dedicated to your wife’s father, who passed away during COVID. I interpreted the killer as a representation of COVID. Is that accurate?
Yes. The short film is dedicated to Manuel Melian. He had been living with Parkinson’s for the last ten years of his life, and when I met him, he was already battling the disease. He passed away during the pandemic, which was an incredibly difficult time for the family. Manuel was the best father-in-law one could ask for.
The killer in the film is a metaphor for COVID, and Tamara’s character represents me—someone who just wanted to run.
Finally, what’s next for Silence in the Dark? And what’s next for you?
Silence in the Dark is following its own journey—I have submitted it to several festivals, and I’m hoping it gets accepted into many of them.
As for my work in film, another short film is on the way—this time, a spooky movie for kids with pre-teens and children as the main characters. It’s a project that brings me a lot of joy, and I know I’ll have an amazing time making it.
On a personal level, I know the future will bring me many great projects.
