Eel Girl


Eel Girl is a 2008 horror science fiction short film written and directed by Paul Campion, in which a scientist becomes obsessed with an apparent human-eel hybrid woman being studied in a Naval research facility.
The film stars Julia Rose and Euan Dempsey, and was shot in Wellington, New Zealand. The special makeup effects were created by New Zealand-based company Weta Workshop, for which Campion also works.
Eel Girl has been played extensively in film festivals, winning 13 awards and several nominations in various categories and festivals.
WWW eelgirl.net

Plot

Deep in a secret navy research facility, an armed security officer enters a secure observation room, filled with electronic monitoring equipment and shelves full of dissected fish specimens. The officer requests one of the scientists accompany her immediately. He protests, quoting navy protocols that require two people to remain in the room at all times, but the officer makes sure he knows he has no choice.
The remaining scientist watches them leave the facility on a security monitor. Satisfied he's on his own, he quickly begins to activate override commands on the computer. A warning begins to sound, and the scientist steps back to stand in front of a large observation window, which looks into a dark tiled and dirty room, in the center of which stands a large bath, filled with a black viscous liquid. Opposite the window is a large secure door, above which warning lights flash red, then green. The scientist becomes more agitated, breathing heavily, as he sees the door open, and a webbed hand curls around the door frame.
Out of the darkness appears the Eel Girl, naked, her skin pale, with gills visible in her cheeks, and small fins on her forearms. Slowly she steps into the room, walks around the bath. The scientist watches as she slides into the thick black liquid. In the observation room the computer begins to flash warnings. Distracted by the computer, the scientist doesn't notice the Eel Girl climb slowly out of the bath. She steps up to the window, places her hands against the glass and looks through. The scientist sees her, moves to the window, and places his hands against hers through the glass. She stares back, mouth opening and closing slowly, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
She signals with her eyes, and the scientist moves to the security door that connects his room to hers. He activates the security code and opens the door. Inside she is waiting for him. He walks into the room and embraces her. She reaches up, gently holds the back of his head with one hand. Suddenly her jaw extends and she shoves his head into her mouth, then lifts him into the air and swallows him whole, vomiting his shredded clothes. She climbs back into the bathtub and lies there, caressing her now massively enlarged belly, and the scientist inside still alive.

Cast

  • Julia Rose as Eel Girl
  • Euan Dempsy as Obsessed Scientist
  • Robyn Paterson as Female Military Officer
  • Nick Blake as Senior Scientist

Awards

Nominations

  • 2009 UK Film Council Award for Best Film, London Short Film Festival, England
  • 2008 Outstanding Technical Achievement in a Short Film, Qantas Film and Television Awards, New Zealand
  • 2008 Best Short Film, Rushes Soho Shorts Film Festival, England
  • 2008 Best Cinematography, Dark Carnival Film Festival, USA
  • 2008 Best Special Effects, Terror Film Festival, USA
  • 2008 Best Music Score, Terror Film Festival, USA

Festival screenings