RAT 2024: Neal Mulani’s hilarious new comedy short film. Get ready for non-stop laughs! When a disgruntled music journalist accuses a global pop star of queerbaiting, the singer’s devoted fans descend on his remote cabin to wreak havoc and seek retribution.
🎬 RAT 2024 Comedy short film: A Wild Ride Through Internet Chaos and Pop Star Fandom 😱
Ever wondered what happens when you poke the internet’s beehive? RAT (2024), a Comedy short film by Neal Mulani, answers that question with a hilarious, horror-tinged twist. Directed, written, and starring Mulani himself, this 17-minute gem takes a sharp, satirical stab at the wild world of online fandom, cancel culture, and the chaos of being “extremely online.” It’s a comedy, it’s a thriller, and it’s a wake-up call—all rolled into one.
📖 The Plot: When Trolling Goes Too Far
Meet Navin (played by Mulani), a music journalist who’s tired of the internet’s nonsense. He retreats to a remote cabin to unplug, but of course, the first thing he does is crack open his laptop. 💻 An email about pop star Wally Max’s new single catches his eye, and Navin can’t help but call out what he sees as queerbaiting. Big mistake.
Wally’s rabid fans—known as “stans”—don’t take kindly to the critique. What starts as a snarky video spirals into a full-blown nightmare when the stans track him down, donning oversized papier-mâché masks of Wally’s face, and descend on his cabin for some real-life retribution. 😳 It’s a home invasion with a twist: these intruders are armed with glitter, memes, and a whole lot of misplaced rage.
😂 Why It’s Hilarious (and Terrifying)
RAT! is a masterclass in blending comedy with horror. It’s like Scream meets Mean Girls—sharp, witty, and just the right amount of unhinged. The film’s humor comes from its spot-on satire of internet culture: the absurdity of stan Twitter, the echo chambers of online rage, and the way a single tweet can snowball into chaos. But beneath the laughs, there’s a creeping sense of dread.
The stans’ devotion to Wally Max is both ridiculous and menacing, making you wonder: How far is too far? The oversized masks are a brilliant touch—equal parts goofy and grotesque, they turn the invaders into surreal, nightmarish figures. 🎭 It’s a visual gag that lands every time, especially when things get really weird.
🎨 The Man Behind the Madness: Neal Mulani
Neal Mulani isn’t just the star of RAT 2024 Comedy short film—he’s the brains behind it, too. As a filmmaker who grew up in the thick of internet culture, Mulani draws from his own experiences to craft a story that’s as personal as it is universal. He’s described the film as a reflection of his “deep-seated fear of the internet,” shaped by being part of the first generation to grow up with their lives plastered online.
📱 His background in comedy and horror shines through, creating a film that’s both laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely unsettling. Mulani’s performance as Navin is pitch-perfect—he’s the everyman caught in a digital storm, and you can’t help but root for him (even if he did start the mess).
🏆 Festival Darling: Where It’s Been
Since its release, RAT! has been a hit on the festival circuit, scooping up awards and nominations left and right. It’s been praised for its “sharp satire” and “uncanny sense of pop culture,” with critics calling it a “must-watch” for anyone who’s ever tweeted something they regret. 🌟 It’s the kind of film that sticks with you, making you think twice before hitting “send” on that spicy take.
💡 What’s It Really About?
Sure, RAT! is a riot, but it’s also a mirror held up to our online lives. It’s about the dangers of parasocial relationships, the toxicity of fandoms, and the way the internet can turn a molehill into a mountain of hate. Mulani doesn’t shy away from the darker side of queer culture online, either—he’s said the film is partly about “how mean gay men are to each other on the internet.” 🏳️🌈 It’s a bold, unapologetic look at the messiness of being human in a digital age, and it’s all the better for it.
🍿 Watch It Now
You can catch RAT! on platforms like Short of the Week or YouTube. It’s only 17 minutes long, so no excuses—grab some popcorn and dive into the chaos. Trust me, you’ll be quoting it for days. 🎥
When a disgruntled music journalist accuses a global pop star of queerbaiting, the singer’s devoted fans seek retribution.
OFFICIAL SELECTION:
AFI FEST, Palm Springs International ShortFest (Special Jury Nominee: Best Midnight Short, Best Comedy Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short), American Cinematheque’s Proof Film Festival (Honorable Mention from the Jury), Atlanta Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Iris Prize (Finalist), SCAD Savannah Film Festival, Frameline Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, New Hampshire Film Festival, San Luis Obispo Film Festival, Rooftop Films Summer Series, Brooklyn Horror Film Festival,
American Cinematheque’s Queer Rhapsody Film Series, MOTELX, Popcorn Frights, IFFBoston, Panic Fest, Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival, MixBrasil, MiX Milan LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Sonoma International Film Festival, Inside Out Toronto Film Festival, RiverRun International Film Festival, Milwaukee Film Festival, Hollyshorts, LA’s Rich & Successful Film Festival, Nightmares Film Festival, Hysteria Film Festival, Oak Cliff Film Festival, Montclair Film Festival,
Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Miami Film Festival, Key West Film Festival, Anomaly Film Festival, Vancouver Queer Film Festival, The Asian American Showcase, FilmQuest, Roze Filmdagen, Rhode Island International Film Festival, Ravenheart International Film Festival, Soho Horror, SouthSide Film Festival, Finger Lakes Film Festival, Reel Q Pittsburgh, Las Cruces Film Festival, Indie-Lincs, Kashish Film Festival, Drunken Film Fest, Salute Your Shorts Film Festival, Salem Horror Fest, Stamped Film Festival, Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival
CAST
‘Navin Miller’ – Neal Suresh Mulani
‘The Twink’ – Tyler Joseph Ellis
‘Wally Max’ – Jacob Berger
‘Margaux’ – Caitlin Reilly
‘Handyman’ – Charles Gould
‘Royce Ellis’ – Jack Dailey Barnes
‘Stan #2’ – Coleen Tutton
‘Stan #3’ – Manny Spero
CREW
Written and Directed by Neal Suresh Mulani
Producers: Lottie Abrahams, Neal Suresh Mulani
Executive Producers: Lottie Abrahams, Bill Ferguson III, Neal Suresh Mulani, Sam Deepwater,
Alex Mitow
Director of Photography: Emerson Duggan
Production Designer: T Marsh
Editor: Emily Hadley
VFX: Peter France
Sound Design & Mix: Alex Bologna
Original Score: Katya Richardson
1st AD: Quinton Couch
UPM: Alex M. Kennedy
Stunt Coordinator: Amanda MacLeod
Gaffer: Evan Croker
1st AC: Max Riley
2nd AC: Cass Chang
Grip: Jake Dugger, Michael Liska
Online Editor: Moriah Dobos
Colorist: Kath Raisch
Color Producer: Jake Rioux for Company 3
BTS Photography: Emily Krisky
Wally Max Editorial Photography: Alex M. Kennedy
PA: María Alvarez
Associate Producer: Jay Mulani
Legal: Max Zidel for Studio Legal
“Get Out Of My Head”
Written by Jacob Berger, Tom Carpenter, Devan Welsh and Neal Suresh Mulani
Courtesy of Take Care Inc
💬 Let’s Talk
Ever been dragged on the internet? Or maybe you’ve seen a fandom go off the rails? RAT! might just make you rethink your next tweet. Drop your thoughts below—I’d love to hear what you think! 💬
Quick Recap:
- What: A 17-minute horror-comedy about a journalist who gets doxxed by rabid pop star fans.
- Who: Neal Mulani directs, writes, and stars.
- Why: It’s a sharp, funny, and terrifying look at internet culture.
- Where: Watch it on Short of the Week or YouTube.
Inspired by Short of the Week, IMDb, and Film Fest Report.