Slamdance Film Festival 2025 – Chickenboy, written and directed by Matthew Rush, is such a strange and uncomfortable film. For instance, it opens with a farmer (Rush) ejaculating to the point that the magazine sticks to his fingers. From there, the short undergoes an even more unusual journey.

The unnamed farmer lives a rather ho-hum life on a chicken farm. Throughout the 7-minute runtime, the sound of chickens clucking becomes omnipresent. The short transitions to truly bizarro territory after the farmer eats an egg with something unusual in it that resembles a parasite, or some other organism, from a David Cronenberg movie. From there, the short takes another leap forward and becomes a creature feature of sorts.

In the barn, the farmer encounters a half chicken/half human, also played by Rush. Yes, it clucks, and yes, it has a beak. Instead of expressing alarm over such a ghastly sight, the farmer decides he’s going to care for the creature.

Rush’s film makes a viewer uncomfortable. Yet, it’s tough to look away. Rush also deserves credit for handling so many duties on this film, including a dual performance as the farmer and the chicken/human hybrid. The ending, meanwhile, harkens back to Tod Browning’s Freaks, becoming a sideshow attraction that demands attention.

Chickenboy has its share of moments that will make a viewer squirm. This is a bonkers creature feature with one whacky twist after another. For as odd as this short may be, it does showcase Rush’s imagination.