"Sawchuk riffs on 1970s and 1980s slasher tropes and 1990s teen ensemble horror elements to deliver a truly fun horror comedy that pays respects to its forebears while adding new twists. The result is a blast. The humor is sharp — the performances top-notch, and the love for and knowledge of the horror genre apparent."
— Joseph @ The Good, The Bad & The Verdict


"Filmmaker Stephen Sawchuk delivers the goods to Fantasia 2024 audiences with his short film HELL IS A TEENAGE GIRL ... The film is a solid treatment for a feature I’d be delighted to dive into. Sawchuk gives us enough meat on the bone for expansion, past and future ... The film mixes suspense with humor, led by Radzion's exceptional performance and high production standards, setting it apart from typical indie horror offerings."
— Reel News Daily


"The stand out of the film is how Sawchuk is able to maintain the correct balance of dread, tension and dark comedy ... I'd definitely be interested in seeing what Sawchuk would come up with if (and when) this gets an expanded script with a few sub-plots and other interesting characters added in. It feels like it would stack up nicely against other original modern day slashers like 'Happy Death Day', 'Totally Killer' and 'It's A Wonderful Knife'"
— Fright Club


"Hell is a Teenage Girl is a smart, nasty look at how women are damned if they do, damned if they don’t, so they may as well do whatever they please."
— Father Son Holy Gore

what critics are saying about the short film

"Sawchuk’s directing and Radizon’s acting manage to do a good job in creating a full-formed final girl in “Parker” ... I’d love to see Sawchuk get enough funding to explore this idea as a feature film. As it stands, Hell is a Teenage Girl is a great appetizer for a night of classic slasher films."
— Mike @ The Good, The Bad & The Verdict


"This film, directed by Stephen Sawchuk, rejuvenates the slasher genre by blending nostalgic elements with innovative twists, appealing to newcomers and genre enthusiasts alike. The blend of sharp wit and authentic scares honors the spirit of its predecessors and cements its place as a standout contemporary horror flick."
— Overly Honest Reviews

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"9/10 ... A compelling spooky season blast with strong characterization that warrants a feature-length film. Hell Is a Teenage Girl feels very fresh, while still nodding to long-running rules of the slasher genre and known franchises ... These 15 minutes are a bloody entertaining tease, showcasing the potential of this world. Radzion makes a resolute and capable final girl, too. I can’t wait to see more."
— Horror Buzz


"FOUR STARS .... A short with all the potential in the world, Hell is a Teenage Girl has its tongue firmly in its cheek as it gives little nods to the horror cliches we love. Sawchuk knows his stuff in this love letter to horror that isn’t afraid to simultaneously switch it up to keep audiences on their toes. What we have is a film that you can’t help but love ... there almost certainly needs to be an extended version of Sawchuk’s vision."
— Upcoming On Screen


"Hell is a Teenage Girl is a self-aware slasher that pays homage to Scream and Halloween. Stephen Sawchuk is able to effectively balance tension with moments of dark comedy, particularly during scenes with Parker's mother (Jill Morrison), her best friend Riley (Fali Mevamanana), and fellow student Brody (Kevin Osea). Mevamanana fulfils the archetypal role of BFF perfectly, while Radzion is strong and believable in her part as the final girl."
— Medium


“Sawchuk doesn’t fall back on “indie production” or tricks like artificial film grain to mask the film’s lower budget. It really feels like a polished, modern production that just happens to end just when it’s getting good. I would love to see a feature that explores exactly how Parker’s fairly normal-seeming mom got hooked up with a monster that would eventually become The Slasher, for example. Is he just super hot under that mask?” Sawchuk’s vibe with Hell is a Teenage Girl is solidly in the horror-comedy vein, riffing on not just the classic slasher big names like Michael and Jason, but also adopting the polished and quippy tone of Scream or Happy Death Day. His cast and his script are laden with charm and even in its short 14-minute runtime, Sawchuk plants seeds galore that unfortunately don’t have room to flourish in the compressed format of a short.”
— BIFF BAM POP!