The journey of Just Deserts has officially reached another major milestone.

After raising nearly $6,000 through its crowdfunding campaign, the dialogue-free short thriller has completed production, and the first trailer is now here.

Written and directed by independent filmmaker Laura Fenney, Just Deserts follows a woman who wakes up bound inside the trunk of a car. She has no idea where she is, who took her, or what is about to happen.

One thing seems certain: she’s in serious trouble.

But as she starts piecing together what’s happening outside the trunk, things aren’t quite as simple as they first appear.

And that’s where the film’s biggest question comes in:

Does she really deserve to die?

Watch the new trailer above.

From Crowdfunding to the Finish Line

When we first told you about Just Deserts, the filmmakers were trying to raise $5,000 to get the production off the ground.

Horror fans stepped up, and the campaign ultimately brought in $5,978, allowing the team to move forward with the shoot.

One of the most interesting parts of the production is the car itself.

The film was shot inside a rare abandoned 1988 Gran Fury Plymouth, complete with its original interior. It’s an unusual location, but it fits the story perfectly. Almost the entire movie takes place within this cramped space, leaving the audience trapped alongside the protagonist.

And now, after all the planning, fundraising, and shooting, the cameras have officially stopped rolling.

Production on Just Deserts is complete.

A Thriller Without Dialogue

One of the things that makes Just Deserts stand out is that there’s no dialogue.

Instead, Fenney and her team tell the story through visuals and sound.

A glimpse through the backseat.

Footsteps approaching the car.

Gravel crunching outside.

Birds singing in the distance.

Sunlight pouring into the trunk.

The peaceful world outside is almost unsettling when contrasted with what’s happening inside the car.

We’re given the same limited view as the woman at the center of the story, meaning every little detail could be important.

And just when you think you understand what’s happening, the film appears ready to pull the rug out from underneath you.

Check Out the First Trailer & Poster Down Below

The new trailer gives us our first real look at the finished film.

It doesn’t give away much—and that’s probably a good thing.

Instead, it focuses on the atmosphere and the central mystery, showing a woman desperately trying to understand why she’s been taken and what awaits her when that trunk finally opens.

For a film built around such a confined setting, the trailer also gives us a taste of the visual style and sound design that will carry the story.

Sometimes, not seeing what’s coming is the scariest part.

The Film Has Also Been Submitted to Sundance

With production now complete, the Just Deserts team has also submitted the film for consideration to the Sundance Film Festival.

Obviously, a submission doesn’t guarantee that the film will make the festival, but getting to this point is a pretty impressive achievement for an independently produced short that began with a crowdfunding campaign.

The project also reunites much of the team behind Delivery Driver, which previously swept the New Haven 48 Hour Film Project before going on to compete internationally at Filmapalooza in Lisbon.

Now, that same team has turned its attention to something much darker.

What’s Next for Just Deserts?

It’s been quite a journey for Just Deserts.

It started with a simple but intriguing idea: put someone in a car trunk and make the audience question everything they think they know about the situation.

The filmmakers found their unusual location, raised the money they needed, shot the film, and have now officially completed production.

The trailer is out.

The film is finished.

And it has been submitted to Sundance.

Now we wait to see where Just Deserts goes next.

But one question still hangs over the entire thing:

Does she deserve to die?

We may have to see the finished film to find out.