In this 2025 short psychological thriller, commissioned by the BBC, a man named Vasilly becomes painfully jealous of his best friend Luke, leading to strange and violent repercussions that Vasilly attributes to the Greek superstition of the evil eye. What is the title of this film?

The film you're describing, where a man's intense jealousy over his best friend's success leads to unsettling events he associates with the Greek evil eye, is titled Jealous People Are Ugly People (Review). This short psychological thriller accurately captures the essence of the story through its provocative name, hinting at the darker, more visceral aspects of envy that drive the narrative. The film delves into how such powerful emotions can manifest, blurring the lines between psychological turmoil and supernatural belief.

Commissioned by the BBC as part of their "Long Story Short" scheme, the film premiered at various UK film festivals in late 2025 and became available on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in early 2026. Written and directed by Theo James Krekis, it explores themes of male jealousy, inherited superstition, and the corrosive impact of repressed ambition. The narrative follows Vasilly, who, after losing a career-making graphic design role to his friend Luke, finds himself consumed by envy. When Luke experiences a series of misfortunes, Vasilly attributes them to his own malevolent thoughts and the ancient Greek belief that intense jealousy can inflict harm through a "malevolent glare."

The exploration of the evil eye, a 5,000-year-old belief, adds a rich cultural layer to the psychological thriller, suggesting that internal struggles can sometimes feel as potent and dangerous as external forces. As Vasilly spirals into paranoia and guilt, the film prompts viewers to question whether the true source of danger lies in the ancient superstition or within the destructive power of human emotions themselves. It stands as a darkly comedic yet unsettling examination of the mind's capacity for both creation and destruction.