Screamfest is thrilled to announce that The Night Driver, which recently made its premiere right here at Screamfest, has officially been acquired for North American distribution by Cineverse.
2023 Festival Film Guide
Film Category
A Good Scream
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
An aspiring voice over actress gives it her all when she gets the chance to work with a famous horror director and will stop at nothing to give a good performance, much to the chagrin of her neighbors.
Film Category
A Paw Over Dark
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A washed up actor performs night after night in a grimy theater to a nearly empty audience. However, everything changes when a clueless dog jumps on stage.
Film Category
A State Of
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
An agoraphobic apartment manager, who struggles with intense hypochondriasis, must fight for his life after he witnesses a grisly murder just outside his window.
Film Category
Abominations
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A dark infatuation begins to fracture the bond between a man and his unsightly creature.
Film Category
After Hours
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When a man arrives at a secluded cabin in the desert to meet his best friend, he finds his friend is missing but quickly realizes he is not alone.
Film Category
All-Nighter
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
With graduation quickly approaching, Andy must face his fears or sacrifice his sanity for society.
Film Category
ALONE TOGETHER
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A stylized horror/thriller with supernatural and psychological threads tying together a socially conscious story of abuse and control within a relationship, all culminating in bloody liberation.
Film Category
Assimilation
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After the death of her best friend, Liz attends Julie's funeral gathering where strange events begin to occur.
Film Category
At the Window
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A girl looks out over a snow-covered garden where everything lie eeriely still. Behind her her mother lies sick in bed. Suddenly the mother's dark dream starts to take form in the garden. A hybrid of stop mation and live action, based on a horror poem by Helen Adam.
Film Category
Bad Vibrations
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Detective Thomas 'Bob' Roberts is on the trail of a murderer. Hoping to make a deal, he travels to a forgotten corner of the English coastline to meet Singer, a beguiling young woman with a dark secret. But as Bob sits down in the remote cafe to discuss terms with his mysterious foe, he is about to learn that his quarry has more than a way with words. In fact, the conversation Bob is about to have could, quite literally, blow his mind.
Film Category
BATSHIT CRAZY
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Often targeted for their East Asian or 'Chinese' looks, racism is an ugly fact of life for the Northeasterners of India. In Batshit Crazy, a Northeastern young man runs into a bunch of racist junkies on a lonesome night in the Covid pandemic. But little do both know that they'd end up getting more than they ever bargained for.
Based on a story by Andhadun Co-writer Arijit Biswas with Telugu dialogues by filmmaker Venkat Ramji and directed by Yogesh Chandekar (Writer of Andhadhun and Monica, O my darling).
Based on a story by Andhadun Co-writer Arijit Biswas with Telugu dialogues by filmmaker Venkat Ramji and directed by Yogesh Chandekar (Writer of Andhadhun and Monica, O my darling).
Film Category
VOGELKOOI / BIRDCAGE
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Nurse Marielle watches in horror as her senior doctor injects poison in a boy with supernatural powers. A measure that seemed necessary after the death of one of their staff. After the doctor informs Marielle that also Patient 76 will be put to "˜sleep', she rushes off to save her favorite patient.
Film Category
Bleeding
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Jesús is a 15-year-old boy who dreams of recording a homemade horror movie, starring Lara, his platonic love. The odds seem decisively stacked against him. An overprotective and extremely religious mother, classmates who bully him and a strange disease that forces him to use a wheelchair all stand in his way. But on Halloween night, they will all become part of his macabre film.
Film Category
Bloody Groom
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Moishi is desperately in-love with Ruchela, a young woman whose previous husbands have all died. Moishi runs away from his parents, who are angry at his decision, straight into the hands of Haim the butcher, who turns out to be the devil himself. Haim, the devil, who turns out to be a romantic character, tries to understand why Moishi insists on marrying Ruchela. If Moishi sticks to his decision, Haim will have to kill him.
Film Category
Bookworm (Ratón de Biblioteca)
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Spain, 1979. Irene is a budding writer obsessed with the ethereal ghost haunting the library where she works, its presence looming ominously over every page she writes.
Film Category
botox fiction
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
The story takes place in the distant future. In a world with an extremely and egocentric system, which promotes appearances, glory and power. power. A world where human beings have no limit in their greed.
Children are born in specific cycles defined by social status and are raised with one goal in mind... To increase the life expectancy of their parents who want to stay young and beautiful for eternity. But this is not without consequences. The operation must be repeated, because every twenty years, the body dies again, little by little, and the skin inevitably begins to rot.
Children are born in specific cycles defined by social status and are raised with one goal in mind... To increase the life expectancy of their parents who want to stay young and beautiful for eternity. But this is not without consequences. The operation must be repeated, because every twenty years, the body dies again, little by little, and the skin inevitably begins to rot.
Film Category
Brenda and Billy (and the Pothos Plant)
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After an incident involving a pothos plant, a frying pan and a flower pot leaves their mother for dead, estranged siblings (Santino Fontana and Sarah Stiles) come back together to figure out what to do with the body in this post-pandemic dark comedy.
Film Category
Cannibal Mukbang
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
An introverted nerd finds himself dangerously deep inside the crazy world of mukbanging after he falls head over heels for a mysterious woman.
Film Category
El Cristo de la Calavera
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Based on the spanish folk-horror tale by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (a Spanish romantic author), the film tells the story of two knights, a lady, and a mystery.
Set in 13th-century Toledo (Spain), the two friends, Lope Sandoval and Alonso de Carrillo, engage in a deadly duel at midnight for the love of Inés de Tordesillas. The darkness that surrounds them in the forest is almost absolute, with only the light of a lantern illuminating the fight. Supernatural forces and inexplicable events will determine the fate of those involved in a night of horror, where the best and worst of human nature converge.
Set in 13th-century Toledo (Spain), the two friends, Lope Sandoval and Alonso de Carrillo, engage in a deadly duel at midnight for the love of Inés de Tordesillas. The darkness that surrounds them in the forest is almost absolute, with only the light of a lantern illuminating the fight. Supernatural forces and inexplicable events will determine the fate of those involved in a night of horror, where the best and worst of human nature converge.
Film Category
Darkface
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Legend has it that during a cold January night, Darkface wanders the streets of a remote village. Little Carla wakes up frightened in the middle of the night. Her older brother, Lucas, tries to reassure her and convince her that Darkface does not exist.
Film Category
Dear David
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Shortly after comic artist Adam (Augustus Prew) responds to Internet trolls, he begins experiencing sleep paralysis "” while an empty rocking chair moves in the corner of his apartment. As he chronicles increasingly malevolent occurrences in a series of tweets, Adam begins to believe he is being haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David. Encouraged by his boss to continue the "Dear David" thread, Adam starts to lose his grip on what is online...and what is real. Based on the viral Twitter thread by BuzzFeed comic artist Adam Ellis.
Film Category
Dear Santa
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When a woman finds a letter that she wrote to Santa asking to be just like the girl who lives next door, she just may get what she asked for.
Film Category
THE DEEP DARK
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Miners are forced to take a professor underground with them, to take samples for his measurements. After a landslide prevents them from going back up, they discover a crypt from another time, unknowingly waking up a bloodthirsty creature.
Film Category
Departing Seniors
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After an act of bullying sends kind but awkward high school senior Javier to the hospital, he begins having psychic visions that reveal the horrifying truth behind a rash of supposed suicides at his school. It is now up to him and his sarcastic best friend Bianca to unmask a serial killer who's targeting his classmates before it's too late.
Film Category
The Dinner Game
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Tucker, a wandering stranger on the hunt for his next con accepts an unexpected dinner invitation from an elderly couple in search of the perfect party guest for their granddaughter, Rusty. Always on the lookout for his next adventure, Tucker accepts their offer and enters the family's mysterious world. From their enthusiastic welcoming to the slightly sinister atmosphere, nothing inside this house is what he expected. His casual adventure morphs into an irresistible quest upon meeting Rusty, the woman of the hour.
Film Category
Dissociation
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Based on an H.P. Lovecraft horror classic, "Dissociation" is a psychological horror film that follows The Genealogist, a determined researcher driven by insatiable curiosity. As she delves into the history of a family that vanished over a century ago, she uncovers more than she bargained for. A dangerous encounter with a mysterious old man forces her to confront the disturbing depths of her own psyche and the dire consequences of her relentless pursuit. This adaptation of "The Picture In The House" is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat with its heart-pounding plot and haunting atmosphere.
Film Category
Diversion (Politics of)
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
On the trail of a serial killer, a police investigator with formidable instincts is close to the goal when his superior interferes in his case.
Film Category
Do Not Watch
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
“Do Not Watch” is a cautionary tale of madness that is told through the lens of an unseen Editor, who has constructed this film that unveils the events surrounding the disappearance of a post-production crew and the growing darkness that drove them insane. A decades-spanning mystery is interwoven across three timelines: a present day documentary; several missing person cases; and scientific research footage from old VHS tapes.
Film Category
Drawn
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A widower and his young daughter fend off a predatory land speculator by any means necessary in this psychological thriller set on a dying ranch in the Southwest. With shifting points of view and a twisting power structure, the story delves deep into our perception of control, unraveling a family mystery that spawns eerie tension, abducts our expectations of good and evil, and draws us in to a shocking reveal.
Film Category
Eight Eyes
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When Cass begins to hear voices while backpacking with her husband Gav through former Yugoslavia, she attributes it to travel stress and cracks appearing in her new marriage. However, when the couple embarks on an unplanned sight seeing expedition with a mysterious local named Saint Peter, Cass quickly suspects that his promises to give them an "authentic" tour of his homeland conceal a much darker purpose. When Gav goes missing, Cass soon finds herself dragged into an increasingly paranoid web of manipulation and murder from which even death offers no escape.
Film Category
Empire V
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Set in modern-day Moscow, “Empire V” is a metaphysical vampire story and a reflection of a world ruled by the cult of beauty, money and blood. A completely original take on the age-old genre while employing ground-breaking visual effects to portray an unknowable level of reality. A dark satire on contemporary culture and global capitalism and a universal coming of age story of an average young man challenged by a Faustian gift of power and knowledge, forced to make his way in a post-moral world.
Based on a novel by Russia's leading contemporary writer Victor Pelevin.
“This is the MATRIX of vampire cinema.” – FANGORIA
“...the action of Nightwatch with the philosophical underpinnings of The Matrix sequels” - BLOODY DISGUSTING
One of Empire V’s most rewarding elements is its constant debunking of vampire lore.” ScreenDaily
“…bold visuals and careful balance of intellectual rigor and hedonistic entertainment.”
MOVIEWEB
Based on a novel by Russia's leading contemporary writer Victor Pelevin.
“This is the MATRIX of vampire cinema.” – FANGORIA
“...the action of Nightwatch with the philosophical underpinnings of The Matrix sequels” - BLOODY DISGUSTING
One of Empire V’s most rewarding elements is its constant debunking of vampire lore.” ScreenDaily
“…bold visuals and careful balance of intellectual rigor and hedonistic entertainment.”
MOVIEWEB
Film Category
Faceless After Dark
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Following her breakout success as the star of a killer clown horror flick, Bowie now finds herself struggling to capitalize on its success. But when she is suddenly held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film's fatal plot.
Film Category
Facies
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Spain, 1692. The Spanish Inquisition is in decline, and as a result, their followers are more ruthless than ever. One of the inquisitors has been trying to find the perfect torture device for years. He wishes to inflict pure pain and show the world the horrible consequences of following the Devil. He might be able to thanks to “The Demeanour”, a horrific torture chair created by his engineer. However, the engineer’s daughter Elena has different plans…
Film Category
The Final Mission 2060
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
AI wreaks havoc in 2060, Yuguang Zhou was an energy-seeking soldier for interstellar immigration. He only wanted to retire after completing this final mission so that his family could take advantage of priority immigration privileges, but that mission seems to have begun since he enlisted. This film is adapted from Taiwanese comic, based on the Allegory of the Cave in Plato's "The Republic" as an idea, to weave the thrilling imagination of future sci-fi animation.
Film Category
Flashpoint
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A man keeping watch at the end of the world sees something which convinces him he might be on the wrong side. A post-apocalyptic horror set short exploring themes of loyalty and how far you would go to bring back someone you once loved.
Film Category
Forgive & Forget
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Morgan and Brian's volatile relationship takes a dark and unexpected turn after an argument. As Morgan frantically tries to help him and escape the grasp of a malevolent force, she must confront the darkness that has taken hold of their lives and confront the truth about their relationship.
Film Category
FREE BENCH MUST PICK UP TODAY
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A young couple pay an unexpected price for bringing home a free piece of furniture.
Film Category
Friday the 13th Part II
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Return to the eerie realm of Camp Crystal Lake! Five years have passed since the terrifying events of the original film, but the nightmares are far from over. As a nearby summer camp readies to open its doors, the ominous legend of Jason Voorhees casts a chilling shadow over the proceedings.
'Friday the 13th' Part II takes you on a nerve-wracking journey as the legacy of Jason Voorhees looms large. The suspense is palpable, and the fear is real as camp counselors and eager campers confront the sinister specter of the masked killer.
In this terrifying sequel, the stakes are higher, the scares are more intense, and the anticipation is electrifying. Don't miss your chance to experience the next chapter in this iconic horror saga. Join us for a night of thrills and suspense as we unlock the secrets of Camp Crystal Lake once again" on Friday the 13th!
1981 Rated R
'Friday the 13th' Part II takes you on a nerve-wracking journey as the legacy of Jason Voorhees looms large. The suspense is palpable, and the fear is real as camp counselors and eager campers confront the sinister specter of the masked killer.
In this terrifying sequel, the stakes are higher, the scares are more intense, and the anticipation is electrifying. Don't miss your chance to experience the next chapter in this iconic horror saga. Join us for a night of thrills and suspense as we unlock the secrets of Camp Crystal Lake once again" on Friday the 13th!
1981 Rated R
Film Category
Friday the 13th Part II 45th Anniversary Screening
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Return to the eerie realm of Camp Crystal Lake! Five years have passed since the terrifying events of the original film, but the nightmares are far from over. As a nearby summer camp readies to open its doors, the ominous legend of Jason Voorhees casts a chilling shadow over the proceedings.
'Friday the 13th' Part II takes you on a nerve-wracking journey as the legacy of Jason Voorhees looms large. The suspense is palpable, and the fear is real as camp counselors and eager campers confront the sinister specter of the masked killer.
In this terrifying sequel, the stakes are higher, the scares are more intense, and the anticipation is electrifying. Don't miss your chance to experience the next chapter in this iconic horror saga. Join us for a night of thrills and suspense as we unlock the secrets of Camp Crystal Lake once again" on Friday the 13th!
1981 Rated R
'Friday the 13th' Part II takes you on a nerve-wracking journey as the legacy of Jason Voorhees looms large. The suspense is palpable, and the fear is real as camp counselors and eager campers confront the sinister specter of the masked killer.
In this terrifying sequel, the stakes are higher, the scares are more intense, and the anticipation is electrifying. Don't miss your chance to experience the next chapter in this iconic horror saga. Join us for a night of thrills and suspense as we unlock the secrets of Camp Crystal Lake once again" on Friday the 13th!
1981 Rated R
Film Category
Friday the 13th Part III in 3D
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
The legendary and relentless killer, Jason Voorhees, once again haunts the ominous shores of Crystal Lake. A group of unsuspecting friends embarks on a weekend getaway to a secluded cabin, but what they don't realize is that their peaceful retreat is about to become a nightmarish battleground.
This movie promises an unforgettable cinematic experience in the 3rd dimension that will have you on the edge of your seat.
1982 Rated R
This movie promises an unforgettable cinematic experience in the 3rd dimension that will have you on the edge of your seat.
1982 Rated R
Film Category
Full Moon
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Mikey's girlfriend, Sandra, is throwing him a surprise birthday party. Problem is, it's a full moon night - and he's a werewolf. Mikey's done a good job of keeping his secret so far, but he also loves Sandra and doesn't want to hurt her. Will he risk revealing his dark secret to her before time runs out?
Film Category
The Good Mother
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
In the grip of a pandemic and her own unraveling mind, a mother descends into a nightmarish obsession with cleanliness as she becomes consumed by fears of the virus infiltrating her home. Her desperation to protect and keep her children safe begin to manifest in horrifying ways.
Film Category
The Gourd, The Brad, and The Ghostly
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After causing a Halloween pumpkin accident, Brad's guilty conscience begins to haunt him as he takes the elevator down to the scene of the crime. Is this elevator taking him to the lobby... or straight to hell?
Film Category
Greed & Gore
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Five criminals pick the wrong safehouse to lay low after robbing a bank.
Synopsis expanded: After a bank robbery doesn't go exactly as planned, a crew of five pick a last minute safehouse to lay low with their take and a hostage. But the safehouse isn't so safe... Greed & Gore, a film by Adam Kirkey, is a mash of horror and thriller, with practical effects that will please all genre fans. It stars Julie Mainville (Butchers, The Good Doctor), Krishan Dutt (The Boys), Matthew Bell (Curse of the Anti-Quenched), Monica Zelak (Curse of the Anti-Quenched, Chronicles of Blood, The Enigma), and breakout stars Curt Derosier and Nick Dewolfe.
Synopsis expanded: After a bank robbery doesn't go exactly as planned, a crew of five pick a last minute safehouse to lay low with their take and a hostage. But the safehouse isn't so safe... Greed & Gore, a film by Adam Kirkey, is a mash of horror and thriller, with practical effects that will please all genre fans. It stars Julie Mainville (Butchers, The Good Doctor), Krishan Dutt (The Boys), Matthew Bell (Curse of the Anti-Quenched), Monica Zelak (Curse of the Anti-Quenched, Chronicles of Blood, The Enigma), and breakout stars Curt Derosier and Nick Dewolfe.
Film Category
The Green Ribbon
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Sorority girl Brittany is desperate to be the hottest girl on campus, so when she learns about an occult book said to contain a spell promising to make her the most beautiful girl in the world, she becomes hell-bent on retrieving it. Together with her friend MJ, Brittany ventures inside an abandoned house to find the book - the same house once inhabited by Jane, the mysterious girl with a green ribbon around her neck...
Film Category
The Handbook
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Two Latter-day Saint missionaries bring a Book of Mormon to the home of a wicked lady.
Film Category
Hello No One
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
HELLO NO ONE follows a callous identity thief plagued by hypnotic visions and strange phone calls. As she becomes increasingly unhinged, bits of her own identity begin to disappear.
Film Category
Hidden Mother
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Eleanor, a 19th century business woman, arrives at the family estate of her latest client where she discovers a deeply unsettling secret. As the story of this troubled family reveals itself, Eleanor involuntarily becomes entangled, and will have to play a crucial part in its conclusion. Eleanor is forced into a moral dilemma: will she act out of fear, or will she do the honorable thing?
Hidden Mother is a psychological horror set in England during the heyday of the Victorian era. Class society held the country in its grip. The average Briton had only one goal: to achieve the highest social status in order to be able to lead a bearable life. There was no room for others on that path. After all, charity and neighborly care could easily get in the way of personal ambition.
The film deals with themes surrounding post natal depression, class society, the patriarchy, and a remarkable historical phenomenon called hidden mother photography.
Hidden Mother is a psychological horror set in England during the heyday of the Victorian era. Class society held the country in its grip. The average Briton had only one goal: to achieve the highest social status in order to be able to lead a bearable life. There was no room for others on that path. After all, charity and neighborly care could easily get in the way of personal ambition.
The film deals with themes surrounding post natal depression, class society, the patriarchy, and a remarkable historical phenomenon called hidden mother photography.
Film Category
Hide Behind
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A couple's tryst in the woods takes an unexpected and deadly turn when they find themselves hunted by a vicious monster with a terrifying ability to hide behind any object.
Film Category
HIGH FUN
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Plagued by depression and loneliness, a desperate young man seeks the one vice that may not solve all his problems but can at least numb or distract him for a while. Set against the background of the death of an Indian film star due to drug overdose and the following moral policing on national news during the peak of covid19 in India, High Fun (commonly known as 'Party and Play' or 'Chemsex' in the west) is a queer-themed horror film about living with your demons.
Film Category
Howl At the Dead
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When a family moves into a haunted house, their loyal pet dog struggles to protect them from the malevolent ghosts that only animals can see.
Film Category
Juliette Wasn't Invited Tonight
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A high-school teen finds herself spending her Saturday night alone in her bedroom...
Film Category
The Kindness of Strangers
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Two girlfriends pick up a traumatized woman near the scene of an accident. But something isn't right about their passenger and soon the good Samaritans are trapped in a nightmare ride they'll never forget.
Film Category
Lands Of Steel
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A CGI-animated short film about genocide through the eyes of a mindless robot, set in an apocalyptic world.
Film Category
Last Words
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When two hikers become separated in the wilderness, they must follow the sound of each other's voices to survive.
Film Category
LOAB
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Based on true events, a spiraling female software programmer accidentally unleashes a sinister entity after using AI-generated graphic design to complete a project proposal. Her life descends into chaos as the figure, Loab, manifests from the depths of the AI subconscious to infiltrate her devices and, eventually, her mind.Based on true events, a spiraling female software programmer accidentally unleashes a sinister entity after using AI-generated graphic design to complete a project proposal. Her life descends into chaos as the figure, Loab, manifests from the depths of the AI subconscious to infiltrate her devices and, eventually, her mind.
Film Category
Locked In
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A nursing temp named Lisa is hired to care for an elderly woman who suffers from locked-in syndrome, a rare condition which has left the poor woman completely paralyzed aside from the ability to move her eyes. The woman's son explains these circumstances to Lisa before he leaves for the evening, assuring her that "Mother" will be quite easy to attend to, given her state. At first, this appears to be true, but as the evening progresses, strange events occur that suggest Mother may not be as helpless as her son lets on. This culminates in the appearance of a swaying, hunched figure in the backyard. As Lisa approaches, she sees that the figure looks just like Mother. It chases her into the house, and she barricades herself in Mother's bedroom, only to discover - Mother, still in bed, unmoving. Lisa begins to question how locked-in Mother really is.
Film Category
The Looming
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
"The Looming" is a horrific glimpse into aging and the fear of being forgotten by those we love. The film follows the story of Chester, a 70-year-old man who begins hearing strange noises in his home. Although Chester seeks help from his daughter and coworkers, they dismiss his concerns. But when Luna, the home audio assistant, detects the sounds, Chester realizes that it has not all been in his head. As Chester finally finds the source of the sounds, he's in for the biggest surprise of all.
Film Category
Loop Track
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Seeking peace and quiet, highly anxious Ian sets off on a multi-day hike through the New Zealand bush. His solitude is interrupted by other exuberant hikers - Nicky, Monica, and Austin - as well as his overactive mind. As the walkers head deeper into the wilderness, Ian becomes convinced that someone, or something, is following them through the trees. This presence reveals itself when the hikers are at their most isolated, plunging the party into a bloody fight for survival.
Film Category
Lord of Misrule
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Rebecca Holland (Tuppence Middleton) has recently taken over as vicar of a rural English village. When her young daughter Grace (Evie Templeton) goes missing at the local festival, the villagers and local police join in a desperate search. However, the closer they edge towards finding Grace, the more secrets emerge from the village's dark past. Soon, Rebecca must decide just how much she is willing to sacrifice to rescue her daughter from the grip of evil.
Film Category
LUNA
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Ismael sweeps the floor of an amusement park. On the floor, a crumpled sheet of paper with a photo of a missing girl stands out above the rest of the trash. A woman nervously asks if she has seen her daughter and Ismael tells her that she hasn't.
Ismael drives down a dark road. In the back of the van, separated by a fence, a girl can be seen. She is Luna, the missing daughter. Ismael has kidnapped her, but Luna tells him that her mother doesn't let him go out at night. Suddenly Luna seems to transform into a creature with superhuman strength. Frightened Ismael crashes into a tree. Ismael is defenseless against Luna. Nothing has turned out as Ismael expected.
Ismael drives down a dark road. In the back of the van, separated by a fence, a girl can be seen. She is Luna, the missing daughter. Ismael has kidnapped her, but Luna tells him that her mother doesn't let him go out at night. Suddenly Luna seems to transform into a creature with superhuman strength. Frightened Ismael crashes into a tree. Ismael is defenseless against Luna. Nothing has turned out as Ismael expected.
Film Category
Meadowville
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A photographer finds himself in the "Bermuda triangle of the Rockies."
Film Category
Midnight Snack
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Muffy takes a last minute babysitting job that seems like any other -- until she realizes she's trapped in the house with something unspeakably evil.
Film Category
Mimi The Prince of Darkness
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Mimì is an orphaned teenager born with deformed feet who works at a pizzeria in Naples. One fateful day, he meets Carmilla, a young girl convinced she is a descendant of Count Dracula. Together, they decide to escape the cynical and violent world they live in.
Film Category
Lanbroa (Mist)
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Father and daughter live in an isolated, inhospitable forest, terrified by a mist that emerges from between the trees and that has a devastating effect on the minds and bodies of all living things. While they try and protect themselves, the mist grows closer and closer.
Film Category
Mr. Crocket
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A hyperactive young boy pushes his mom over the edge by continuously playing an old VHS tape of children's television host Mr. Crocket.
Film Category
Mud on My Shoes
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Narrated by horror legend Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), Mud on My Shoes is a stop-motion adaptation of a childhood nightmare based off the poem of the same name from author Count D.'s book, "All My Friends Are Creeps". The short combines the world of practical miniature sets with poetry to submerge viewers in a visceral retelling of a boy navigating his fears in a surreal dreamscape.
Film Category
MY MOTHER'S EYES
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Both Hitomi and her daughter Eri are cellists. One day, they are involved in a traffic accident and Hitomi loses her sight. She wears camera-equipped contact lenses and Eri, injured and hospitalized, wears VR goggles, and the two share one vision.
Film Category
My Zone (Mi Zona)
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Paula is coming back home from a party when suddenly her car breaks down. It's midday and she is in the middle of the desert waiting for someone to help her.
Film Category
Mysteries of the Desert
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
"On August 6th 2020, Lula Samm stopped by the side of the road to aid a stranded motorist. She was never seen again." -Palm Desert Tribune, 2023
Film Category
Nash
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Isolated on a remote goat farm, nine-year-old Nash is determined to find the monster that killed his mother, but his father, George, is equally determined to stop him. Nash only has until nightfall to outmaneuver his dad before the danger returns to terrorize them all.
Film Category
The New Girl
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
On her first day at a new school, Angel gets more than she bargained for when she attracts the attention of "˜it' girl Grace and her group of friends, who invite her to join their mysterious after-school club.
Film Category
Night-Gaunts
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A traveler is snatched away on a monstrous voyage in this handmade puppet horror film based on the poem by H.P. Lovecraft.
Film Category
Night of the Bride
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A young woman's cry for help falls on deaf ears as a family holds her hostage. Keen on getting their only son married, who has "˜chosen' her as the one, the family is willing to go to any lengths to fulfill his wish and unite them forever. As the gagged and bound bride is dragged in for the ceremony, the events take an even more sinister and shocking turn, that ends up changing the course of this unholy ritual.
Film Category
No.8 Reporting
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Citizens from the well-fed, fenced off city can only venture beyond the "safety" wall on the government's official train system. It distributes humanitarian aid and offers high ticket tourists a rare chance to see what life is like in the impoverished villages beyond the wall.
A team of investigative reporters set out to expose the corruption behind the program, but instead discover a horrifying secret no one thought possible.
Adapted from the 2007 short story "Mozharovo" by Dmitry Bykov.
A team of investigative reporters set out to expose the corruption behind the program, but instead discover a horrifying secret no one thought possible.
Adapted from the 2007 short story "Mozharovo" by Dmitry Bykov.
Film Category
Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Amateur occultist Marcus J. Trillbury, aka Onyx the Fortuitous, is struggling at home and work, but his dreams seem to be answered when he lands a coveted invitation to the mansion of his idol Bartok the Great for a ritual to raise the spirit of an ancient demon. As Onyx and a fellow group of devotees join Bartok to prepare for the ceremony, the getaway of his dreams soon takes a nightmarish turn and Onyx must decide what he's willing to truly sacrifice in order to meet his destiny.
The film is based on director Andrew Bowser's viral character of the same name, Onyx, who has racked up over 300 million plus views online and has over 1 million TikTok followers.
Director Biography - Andrew Bowser
The film is based on director Andrew Bowser's viral character of the same name, Onyx, who has racked up over 300 million plus views online and has over 1 million TikTok followers.
Director Biography - Andrew Bowser
Film Category
Overnights
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
An overworked veterinary technician picks up a late night shift to make ends meet. She's soon tormented by the very thing she's dedicated her life to.
Film Category
Paloquemao: the vampire market
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Pedro is one of the vampires of underdevelopment who works amidst aisles full of garlic, fruits, herbs and crucifixes in the Paloquemao Market. However, on May 28, 2016, when the largest blood trafficking network in Bogota is dismantled, his dealer Harbey escapes and takes refuge in the market, threatening his relationship with Angie, the girl he is in love with.
Film Category
Pandemonium
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Following a car accident Nathan realizes he is dead. He will discover Hell and encounter the sufferings of the tormented souls that he will meet there. Will he be able to escape?
Film Category
The Piper
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A young composer is given the opportunity of a lifetime when she is tasked with finishing her late mentor's concerto. But she soon discovers that playing the music summons deadly consequences, leading her to uncover the disturbing origins of the melody and the evil force it has awakened... The Pied Piper.
Film Category
The Puppetman
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
The Puppetman, a convicted killer on death row always maintained his innocence and that it was an evil force controlling his body as he slaughtered his victims. Now Michal, the killer's daughter, begins to suspect that there may be some truth to her fathers claim when those around her begin to die in brutal ways. She must try and break the curse of The Puppetman before all her loved ones are killed.
Film Category
The Reclaimers
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After her grandparents are killed by invisible creatures, a determined young woman seeks to avenge them with the help of her canine companion - the only one who can see the mysterious invaders.
Film Category
Red Velvet
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Upon learning the end of the world is taking place, a lonely man locks himself in a motel room when a female escort arrives at his door...
Film Category
REZAR
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A group of four friends embark on a weekend getaway to a remote cabin. As they settle in, they soon realize that their trip is anything but ordinary.
The friends stumble upon a hidden cellar door that unleashes a sinister force upon them.
They face an onslaught of terrifying challenges that turns their trip into nightmarish battle for survival; testing the bond of friendship and the strength of faith.
As non-believers find solace in prayer during their darkest hour, they must confront the haunting question of whether faith can protect them against the forces of evil.
“REZAR” is a blend of horror, suspense, and supernatural mystery, where the struggle for survival becomes a test of faith and the will to overcome unimaginable terrors.
The friends stumble upon a hidden cellar door that unleashes a sinister force upon them.
They face an onslaught of terrifying challenges that turns their trip into nightmarish battle for survival; testing the bond of friendship and the strength of faith.
As non-believers find solace in prayer during their darkest hour, they must confront the haunting question of whether faith can protect them against the forces of evil.
“REZAR” is a blend of horror, suspense, and supernatural mystery, where the struggle for survival becomes a test of faith and the will to overcome unimaginable terrors.
Film Category
Robbie Ain't Right No More
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Sarah (Madeleine McGraw - THE BLACK PHONE, OUTCAST) was close with her older brother Robbie (Jadon Cal - LAST OF THE GRADS) before he went off to war. But now he's cold and distant. He doesn't seem quite right anymore. When Sarah refuses to let him slip away, she finds out he brought something horrific home with him.
Film Category
Sam & Kiki
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
This dramedy follows Samantha Hardy and Kiki Williams, inseparable childhood friends, on a weekend getaway after a grueling semester of Med school. Kiki convinces Sam that the mountains would be better for rest and relaxation instead of partying in Vegas. Both tired, with a long drive ahead of them, they stumble upon a Hostel in the middle of nowhere and meets the owner, Boris, who unknown to them is called "Boris The Carver."
Film Category
Sankta Lucia
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Taking place after a small town's 'Sankta Lucia' celebration, a young woman is forced to fight for her life when her peers try to take advantage of her. Mirroring the martyr saint Lucia, she has no other choice but to become death to survive.
A tale of revenge, resembling Saint Lucia in modern times.
A tale of revenge, resembling Saint Lucia in modern times.
Film Category
Seraphim
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After her sister is chosen as a modern day prophet, we follow our protagonist, Jude, as the threads of her faith begin to fray. As her sister Gloria grows more deeply entrenched with the angel, Jude grapples with the ramifications of what it really means to be an agent of God. While her family prepares dozens of pipe bombs, and Jude works to save her sister from herself, she must ask: is she the one who needs saving?
Film Category
Social Media Presence
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A woman keeps her social media followers updated as she goes about her day, but someone is following her more closely than she realizes.
Film Category
Somewhere Quiet
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Months after escaping a brutal kidnapping, Meg travels with her husband, Scott, to his family's isolated compound in Cape Cod, hoping the early winter quiet will give her space to recover and for them to reconnect. Shortly after they arrive, however, the couple discovers they are not alone on the property. Scott's charming but overbearing cousin, Madelin, is staying next door. To Meg's surprise, the two are quite close and soon Madelin's presence is inescapable. With each passing day Meg and Scott's already fragile relationship begins to fracture, while Meg is haunted by vivid nightmares, visions of an old woman lurking in the woods, and a growing suspicion that Scott and Madelin are hiding something from her. As the tension in the house grows, Meg begins to act out in increasingly reckless ways, setting into motion a series of disturbing events that shatters the thin barrier of civility between her and the cousins. Subtle manipulation gives way to violent confrontation as Scott and Madelin reveal their troubling history and Meg learns the truth about her abduction.
Film Category
The Spirit Became Flesh
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
An unbeliever returns to his old religious community, only to find that they have fallen prey to a sinister monster that they believe is the Holy Spirit of God.
Film Category
Terror
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When the facts surrounding a mountain climbing incident are called into question, sole survivor Ruben is forced to recall the events that unfolded. But there is more than just his memory of the climb; something he has hidden from the world. With rising dread, Ruben must confront the truth about what happened, and in doing so will bear witness to an unfathomable terror.
Film Category
Teques Chainsaw Massacre
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Virginia and her classmates from film school go to Teques to shoot a project, in there, a masked assassin awaits. They discover the filmic origin of the brutal murderer while he hunts them one by one. Virginia will fight for survival and try to tell what happened.
Film Category
TLG
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Billy and Tony meet up for a clandestine and passionate sexual encounter. But once the deed is done and the alcohol has already served its purpose, their real intentions slowly start to unravel, revealing a reality much more twisted, sinister, and heartbreaking than we ever imagined.
Film Category
They Hunt Without Eyes
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Alone in the bush, a young man is hunted by something familiar... something without eyes.
Film Category
Thin Skinned
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Two hidden camera pranksters infiltrate a funeral home, unaware that the mortician they've targeted has a dark secret of his own.
Film Category
Toggle
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
When a late night security guard does her rounds at a thrift store, she finds a peculiar device among the new donations: a simple metal box with a toggle switch. But instantly she learns the device's purpose is far from simple: it toggles her into an alternate dimension... where something monstrous lurks in the dark.
Film Category
Trapped
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Days turn into a desperate struggle for survival for a scientist trapped inside a laboratory during a zombie outbreak. With limited resources and no escape in sight, he faces his biggest challenge yet when he discovers a rogue lab rat raiding his dwindling food supplies.
Film Category
Universe 25
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A mysterious entity holds human lab rats captive. With no hope of escape, they must confront the absurdity of their new existence.
Film Category
Voyager
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Camila (24) works as a party truck driver. Locked in a draining routine, she has developed a strange obsession with the clientele of the business, looking at them as a reflection of her inability to integrate into society.
One night, cleaning one of the trucks, she discovers a bottle containing some mysterious pills, which after taking them, allow her abandon her body, and explore the world outside the boundaries of her physical self, in a sort of astral journey. With the help of this newly acquired power, Camila will begin to explore the world beyond the cab of her truck.
One night, cleaning one of the trucks, she discovers a bottle containing some mysterious pills, which after taking them, allow her abandon her body, and explore the world outside the boundaries of her physical self, in a sort of astral journey. With the help of this newly acquired power, Camila will begin to explore the world beyond the cab of her truck.
Film Category
Waipo
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Out of touch with her Chinese roots, American-born Chinese girl visits her religious mother-in-law living alone in the countryside, but a series of unexpected events cause Kelly to suspect ill-intentions from her fiance's family.
Film Category
The Wait
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Eladio (Victor Clavijo), a hunting estate keeper, takes a bribe from a veteran hunter. Weeks later, his whole life falls apart. Death, guilt and revenge will take over. What looked like the opportunity of a lifetime turns into a macabre descent to hell, where Eladio will test his boundaries.
Film Category
Wake
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
After his mother's wake, Cooper runs away to live alone in the forest, but discovers that every night members of his community inexplicably sleepwalk to him. As more people arrive each night, he's forced to confront his grief and fear of connection.
Film Category
We Forgot About The Zombies
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Two dudes think they found the cure for zombie bites.
Film Category
What You Wish For
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A chef with gambling problems flees to the Latin American villa of an old friend who appears to be living an extraordinary life. Envy soon turns to greed and then to something more unsettling for the chef when he assumes his friend's life and discovers
the truth.
the truth.
Film Category
Lo Que Dejas Atrás (What's Left Behind)
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Pablo and Marta moved to Spain in search of a better future, but they are tormented by the absence of their daughter.
Film Category
When One Door Closes
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
A disposal employee is working at a long dormant Manor House when he uncovers the possibility of a hidden fortune that would solve all his financial problems. But his greed clouds his judgment as he uncovers the sinister buried history of the people this fortune was built on. If he doesn't learn from it, he's doomed to repeat it.
Film Category
The Wooden Ghost
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
An adaptation of one of the most famous horror poems of all time. How, in a fever dream, a carver finishes the portrait of a young woman. Then suddenly something flies into the workshop and strange things start happening. Stop-motion animation is combined with live action to create a terrifying experience from flesh, blood, wood and feathers.
Film Category
You'll Never Find Me
Meet the Filmmaker
Synopsis
Patrick, a strange and lonely resident, lives in a mobile home at the back of an isolated caravan park. After a violent thunderstorm erupts, a mysterious young woman appears at his door, seeking shelter from the weather. The longer the night wears on and the more the young woman discovers about Patrick, the more difficult she finds it to leave. Soon she begins to question Patrick's intentions, while Patrick begins to question his own grip on reality.
Screamfest Horror Film Festival Announces 2026 Awards Winners:
Nick Kozakis’s ‘KICK ON’ Wins Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Make-Up at the 26th Annual Festival in Hollywood
Huge congratulations to all of our Screamfest 2026 Screenplay Finalists! Meet the talented writers below, and the winning screenplay.
We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the theatrical release of APPOFENIACS, hitting theatres nationwide tomorrow, October 2nd! Following its standout West Coast Premiere at Screamfest 2025, writer-director-producer Chris Marrs Piliero’s darkly comic techno-thriller is officially making its big-screen debut. Get tickets at AMC
Prepare for a night of horror and celebration! The 26th Annual Screamfest kicks off with the highly anticipated film, NIGHT DRIVER, screening on Opening Night at 7:30pm.
Discover the official 2026 Screamfest Horror Film Festival lineup, schedule, and event details. Read the full press release to get the latest updates on terrifying indie films, special screenings, and tickets.
