Film Festivals

Horror film festivals worldwide — lineups, awards and the titles that break out of the festival circuit.

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Spoiler-Free Reviews: Dark Nights Film Fest Australian Shorts

Sydney, Australia’s Dark Nights Film Fest presents fear fare from around the globe on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Among its many selections are some terrific homegrown shorts. Here are capsule reviews of some of the Australian short films screening at the festival, all of which come recommended. For more information, visit https://www.darknightsfilmfest.com/. They Kill By Night One of the many things seasoned fright-fare fanatics have learned is to be leery of fellow motel guest. Cowriters/codirectors Grace Uther and Sam Uther deliver an excellent example of this in the shocker They Kill By Night. Jodie (Arnijka Larcombe-Weate) and Aiden (Christopher James Baker) check into a motel room, but will they check out safely? Jodie meets next-room neighbor Jack (Mitchell Bourke) in the parking lot, and They Kill By Night is off to the races with plenty of surprises, action, and the red stuff. This is a fantastic short with super performances, direction, and production values that deserves to get the feature-length

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Joseph Perry

Oct 8, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers

‘Wounds,’ Starring Paris Jackson, Drops Trailer ahead of Screamfest Premiere

Director Ron Krauss has officially announced that his latest feature, Wounds, will premiere at Screamfest LA on October 8th. The psychological horror-thriller stars Jack Kilmer (The Nice Guys, Palo Alto) and Paris Jackson (American Horror Stories). They are joined by Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Lambert Houston (Resurrection Factor), and Renata Notni (Zorro). Richie Radichi (My Best Friend’s Dead) and Rufus Dorsey (Ali) round out the cast. An Obsessive Homage to Indie Horror Shot entirely on 35mm film, Wounds serves as an atmospheric love letter to classic indie horror. The story dives deep into obsession, morality, and the dangerous dark side of artistic ambition. It explores how far creative passion can twist when desire outpaces restraint. A Descent Into Gruesome Realism The plot follows Caleb Castle (Kilmer), a horror-obsessed special effects makeup artist struggling to build a name for himself. However, he works at a failing studio on the brink of closure. Assigned to a low-budget vampire film, Caleb hits

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Oct 6, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesReviews

Spoiler-Free Review: Erie (Beyond Fest 2026)

Official synopsis Fall, 1999. In the town of Erie, Pennsylvania, a string of bizarre suicides has quietly unsettled the community. Stella and her brother, Oscar, return to their childhood home armed with nothing but an old camcorder, a few leads, and a desperate need to understand what’s happened to their town . . . and to their sister. What begins as a personal investigation quickly spirals into something dark and unhinged, as they dig deeper into a pattern no one else seems willing to acknowledge. As the investigation twists through conspiracy theories, personal secrets, and local lore, what began as a search for answers becomes a descent into paranoia, grief, and something possibly far more sinister. Review Director Alison-Eve Hammersley’s 1999-set Erie plays with found footage film expectations and boasts some unusual choices. Though a few elements are likely to have some viewers scratching their heads, overall it is an interesting fear-fare feature. Stella (Carly Stewart) and her brother Oscar

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Joseph Perry

Oct 6, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesNews

The Ethereal Horror Fest Returns to Austin This October

The Ethereal Horror Fest returns to Austin’s Violet Crown Cinema for its seventh annual installment, running October 16–18. The three-day celebration of independent genre cinema will kick off on opening night with an exciting new addition: the festival’s first-ever live pitch competition. Starting at 7 p.m., six selected filmmakers will present their original horror concepts before a live panel of judges and industry insiders. They will be competing for the coveted top pitch award. Must-See Feature Screenings This year’s feature lineup boasts a diverse selection of terrifying narratives. Highlights include Troy Escamilla’s queer horror feature Hollow Lake, which follows a newlywed couple whose serene lakeside getaway turns into a bloody nightmare. The lineup also includes The Ritual of Huasao. It marks the feature debut of Isaac Berrocal, which follows a woman haunted by the fallout of a Peruvian spiritual cleansing. Also headlining the festival is Mitch McLeod’s psychological thriller Marrow, starring Jessica Dawn Willis, Danielle Harris, and Michael Ironside, which

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Oct 6, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers

Horror Without Barriers: Inside the Inclusive 2026 Access: Horror Film Festival

Access: Horror, the premier festival celebrating disability in genre cinema, launched its 2026 season with a successful in-person showcase at Alamo Drafthouse Winchester on September 25. Following the in-person kickoff, the festival is bringing its entire lineup to a global audience through a month-long virtual program. One that runs from October 4 through November 1, 2026. Founded by filmmaker and activist Ariel Baska, Access: Horror elevates disability advocacy by challenging traditional genre tropes. Named one of the nation’s most accessible film festivals by Forbes, the organization creates space for marginalized artists to tell honest, cathartic, and terrifying stories. Festival leadership emphasizes that accessibility is not a late addition to the event. It’s the foundation the festival is actually built on. Every film in the virtual program features open captions, and nearly half the streaming library includes full audio descriptions. So, there’s something for everyone. A Powerful Virtual Lineup Grounded in Real-World Terror The 2026 streaming program features 19 international titles. It

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Oct 2, 2026

EventsFilm FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesNewsThriller

Tubi FrightFest Announces Fear-Filled Lineup for Halloween 2026

London’s TubiFrightFest Halloween has just revealed its 2026 lineup, and whether you prefer slashers, spiders, stalkers, or the supernatural, the festival has something for horror cinephiles of all stripes. Following is the official press announcement. Hot on the hellish heels of its spectacular 27th year August five-day event, the UK’s most vibrant genre film festival returns to the ODEON Luxe West End in Leicester Square to present its annual 2-day Halloween event. Taking over both screens on Friday 30th October and Saturday 31st October, the spine-chilling line-up heralds nine premieres from five countries, spanning Europe, North and South America and Australia/Oceania. Each film will be screened twice. So, hold on tight as Tubi Frightfest takes you on a spooky, carnage-crammed journey featuring powerful mutants, seasonal spooks, psychotic neighbours, venomous spiders, vengeful werewolves, and shocking Christmas tales where it’s not just the turkey that is carved up. Opening the gates to ‘Helloween’ is the UK premiere of FREAKS PART II, which

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Joseph Perry

Oct 1, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Sets World Premiere for Australian Slasher ‘The Only One’

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival will host the World Premiere of The Only One this October. It will spotlight the deadly, stylized homage to the early-2000s slasher craze. Directed by Michael Schwarz, the Australian indie feature brings a distinct Down Under perspective to classic genre tropes. Written by Martyn Pedler and Marek Polgar, the film aims to fuse claustrophobic suspense with sharp, irreverent humor while capturing self-aware terror. A High-Stakes Homecoming Turn Deadly The premiere introduces audiences to Zoe, played by rising star Mel Jarnson (Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter). Ten years after moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, Zoe returns home empty-handed. However, things quickly go from bad to worse as her exes begin to drop dead one by one. As suspicion mounts, Zoe must team up with a group of old friends to clear her name. But that’s easier said than done. A Stellar Cast Headlining an Indie Cult Contender Featuring an ensemble cast that includes

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Sep 29, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers

Award-Winning Indie Slasher ‘The Barn Part III’ Heads to Physical Media

Following a triumphant run across the international festival circuit, The Barn Part III is officially coming to physical media. Independent horror distributor Scream Team Releasing has now launched physical pre-orders on Blu-ray and classic VHS. The final chapter in the indie slasher trilogy wrapped up its theatrical run after high-profile stops at Fright Fest, Popcorn Frights, Panic Fest, Salem Horror Fest, Sitges, and Smodcastle Horror Fest. Along the way, the production also picked up a mountain of awards. It took home Best Feature Film honors at GenreBlast and Requiem Fear Fest. Justin M. Seaman won Best Feature Film. Also, Zane Hershberger won Best Cinematography at NJ Horror Con and Best Underground Horror Feature at Dead Walk Fest. Directed and created by Justin M. Seaman, The Barn Part III was brought to life through his banner, Nevermore Production Films, alongside P.J. Starks (New Fears Eve) and Blood Moon Pictures. The indie horror feature was also produced in partnership with Scream Team

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Sep 29, 2026

Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers

‘Where the Hell is Anna?’ Scores an Encore Screening Following its Win for Best Feature Film

Stormlight Pictures and Aradia Pictures’ Where the Hell is Anna? Shot entirely on location in Tennessee, the regional indie sensation premiered at the Nashville Film Festival. After taking home the festival’s prestigious Best Tennessee Feature Film trophy, organizers added an encore screening on September 28. Flower Crowns, Blood Sacrifices, and Sinister Sisterhood The story follows Derick. She’s a messy, heartbroken young woman who refuses to accept her best friend Anna’s sudden disappearance. Driven by desperation, Derick tracks Anna to a secretive, women-only woodland retreat and crashes the secluded commune. Once inside, she discovers a bizarre, sun-drenched environment. The residents are preparing Anna for a sacred ritual known as “Induction Day.” However, beneath the commune’s bright floral aesthetics and superficial sisterhood mantras lies a terrifying nightmare. One that involves sinister fertility experiments and gruesome blood sacrifices. It also promises ascension to a high-dimensional paradise called Summerland. ‘Midsommar’ Meets ‘Booksmart’ in a Darkly Comic Survival Tale Fusing visceral folk horror with sharp,

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Kelli Marchman McNeely

Sep 28, 2026

DocumentariesEventsFilm FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesNewsShort FilmsThriller

Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival Delivers the Fear with Its 2026 Lineup

Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival enters its second decade with a mouth-watering selection of fabulous fear fare from October 15–18, 2026. From occult terror to home invasion horror to intriguing documentaries and beyond, the fest has something for horror fans of all stripes. Following is the official press release. Nightmares Film Festival (Oct. 15 to 18) today revealed its 2026 program, opening its second decade with a celebration of the boldest, freshest and most surprising work keeping genre dangerous. “It’s our eleventh year, but we’re thinking of this as year one of a new decade of Nightmares,” said co-founders Jason Tostevin. “We’re celebrating the innovation, imagination and camaraderie that fuel the best of genre film.” Dubbed the “Cannes of horror” (iHorror), Nightmares is part summer camp for horror lovers, part annual reunion for some of the world’s top genre creators. Taking over the world-renowned Gateway Film Center, the festival will bring fans, filmmakers, screenwriters, press and industry reps together for

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Joseph Perry

Sep 28, 2026

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