If you’ve spent the last year perfecting your lightsaber choreography, animating an epic space battle, or filming a horror short that’ll make people rethink their life choices, listen up! GeekFest Film Fests is officially back for Year 13!
GeekFest isn’t just your average “sit in a dark room and clap” film festival. It’s the world’s first and largest traveling film fest, meaning your work doesn’t just stay in one city—it hits the road and tours some of the biggest comic conventions in North America.
What’s the Big Deal?
Imagine screening your indie masterpiece to a built-in audience of thousands of die-hard sci-fi, horror, and fantasy fans. We’re talking about people who live and breathe geek culture. In its first 12 years, GeekFest has appeared at nearly 60 conventions, reaching over 7 million attendees. That is a lot of eyeballs on your work.
When you get selected, you get more than just a screening:
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The VIP Treatment: Participate in panels and promotions at major cons.
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Social Media Clout: Get featured on GeekFest’s social channels, which reach millions of views annually.
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The Hardware: Compete for awards at every single tour stop.
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The Booth Life: Opportunities for booth space to promote your project directly to fans.
The 2026 Tour Stops
They’re still adding more dates to the Summer/Fall season, but the heavy hitters are already locked in:
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Long Beach Comic Con: (September 5–6, 2026)
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Rose City Comic Con: (Portland, OR — September 11–13, 2026)
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Los Angeles Comic Con: (The big one in the heart of the industry!)
How to Enter (Don’t Miss the Deadlines!)
GeekFest accepts submissions across live action, animation, web series, and music videos. If a Comic-Con crowd loves it, they want it. Submissions are now open on FilmFreeway, but don’t wait until the “Super Duper Late” deadline unless you like living on the edge.
The Categories:
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Shorts: Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy, Action, and Thriller.
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Fan Films: Whether it’s Star Wars, Marvel, or a deep-cut cult classic.
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Web Series Pilots: High-concept stories ready for the small screen.
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Music Videos & Trailers: High-concept parodies or original trailers under 5 minutes.
A Fest with Serious Street Cred
If you’re wondering how a small film festival grew into a traveling juggernaut that has clocked over 150,000 miles and hit nearly 100 events, here is the quick-and-dirty history of GeekFest.
2013: The Big Bang
GeekFest was born from a simple but brilliant idea: Why go to a cinema when the audience is already at Comic-Con? Founded by Bill Ostroff, a veteran producer with over 25 years of experience in the indie film scene, the festival was designed to bridge the gap between “starving indie filmmakers” and the millions of fans attending pop culture conventions.
The “Traveling” Revolution
Unlike traditional festivals that stay in one city, GeekFest became the world’s first traveling film fest.
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The Goal: Create a “turnkey” festival that comic conventions could host as a ready-made attraction.
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The Result: It enabled filmmakers to tour their work across North America, from New York Comic Con to Fan Expo Canada and even to HawaiiCon.
Surviving the Snap (The Pandemic Years)
While most festivals folded during 2020, GeekFest pivoted. They launched GeekFestUniverse, an online extension that kept the indie spirit alive with virtual screenings and live-streamed Q&As. This move helped them reach a global audience that couldn’t travel, sustaining momentum until in-person conventions returned in 2024.
Milestones by the Numbers:
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Conventions Visited: Over 85 across North America.
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Attendance: A combined total of over 7.5 million con-goers have interacted with the brand.
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YouTube Success: Their channel has racked up over 15 million views, acting as a massive promotional engine for their selected filmmakers.
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Longevity: Now entering Year 13, it is the longest-running producer of geek genre film festival events in the convention circuit.
Today: A Cultural Institution
By 2026, GeekFest isn’t just a screening room; it’s a full-on convention experience. It’s the only festival where a filmmaker can screen their movie in the morning, speak on a panel in the afternoon, and walk the exhibit floor to promote their brand to thousands of fans in the evening.
Don’t Miss It!
There is absolutely nothing else like GeekFest. Geek filmmakers build it to serve fans, and it’s the ultimate shortcut to getting your work in front of the people who will actually appreciate it.
Ready to launch your film career into hyperspace? Here’s the direct link to the FilmFreeway submission page. Learn more by visiting the official website. Break a leg!
