CategoryFilm Festivals
Horror film festivals worldwide — lineups, awards and the titles that break out of the festival circuit.
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Dead Drop Official synopsis A group of strangers board a freight elevator and find themselves trapped in an ever-worsening life-and-death predicament that ultimately reveals they are all linked together in a sinister, supernatural, or even biblical nightmare. Review Viewers will have a blast being as much in the dark about the mysterious proceedings in Dead Drop as the characters are, although the latter are in for some gruesome fates while we watch writer/director Ned Crowley’s super feature unfold. Boasting a wonderfully talented ensemble cast portraying nameless characters — the credits list the characters by their personalities or types — a riveting mystery thriller infused with dark humor, and solid work at the helm, this tale of eight strangers trapped in a service elevator after tiring of waiting for the regular elevators to arrive serves up plenty of intrigue and sudden kills. Although the characters meant to be annoying, suspicious, or both outnumber the ones to root for, they all add
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Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers
Production company Black Mandala is unleashing a thrilling new vampire feature titled Landlord. Director Remington Smith helms the dark production, twisting traditional monster rules with a clever new take. Classically, a vampire requires an explicit invitation to cross a home’s threshold. However, this ancient rule vanishes completely when the creature legally owns the property. International Praise for a Neo-Western Nightmare The unique film blends neo-Western grit, American independent filmmaking, and terrifying supernatural horror. As a result, the feature earned significant critical praise at its world premiere at Grimmfest. The project was also selected for the prestigious Frontières Buyers Showcase at Cannes’ Marché du Film. Industry executives quickly praised the movie’s bold themes and relentless tension. A Routine Job Turns Deadly The horrifying narrative unfolds during a sweltering summer heatwave in Louisville, Kentucky. A nameless bounty hunter arrives at a rundown apartment complex searching for a stolen briefcase. What seems like a routine recovery job quickly turns into an absolute nightmare.
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Film FestivalsMovies
Official synopsis In the highlands of Scandinavia, where folklore and reality converge, Hannah travels to surprise her boyfriend and meet his family. However, her unexpected arrival unlocks family secrets and unleashes mystic danger. Review Often, going in cold to a film can be a blast. Such is the case with director Gabrielle Christensen’s Mountain King (U.S., 2026). From what little I had learned about it before watching, I was expecting a straight folk horror outing, and from the cold open, that seemed to be correct. Something in a wintertime Scandinavian forest is stalking three friends. But soon after that sequence, I could see that I was in for a horror comedy. In this case, it was quite a pleasant surprise. Hannah (Hannah Deale) travels from her home in the States to visit, unannounced, her boyfriend Gregor (Carter Sirianni) at his family home in Sweden. Gregor had recently proposed to her but she declined, and now she is having second thoughts.
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Film FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesReviews
Official synopsis In a world devastated by a zombie virus, Carter lives a solitary existence, spending his nights hunting down the living dead for sport with the help of a tremendous power. However, he finds new purpose after saving the lives of two siblings, Megan and Billy, who are seeking a rumoured safe zone. Reluctantly agreeing to protect them on their journey, the trio must outrun the next evolution of their undead enemy, and even their fellow survivors, who all pose unimaginable danger. Review Dead Howling (Australia, 2026) serves up a werewolf vs. zombies scenario — what’s not to like? Because I’m a hard sell on zombie movies, as fear-fare cinema has been flooded with them for decades now, I’m happy to see a good deal of the walking dead knocked off by one of my all-time favorite monsters in director John V. Soto’s feature. Muscular, hard-drinking biochemist Carter (Joel Jackson) can turn himself into a werewolf anytime he pleases
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Official synopsis A remorseful ex-con tries to make a fresh start in an isolated cabin but his past isn’t finished with him. Review Writer/director J.P. Davidson’s The Cull (U.K., 2026) blends British folk horror with gritty rural drama, and boasts a strong sense of dread throughout. Niall (Craig Russell) is released from prison after 16 years for a crime he did not commit: the murder of his mother. A recovering substance abuser who has become a man of faith, he returns to the remote rural cabin that his mother owned. The locals are unhappy about this, particularly drug abusing, gun toting siblings Jim (Rory Wilton), Joseph (Richard Hainsworth), and Maia (Sally Geake), who claim squatter’s rights to the cabin and the surrounding property. Drug dealer Donny (Ollie Mcfarlane) is somewhat more tolerant of Niall, and has a big surprise announcement in store for him. Niall’s plans to start afresh and hopefully solve the mystery of his mother’s death go south
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Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Official synopsis Eighteen-year-old Trina plans to escape her toxic mother, but the arrival of mysterious relatives from Kashubia disrupts her plans. The unexpected guests bring long-buried family secrets to light and force Trina to confront her dark legacy, introducing her to unsettling rituals rooted in old Kashubian folklore. Review Director Marta Giec crafts not just one of the best folk horror films of the year, but one of the best fright-fare offerings overall with Òpi (Poland, 2026). This supernatural shocker blends a coming-of-age story with strong family drama and occult wildness galore. Krystyna (Wiktoria Kruszczynska in an amazing performance) is living a put-upon life courtesy of her domineering Catholic mother Urszula (Gabriela Muskala), who treats the young woman poorly, including forcing her to destroy her art, which is very much on the darker side of things. Just as Krstyna — who also goes by Trina, which her mother despises — is set to run away from her home in Poland
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Film FestivalsMoviesNewsShort FilmsStreaming TVYouTube
Latino filmmaker Andrew Jara is celebrating massive online success with his latest short horror film titled The Shadow. The chilling short garnered over seventy-two thousand views within just one week of being uploaded to his official YouTube channel. Genre fans are eagerly sharing the digital release and praising its atmospheric supernatural tension. The project marks another impressive milestone for the independent director following his acclaimed cosmic horror feature The Empty Space. A Creeping Supernatural Threat The suspenseful narrative focuses on a security guard working inside a haunted house attraction who discovers a mysterious entity. Actress Valerie Alene stars as the guard, whose routine shift turns terrifying as the dark manifestation appears. Although she tries to ignore the malevolent presence, the shape gradually expands and dominates her surroundings. Ultimately, she must confront the growing darkness directly before it completely consumes her world. Reconnecting Creative Partners The short film officially reunites director Andrew Jara with lead actress Valerie Alene following their prior
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers
A thrilling new indie slasher film, The Only One, is officially preparing for a major festival debut. The Australian horror movie is a loving homage to early-2000s slashers. The film will have its official international premiere as the closing-night selection at the SOHO Horror Film Festival. Festival attendees can look forward to a deadly, sexy romp down under to close out the event. An Awkward Homecoming Turns Deadly The story follows Zoe, a struggling actress who returns home to small-town Australia. Ten years after moving to Los Angeles and failing to launch her Hollywood career, she attends a high school wedding. When she arrives, she awkwardly confronts a flurry of her former romantic flames. However, the tense reunion quickly turns into a bloody nightmare when someone begins murdering her exes one by one. Because all the victims share a connection to Zoe, local suspicion falls directly on the returning protagonist. Therefore, Zoe must team up with a ragtag group of
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsSci-FiThriller
Serena (U.S., 2026) Official synopsis An unemployed father-to-be is offered a job beta testing a revolutionary new AI chatbot, but as the trial progresses, he realizes that the technology may not be as benevolent as it appears. Review Director Rob Alicea and screenplay writers P.T. Hylton and Jonathan Benecke deliver a riveting, screenlife-driven psychological science fiction tech-noir thriller with Serena. Andi Matichak (Blumhouse’s Halloween trilogy) does an excellent job of portraying the titular chatbot, which father-to-be Chris Sadowski (Steven Strait, The Expanse) — a musician who has gone from being in a popular band to having to record birthday greetings for paying customers — reluctantly agrees to help test to help offset some of the large amount of debt that he has accrued with pregnant girlfriend Vicki Martinez (Maria Gabriela Gonzalez). Serena takes over Chris’s computer, and eventually much of his life as she/it grows increasingly dangerous, all behind a smiling facade of concern. Matichak invests the chatbot with a
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Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsShort Films
The Curse of Tahu’a (La Malédiction des Tahu’a; France, 2026) Official synopsis On a small Pacific island, as a storm approaches, an air traffic controller is contacted by a plane — that no radar can show. Review Director Benjamin Busnel crafts a lean, mean supernatural fear-fare feature with The Curse of Tahu’a. Busnel, who cowrote the screenplay with Myriam Dupuis, strips things down to largely one performer on screen most of the time, with much of the action taking place through radio and phone contact. The aural approach is reminiscent of horror radio plays, of which I am a huge fan, so this style really worked for me. Sometimes leaving things to our imagination can be just as strong, if not more so, then experiencing graphic violence onscreen. Moea (Marie Kauffmann) is a troubled air traffic controller who drinks on the job after losing her pilot husband in an accident. When a massive storm hits her area, a pilot in
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More from Film Festivals
Film FestivalsMoviesReviews
Dead Drop Official synopsis A group of strangers board a freight elevator and find themselves trapped in an ever-worsening life-and-death predicament that ultimately reveals they are all linked together in a sinister, supernatural, or even biblical nightmare. Review Viewers will have a blast being as much in the dark about the mysterious proceedings in Dead Drop as the characters are, although the latter are in for some gruesome fates while we watch writer/director Ned Crowley’s super feature unfold. Boasting a wonderfully talented ensemble cast portraying nameless characters — the credits list the characters by their personalities or types — a riveting mystery thriller infused with dark humor, and solid work at the helm, this tale of eight strangers trapped in a service elevator after tiring of waiting for the regular elevators to arrive serves up plenty of intrigue and sudden kills. Although the characters meant to be annoying, suspicious, or both outnumber the ones to root for, they all add
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers
Production company Black Mandala is unleashing a thrilling new vampire feature titled Landlord. Director Remington Smith helms the dark production, twisting traditional monster rules with a clever new take. Classically, a vampire requires an explicit invitation to cross a home’s threshold. However, this ancient rule vanishes completely when the creature legally owns the property. International Praise for a Neo-Western Nightmare The unique film blends neo-Western grit, American independent filmmaking, and terrifying supernatural horror. As a result, the feature earned significant critical praise at its world premiere at Grimmfest. The project was also selected for the prestigious Frontières Buyers Showcase at Cannes’ Marché du Film. Industry executives quickly praised the movie’s bold themes and relentless tension. A Routine Job Turns Deadly The horrifying narrative unfolds during a sweltering summer heatwave in Louisville, Kentucky. A nameless bounty hunter arrives at a rundown apartment complex searching for a stolen briefcase. What seems like a routine recovery job quickly turns into an absolute nightmare.
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMovies
Official synopsis In the highlands of Scandinavia, where folklore and reality converge, Hannah travels to surprise her boyfriend and meet his family. However, her unexpected arrival unlocks family secrets and unleashes mystic danger. Review Often, going in cold to a film can be a blast. Such is the case with director Gabrielle Christensen’s Mountain King (U.S., 2026). From what little I had learned about it before watching, I was expecting a straight folk horror outing, and from the cold open, that seemed to be correct. Something in a wintertime Scandinavian forest is stalking three friends. But soon after that sequence, I could see that I was in for a horror comedy. In this case, it was quite a pleasant surprise. Hannah (Hannah Deale) travels from her home in the States to visit, unannounced, her boyfriend Gregor (Carter Sirianni) at his family home in Sweden. Gregor had recently proposed to her but she declined, and now she is having second thoughts.
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesReviews
Official synopsis In a world devastated by a zombie virus, Carter lives a solitary existence, spending his nights hunting down the living dead for sport with the help of a tremendous power. However, he finds new purpose after saving the lives of two siblings, Megan and Billy, who are seeking a rumoured safe zone. Reluctantly agreeing to protect them on their journey, the trio must outrun the next evolution of their undead enemy, and even their fellow survivors, who all pose unimaginable danger. Review Dead Howling (Australia, 2026) serves up a werewolf vs. zombies scenario — what’s not to like? Because I’m a hard sell on zombie movies, as fear-fare cinema has been flooded with them for decades now, I’m happy to see a good deal of the walking dead knocked off by one of my all-time favorite monsters in director John V. Soto’s feature. Muscular, hard-drinking biochemist Carter (Joel Jackson) can turn himself into a werewolf anytime he pleases
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignIndieMoviesReviews
Official synopsis A remorseful ex-con tries to make a fresh start in an isolated cabin but his past isn’t finished with him. Review Writer/director J.P. Davidson’s The Cull (U.K., 2026) blends British folk horror with gritty rural drama, and boasts a strong sense of dread throughout. Niall (Craig Russell) is released from prison after 16 years for a crime he did not commit: the murder of his mother. A recovering substance abuser who has become a man of faith, he returns to the remote rural cabin that his mother owned. The locals are unhappy about this, particularly drug abusing, gun toting siblings Jim (Rory Wilton), Joseph (Richard Hainsworth), and Maia (Sally Geake), who claim squatter’s rights to the cabin and the surrounding property. Drug dealer Donny (Ollie Mcfarlane) is somewhat more tolerant of Niall, and has a big surprise announcement in store for him. Niall’s plans to start afresh and hopefully solve the mystery of his mother’s death go south
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Official synopsis Eighteen-year-old Trina plans to escape her toxic mother, but the arrival of mysterious relatives from Kashubia disrupts her plans. The unexpected guests bring long-buried family secrets to light and force Trina to confront her dark legacy, introducing her to unsettling rituals rooted in old Kashubian folklore. Review Director Marta Giec crafts not just one of the best folk horror films of the year, but one of the best fright-fare offerings overall with Òpi (Poland, 2026). This supernatural shocker blends a coming-of-age story with strong family drama and occult wildness galore. Krystyna (Wiktoria Kruszczynska in an amazing performance) is living a put-upon life courtesy of her domineering Catholic mother Urszula (Gabriela Muskala), who treats the young woman poorly, including forcing her to destroy her art, which is very much on the darker side of things. Just as Krstyna — who also goes by Trina, which her mother despises — is set to run away from her home in Poland
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesNewsShort FilmsStreaming TVYouTube
Latino filmmaker Andrew Jara is celebrating massive online success with his latest short horror film titled The Shadow. The chilling short garnered over seventy-two thousand views within just one week of being uploaded to his official YouTube channel. Genre fans are eagerly sharing the digital release and praising its atmospheric supernatural tension. The project marks another impressive milestone for the independent director following his acclaimed cosmic horror feature The Empty Space. A Creeping Supernatural Threat The suspenseful narrative focuses on a security guard working inside a haunted house attraction who discovers a mysterious entity. Actress Valerie Alene stars as the guard, whose routine shift turns terrifying as the dark manifestation appears. Although she tries to ignore the malevolent presence, the shape gradually expands and dominates her surroundings. Ultimately, she must confront the growing darkness directly before it completely consumes her world. Reconnecting Creative Partners The short film officially reunites director Andrew Jara with lead actress Valerie Alene following their prior
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesNewsTrailers
A thrilling new indie slasher film, The Only One, is officially preparing for a major festival debut. The Australian horror movie is a loving homage to early-2000s slashers. The film will have its official international premiere as the closing-night selection at the SOHO Horror Film Festival. Festival attendees can look forward to a deadly, sexy romp down under to close out the event. An Awkward Homecoming Turns Deadly The story follows Zoe, a struggling actress who returns home to small-town Australia. Ten years after moving to Los Angeles and failing to launch her Hollywood career, she attends a high school wedding. When she arrives, she awkwardly confronts a flurry of her former romantic flames. However, the tense reunion quickly turns into a bloody nightmare when someone begins murdering her exes one by one. Because all the victims share a connection to Zoe, local suspicion falls directly on the returning protagonist. Therefore, Zoe must team up with a ragtag group of
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsSci-FiThriller
Serena (U.S., 2026) Official synopsis An unemployed father-to-be is offered a job beta testing a revolutionary new AI chatbot, but as the trial progresses, he realizes that the technology may not be as benevolent as it appears. Review Director Rob Alicea and screenplay writers P.T. Hylton and Jonathan Benecke deliver a riveting, screenlife-driven psychological science fiction tech-noir thriller with Serena. Andi Matichak (Blumhouse’s Halloween trilogy) does an excellent job of portraying the titular chatbot, which father-to-be Chris Sadowski (Steven Strait, The Expanse) — a musician who has gone from being in a popular band to having to record birthday greetings for paying customers — reluctantly agrees to help test to help offset some of the large amount of debt that he has accrued with pregnant girlfriend Vicki Martinez (Maria Gabriela Gonzalez). Serena takes over Chris’s computer, and eventually much of his life as she/it grows increasingly dangerous, all behind a smiling facade of concern. Matichak invests the chatbot with a
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsShort Films
The Curse of Tahu’a (La Malédiction des Tahu’a; France, 2026) Official synopsis On a small Pacific island, as a storm approaches, an air traffic controller is contacted by a plane — that no radar can show. Review Director Benjamin Busnel crafts a lean, mean supernatural fear-fare feature with The Curse of Tahu’a. Busnel, who cowrote the screenplay with Myriam Dupuis, strips things down to largely one performer on screen most of the time, with much of the action taking place through radio and phone contact. The aural approach is reminiscent of horror radio plays, of which I am a huge fan, so this style really worked for me. Sometimes leaving things to our imagination can be just as strong, if not more so, then experiencing graphic violence onscreen. Moea (Marie Kauffmann) is a troubled air traffic controller who drinks on the job after losing her pilot husband in an accident. When a massive storm hits her area, a pilot in
Continue reading →
