If you're a filmmaker working in horror, thriller, or genre cinema, these are the top 15 festivals in 2025 where your work can make the biggest impact—whether you're premiering a short or unleashing a terrifying new feature.

• Screamfest Horror Film Festival – Los Angeles, USA – One of the most prestigious horror festivals in the U.S., Screamfest is known as the "Sundance of Horror." It’s a great launchpad for feature debuts and high-quality genre shorts.
• FrightFest – London, UK – The UK’s leading horror event, offering exposure to hardcore genre fans and distributors alike. Fantastic for premieres and gaining buzz across Europe.
• Fantastic Fest – Austin, TX, USA – Known for blending horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, Fantastic Fest attracts both fans and industry professionals. A solid platform for weird, wild, and original genre storytelling.
• Telluride Horror Show – Telluride, CO, USA – A scenic and intimate experience with a dedicated horror audience. Great for networking and launching U.S. indie horror projects.
• Nightmares Film Festival – Columbus, OH, USA – Widely respected for high programming standards. A fantastic fit for bold, boundary-pushing horror shorts and features.
• Morbido Film Fest – Mexico City, Mexico – Latin America's most renowned horror festival. A vibrant celebration of folklore-inspired and cross-cultural genre films.
• Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) – Belgium – A legacy event famous for embracing extreme, experimental, and cult horror. Great for European distribution exposure.
• Brooklyn Horror Film Festival – New York, USA – A hip, urban fest spotlighting new voices in horror. A great festival for building U.S. media attention and critical acclaim.
• Overlook Film Festival – New Orleans, LA, USA – Hosted in a haunted city, this fest is ideal for immersive storytelling and genre innovation. Perfect for atmospheric and psychological horror.
• Salem Horror Fest – Salem, MA, USA – Steeped in witchy history, this fest merges film, activism, and cultural commentary. Excellent for progressive and socially relevant horror films.
• Celluloid Screams – Sheffield, UK – One of the UK’s fastest-growing horror fests. Strong community vibe, perfect for short films and micro-budget debuts.
• Dead by Dawn – Edinburgh, Scotland – A long-standing international horror event focusing on innovative and artistic horror storytelling. Great for festival veterans and newcomers alike.
• Popcorn Frights Film Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA – The largest genre fest in the Southeastern U.S. Offers high-energy crowds and valuable industry connections.
• Monster Fest – Melbourne, Australia – Australia’s premiere genre showcase. Perfect for indie horror with a punch and international flavor.
• Lund International Fantastic Film Festival – Lund, Sweden – Scandinavia’s gateway for genre cinema. A haven for Nordic thrillers and international fright fare alike.

🎃 Want to submit your horror film to one of these? Create your DCP here and get it ready for projection—fast and professionally.