Horror Film Festivals Worth Attending in 2025
If you love horror movies that stick to your ribs - the kind that make you check under the bed and avoid mirrors after midnight - then 2025 is your year. Horror festivals aren’t just screenings. They’re gatherings of the weird, the wild, and the wonderfully disturbed. These aren’t your average cinema nights. These are places where filmmakers debut their most terrifying visions, fans trade cursed VHS tapes, and the line between audience and participant blurs.
You don’t need a ticket to a blockbuster to feel real fear. Sometimes, the scariest moments happen in a basement theater in Kentucky, or a converted church in Prague, with a projector that flickers like a dying heartbeat. Here are the horror film festivals you actually need to be at in 2025.
Shriekfest Horror Film Festival - Los Angeles, California
Shriekfest has been running since 2001, and it’s still the most reliable place in the U.S. to find the next big name in horror. It’s not just about gore. Shriekfest champions original storytelling, especially from indie directors and first-time filmmakers. In 2024, the festival premiered The Hollowing, a slow-burn psychological horror that later got picked up by Shudder. This year, expect more of the same.
The festival runs for five days in late August, mostly at the TCL Chinese Theatre and smaller venues in Hollywood. You’ll see everything from found-footage nightmares to stop-motion nightmares. The Q&As are raw. Directors often show their early cuts, and the audience’s reactions are part of the edit. If you’re a filmmaker, this is your launchpad. If you’re a fan, it’s where horror is still being invented.
Beyond Fest - Los Angeles, California
Beyond Fest isn’t just a horror festival. It’s a cult movie cathedral. Held every September at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre, it’s where horror, sci-fi, and extreme cinema collide. In 2024, they screened the uncut version of Longlegs two weeks before its wide release. The crowd went silent. Then they screamed.
Beyond Fest books films that other festivals won’t touch. Think Hereditary before it blew up. Think The Lighthouse before it got Oscar buzz. The 2025 lineup already includes a restored 35mm print of Thesis (1996), a Spanish horror masterpiece that’s barely been seen outside Europe. There’s also a midnight block of Japanese body horror from the 90s - films that were banned in their home country.
Buy tickets early. They sell out in under an hour. And if you’re lucky, you might get invited to the after-party at a haunted house in the San Fernando Valley. No one talks about it until you’re inside.
FrightFest - London, United Kingdom
FrightFest is the oldest and most respected horror festival in Europe. It started in 2000 and has hosted premieres of REC, Train to Busan, and The Wailing. In 2025, it’s moving to a new venue - the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square - but keeping its gritty soul.
FrightFest doesn’t just show horror. It celebrates it. There’s a dedicated section for short films - 120 of them - and you’ll see the same faces year after year: filmmakers who’ve been coming since 2003, fans who’ve worn out three T-shirts. The festival runs over five days in late August, with panels, live score performances, and a “Terror on Tape” archive room where you can watch banned films on VHS.
The best part? The audience. British horror fans don’t clap. They whisper. Then they scream. And when a film lands just right, the silence after the credits lasts longer than the movie itself.
Sitges Film Festival - Sitges, Spain
Sitges is the Cannes of horror. It’s been running since 1968. It’s held in a coastal town just 35 minutes from Barcelona, where the streets smell like salt and popcorn. The festival doesn’t just show horror - it curates the most ambitious, artistic, and grotesque films from around the world.
In 2024, the Grand Prix went to Wolves of the East, a Ukrainian folk horror film made with practical effects and zero CGI. In 2025, expect more films like it: slow, surreal, and deeply unsettling. Sitges has a reputation for taking risks. They once screened a 12-hour film about a haunted elevator. The audience stayed. Most of them slept through it. But when the lights came on, no one moved.
The festival runs for 10 days in early October. Tickets are hard to get, but worth the wait. And if you’re lucky, you’ll catch the closing night: a 3D screening of The Wicker Man (1973) on a beach under the stars. No one tells you when it starts. You just show up at midnight.
Overlook Film Festival - Portland, Oregon
Overlook is the festival that feels like a secret. It’s held in a 1920s theater in Portland’s Old Town, surrounded by abandoned warehouses and neon signs that flicker in the rain. The vibe is cozy, creepy, and oddly intimate. You’ll find yourself sitting next to a filmmaker who just finished editing their first feature… and they’re still covered in fake blood.
Overlook doesn’t care about big names. It cares about atmosphere. In 2024, they screened The Quiet Room, a film made entirely in one location with no dialogue. The audience didn’t speak for 27 minutes after it ended. The director stood up, said, “Thanks,” and walked out.
2025’s lineup includes a rare U.S. premiere of Black Lake, a Finnish horror about a lake that steals memories. There’s also a tribute to 90s Japanese horror shorts, curated by a former member of the now-defunct Guinea Pig film collective. The festival runs for four days in early September. It’s small - only 800 tickets sold - but every one of them is handed out by hand.
Dark Carnival - Asheville, North Carolina
You didn’t think we’d leave out the one right here in the mountains, did you? Dark Carnival started in 2021 as a backyard screening of Evil Dead II. Now it’s a three-day event held in a converted funeral home on the edge of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The festival is run by local filmmakers, artists, and horror obsessives. There’s no red carpet. Just a bar made from old coffin lids and a projector powered by a generator. In 2024, they showed Whisper Hollow, a film shot entirely in the woods near Boone, NC. The director didn’t have a crew - just a camera, a friend with a flashlight, and a lot of moonlight.
2025’s lineup includes a new short by a 17-year-old from Tennessee who made her film using a smartphone and a haunted doll she bought on eBay. There’s also a live performance of The Tell-Tale Heart with a full orchestra and actors in full corpse makeup. You can buy tickets for $15. You can stay the night in a nearby cabin for $40. And if you’re still awake at 3 a.m., someone will be playing Requiem for a Dream on a record player in the graveyard.
What to Bring
These festivals aren’t like going to the multiplex. You need to be prepared.
- Comfortable shoes. You’ll be walking between venues, often on uneven ground or through parking lots.
- A hoodie. Theaters are freezing. Even in August.
- A notebook. You’ll want to write down titles, names, and quotes. Some of these films will never get a DVD release.
- Cash. Many vendors don’t take cards. You’ll need it for merch, snacks, and maybe a cursed keepsake from the gift shop.
- An open mind. Not every film will scare you. But every one will make you think.
Why These Festivals Matter
Streaming killed the horror theater. But these festivals kept the genre alive. They’re where the next Get Out or It Follows gets its first real audience. Where a 19-year-old from Ohio can screen a 12-minute film and get a development deal by sunrise.
Horror isn’t just about monsters. It’s about what we’re afraid to say out loud. These festivals give voice to that. They’re not just events. They’re rituals. And in 2025, you’ll want to be part of one.
Are horror film festivals only for hardcore fans?
No. While horror fans make up the core audience, these festivals welcome anyone curious about storytelling, atmosphere, or unique cinema. Many people attend their first horror festival after hearing about a film from a friend or seeing a trailer online. You don’t need to know every cult classic - just be open to being unsettled.
Can I submit my own horror short film?
Yes, most of these festivals accept submissions. Shriekfest and Overlook have open calls every spring. FrightFest and Sitges have stricter deadlines but welcome international entries. Submission fees usually range from $20 to $50. Many festivals offer free entry for students or first-time filmmakers. Check their websites for exact rules - they’re always updated by January.
Are horror film festivals safe?
Yes. These are organized events with security, staff, and emergency plans. While some screenings have intense themes or jump scares, the venues are safe. Dark Carnival, for example, has trained volunteers on-site and a quiet room for guests who need a break. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help - everyone there has been there before.
Do I need to dress up?
Not at all. But many people do. At FrightFest and Beyond Fest, it’s common to see costumes - from classic monster makeup to DIY creations. At Dark Carnival, it’s more about comfort than costume. Wear what makes you feel confident. The only rule? No masks that cover your face during screenings. You need to be able to see and be seen.
Are these festivals family-friendly?
Most are not. Horror films shown at these festivals often contain graphic content, strong language, or disturbing themes. Some festivals, like Shriekfest, have a “Family Fright” block on Saturday afternoon with PG-13 films, but the rest of the lineup is strictly for adults. Always check the rating for each screening before you go.
Next Steps
Start planning now. Tickets for Shriekfest and Beyond Fest go on sale in March. FrightFest and Sitges open submissions in January. Dark Carnival tickets are released in late April - and they sell out faster than you’d think. If you’re serious about attending, mark your calendar. These aren’t just events. They’re experiences you’ll remember long after the credits roll.
