Adrian Țofei, January 28, 2015
Latest Update: April 17, 2018
While researching film festivals to submit my movie Be My Cat: A Film for Anne, I decided to make a public list to be useful to fellow filmmakers as well. It’s now reaching almost 5,000 Facebook shares and 1,000 monthly visitors. I am constantly researching festivals and updating the list, taking into consideration all the other lists available (see below), the opportunities the festivals offer to indie filmmakers, the quality and number of films selected in previous years, the number of years running, their status in the film industry, the location, communication, hospitality and safety, the quality of the information on their websites and social media, the entry fee, submission process and selection process, the number of Facebook likes and Twitter followers and other recommendations by people in the film industry. I only included international genre film festivals. For all the festivals, regardless of type, check out my Top 100 International Film Festivals.
Contact me if you’d like to have submission links, deadlines and dates listed for your festival. Also, contact me if you think I missed any festival. Suggestions from both filmmakers and festivals are welcomed. Before starting the top 100, here are the lists that helped me make mine, with codes to identify in which lists each festival is mentioned:
- Moviemaker’s The World’s 15 Bloody Best Genre Fests (2017) [MMGenre15]
- EFFFF’s Affiliated, Adherent, Supporting & Former Festivals (2017) [Af/Ad/Su/foEFFFF]
- Horror Report‘s 20 Fests with the most horror movies screened (1996-2016) [HR20]
- FilmFreeway’s Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals (November 2017) [FF100]
- Moviemaker‘s Major Horror & Fantasy Film Fests & Conventions (2016) [con/MMHoFa]
- Raindance’s 7/20/40 Essential Horror & Fantasy Film Festivals (2013) [RHoFa7/20/40]
- Moviemaker’s 5 Coolest Horror/Sci-Fi Film Fests+nominations (2013) [nom/MMHoSF5]
- Moviemaker’s 5 Coolest Underground Film Fests+nominations (2013) [nom/MMUn5]
- Moviemaker’s 13 Horror Film Festivals to Die For (2011) [MMHo13]
- Moviemaker’s 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee (2017, 2016 & 2015 lists) [MM50]
- Moviemaker’s 25 Coolest Film Festivals (2017, 2016, 2015 & 2014 lists) [MM25]
- FIAPF’s Competitive Specialised Feature Film Festivals (2016) [FIAPF]
- Indiewire’s 100 Leading Film Festivals (2015) [IW100]
- Raindance’s Essential 100 Film Festivals (2013) [R100]
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Top 10 Horror & Fantasy Film Festivals:
- Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival – Sitges, Catalonia/Spain, 51st year in 2018 – RHoFa7, AfEFFFF, R100, FIAPF, MMGenre15, MMHoFa, MM25, HR20
- Fantasia International Film Festival – Montreal, Canada, 22nd year in 2018 – RHoFa20, SuEFFFF, R100, IW100, MMGenre15, MMHoFa, MM50, MM25, nomMMHoSF5, HR20
- Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival / BIFFF – Brussels, Belgium, 36th year in 2018 – RHoFa7, AfEFFFF, FIAPF, MMHoFa, HR20
- Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival / BiFan (formerly Puchon / PiFan) – Bucheon, South Korea, 22nd year in 2018 – RHoFa7, SuEFFFF, R100, MMGenre15, MMHoFa
- Fantastic Fest – Austin, Texas, US, 14th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, SuEFFFF, R100, IW100, MMGenre15, MMHoFa, MMHoSF5, MM25, HR20
- FrightFest – London, UK, 19th year in 2018 – RHoFa7, foEFFFF, MMGenre15, MMHoFa, HR20
- Screamfest Horror Film Festival – Los Angeles, California, US, 18th year in 2018 – RHoFa7, SuEFFFF, MMHo13, HR20
- Fantasporto International Film Festival – Porto, Portugal, 38th year in 2018 – RHoFa7, foEFFFF, HR20
- Toronto After Dark Film Festival – Toronto, Canada, 13th year in 2018 – RHoFa7, MMHo13, HR20
- A Night of Horror International Film Festival – Sydney, Australia, 12th year in 2018 – RHoFa20
Top 25 Horror & Fantasy Film Festivals:
(in alphabetical order from 11 to 25)
- Fantaspoa – Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, SuEFFFF, MMHoFa
- Imagine Film Festival – Amsterdam, Netherlands, 34th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, AfEFFFF, HR20
- Lund International Fantastic Film Festival – Malmo/Lund, Sweden, 24th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, AfEFFFF, HR20
- Mile High Horror Film Festival – Denver, Colorado, US, 8th year in 2018 – MMHo13, MMHoSF5
- Monster Fest – Melbourne, Australia, 8th year in 2018
- Morbido Film Fest – Mexico City, Mexico, 11th year in 2018 – SuEFFFF, MMGenre15, HR20
- MOTELx – Lisbon International Horror Film Festival – Lisbon, Portugal, 12th year in 2018 – AfEFFFF, RHoFa40, MMGenre15, HR20
- Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival – Neuchatel, Switzerland, 18th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, AfEFFFF, MMGenre15, MMHoFa, HR20
- New York City Horror Film Festival – New York City, New York, US, 16th year in 2018 – RHoFa40, MMGenre15
- Other Worlds Austin Film Festival, Austin, Texas, 5th year in 2018
- The Overlook Film Festival – New Orleans, Louisiana, US, 2nd year in 2018 – MMGenre15
- Shriekfest – The Los Angeles Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival – Los Angeles, California, US, 18th year in 2018 – MMHo13, MMHoSF5, RHoFa40
- Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival – Strasbourg, France, 11th year in 2018 – AfEFFFF
- Telluride Horror Show – Telluride, Colorado, US, 9th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, MMHo13, nomMMHoSF5
- Trieste Science+Fiction – Trieste, Italy, 39th year in 2018 – AfEFFFF
Top 50 Horror & Fantasy Film Festivals:
(in alphabetical order from 26 to 50)
- Beyond Fest – Los Angeles, California, US, 6th year in 2018 – MMGenre15
- Boston Underground Film Festival – Boston, Massachusetts, US, 19th year in 2018 – MMUn5
- Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre – Buenos Aires, Argentina, 18th year in 2018 – RHoFa20
- Cinepocalypse (formerly Bruce Campbell’s Horror Film Fest) – Chicago, Illinois, US, 5th year in 2018
- Dead by Dawn – Scotland’s International Horror Film Festival – Edinburgh, UK, 26th year in 2018 – foEFFFF, RHoFa40, HR20
- Eerie Horror Film Festival – Erie, Pennsylvania, US, 15th year in 2018 – MMHo13, RHoFa40, nomMMHoSF5
- L’Etrange Festival – Paris, France, 23rd year in 2018 – MMGenre15, HR20
- Fantafestival – Rome, Italy, 38th year in 2018 – foEFFFF
- Fantastic Planet International Film Festival – Sydney, Australia, 9th year in 2018
- Fantasy FilmFest – Berlin / Nuremberg / Munich / Frankfurt / Cologne / Stuttgart / Hamburg, Germany, 32nd year in 2018 – HR20
- FilmQuest – Provo, Utah, US, 5th year in 2018 – MM50, FF100
- Freak Show Horror Film Festival – Orlando, Florida, US, 13th year in 2018 – MMHo13, RHoFa40, nomMMHoSF5
- Gerardmer International Fantastic Film Festival – Gerardmer, France, 25th year in 2018 – HR20
- Grossmann Fantastic Film & Wine Festival – Ljutomer, Slovenia, 14th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF, MMHoSF5
- Horrible Imaginings Film Festival – San Diego, California, US, 8th year in 2018 – RHoFa40, FF100 – Submissions via FilmFreeway | Regular deadline: May 9, 2018 | Late: Jun 8, 2018 | Extended: Jun 22, 2018 | Event Date: Sep 7-9, 2018 – Facebook, Twitter
- Macabro International Horror Film Festival – Mexico City, Mexico, 17th year in 2018 – MMGenre15
- Nightmares Film Festival – Columbus, Ohio, US, 3rd year in 2018 – FF100
- Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival – Molins de Rei, Catalonia/Spain, 37th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF
- Nocturna – Madrid International Fantastic Film Festival – Madrid, Spain, 6th year in 2018
- On Vous Ment! Mockumentary Film Festival – Lyon, France, 3rd year in 2018
- Paris International Fantastic Film Festival – Paris, France, 8th year in 2018
- Popcorn Frights Film Festival – Miami, Florida, US, 4th year in 2018
- San Sebastian Horror & Fantasy Film Festival – San Sebastian, Spain, 29th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, AdEFFFF
- Stranger With My Face International Film Festival – Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 6th year in 2018 – MMGenre15
- Sydney Underground Film Festival – Sydney, Australia, 12th year in 2018 – MMUn5
Top 100 Horror & Fantasy Film Festivals
(in alphabetical order from 51 to 100)
- Abertoir – The International Horror Festival of Wales – Aberystwyth, UK, 13th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF, RHoFa40
- L’Absurde Seance Festival – Nantes, France, 10th year in 2018
- Another Hole in the Head International Genre Film Festival – San Francisco, California, US, 15th year in 2018
- Atlanta Horror Film Festival – Atlanta, Georgia, US, 11th year in 2018 – RHoFa40
- Boston Sci-Film Festival – Boston, Massachusetts, US, 43rd year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival – Buffalo, New York, US, 6th year in 2018 – FF100
- Buried Alive Film Fest – Atlanta, Georgia, US, 11th year in 2018 – RHoFa40
- BUT Film Festival – Breda, Netherlands, 12th year in 2018
- Calgary Underground Film Festival – Calgary, Canada, 14th year in 2018 – nomMMUn5
- Celluloid Screams – Sheffield Horror Film Festival – Sheffield, UK, 9th year in 2018
- Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival – San Diego, California, US, 13th year in 2018 – R100, conMMHoFa
- Court Metrange Festival – Rennes, France, 15th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF
- DEDfest International Genre Film Festival – Edmonton, Canada, 11th year in 2018
- Dragon Con Independent Film Festival – Atlanta, Georgia, US, 30th year in 2018 – RHoFa40, conMMHoFa
- Fancine Malaga Fantastic Film Festival – Malaga, Spain, 27th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF
- Fantastic Zagreb Film Festival – Zagreb, Croatia, 7th year in 2018
- FANT – Bilbao Fantasy Film Festival – Bilbao, Spain, 24th year in 2018 – RHoFa40
- Feratum Film Fest – Tlalpujahua, Mexico – 7th year in 2018
- GenreBlast Film Festival – Winchester, Virginia, US, 3rd year in 2018 – FF100
- GrimmFest – Manchester, UK, 9th year in 2018 – RHoFa40
- Hexploitation Film Festival (formerly Fright Night Theatre Film Festival) – Hamilton, Canada, 9th year in 2018 – FF100
- H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival – Portland, Oregon, US, 22nd year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- Haapsalu Horror & Fantasy Film Festival – Haapsalu, Estonia, 11th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF
- Horrorthon – Dublin, Ireland, 21st year in 2018 – foEFFFF
- The International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival – Phoenix, Arizona, US, 13th year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- Ithaca Fantastik – Ithaca, New York State, US, 6th year in 2018
- Knoxville Horror Film Fest – Knoxville, Tennessee, US, 9th year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- Lost Episode Festival Toronto – Toronto, Canada, 5th year in 2018
- LUSCA Caribbean International Fantastic Film Fest (formerly Puerto Rico Horror Film Fest) – San Juan, Puerto Rico, US, 11th year in 2018 – MMHo13
- Melbourne Underground Film Festival – Melbourne, Australia, 18th year in 2018 – R100, nomMMUn5
- MidWest WeirdFest – Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US, 3rd year in 2019 – Submissions via FilmFreeway & Withoutabox | Early Deadline: July 31, 2018 | Regular: Oct 31, 2018 | Late: Dec 31, 2018 | Extended: Jan 11, 2019 | Event Date: March 8-10, 2019 – Facebook, Twitter
- Monsters of Film – Stockholm, Sweden, 6th year in 2018
- Nevermore Film Festival – Durham, North Carolina, US, 18th year in 2018
- Night Visions – Helsinki, Finland, 21st year in 2018 – HR20
- NOLA Horror Film Fest – New Orleans, Louisiana, US, 7th year in 2018 – MMHo13
- Ravenna Nightmare Film Festival – Ravenna, Italy, 15th year in 2018 – RHoFa20, foEFFFF
- Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival – Bruges, Belgium, 11th year in 2018 – AdEFFFF
- Requiem Fear Fest (formerly Montreal HorrorFest) – Montreal, Canada, 6th year in 2018
- Sacramento Horror Film Festival – Sacramento, California, US, 11th year in 2018 – MMHoSF5, RHoFa40
- Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival – Saskatoon, Canada, 8th year in 2018
- Sci-Fi-London Film Festival – London, UK, 17th year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- /slash Fantastic Film Festival – Vienna, Austria, 8th year in 2018
- South African HorrorFest – Cape Town, South Africa, 13th year in 2018
- Spooky Movie International Horror Film Festival – Washington, D.C., US, 12th year in 2018
- Taipei Golden Horse Fantastic Film Festival – Taipei, Taiwan, 9th year in 2018
- TromaDance Film Festival – New York City, New York, 19th year in 2018
- Utopiales Nantes – Nantes, France, 19th year in 2018 – foEFFFF
- Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival (formerly Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival) – Providence, Rhode Island, US, 18th year in 2018 – MMHo13
- Women in Horror Film Festival – Atlanta, Georgia, US, 2nd year in 2018 – FF100 – Submissions via FilmFreeway | Regular deadline: May 1, 2018 | Late: Jul 7, 2018 | Extended: Aug 1, 2018 | Event Date: Oct 4-7, 2018 – Facebook, Twitter
- Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival – Yubari, Japan, 26th year in 2018 – RHoFa40
Other Notable Horror & Fantasy Fests:
(in alphabetical order)
(I’m in the process of adding more festivals in this section)
- Arizona Underground Film Festival – Tucson, Arizona, US, 11th year in 2018 – nomMMUn5
- Atlanta Underground Film Festival – Atlanta, Georgia, US, 15th year in 2018 – FF100
- Chicago Horror Film Festival – Chicago, Illinois, US, 16th year in 2018
- Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest – Charleston, South Carolina, US, 5th year in 2018 – FF100
- Crypticon Seattle Horror Film Festival – Seattle, Washington, US, 7th year in 2018 – conMMHoFa
- Cryptshow Fest – Badalona, Catalonia/Spain, 12th year in 2018
- Days of the Dead Independent Film Festival – various cities across the US, 5th year in 2018 – conMMHoFa
- Dracula Film Festival – Brasov, Romania – 6th year in 2018
- Etheria Film Night – Los Angeles, California, US, 5th year in 2018 – FF100
- FANtastic Horror Film Festival – San Diego, California, US, 4th year in 2018
- Fargo Fantastic Film Festival – Fargo, North Dakota, US, 16th year in 2018
- Fear Fete – Biloxi, Mississippi, US, 7th year in 2018 – MMHo13
- Fears for Queers LGBT Horror Film Festival – Dallas, Texas, US, 8th year in 2018
- Fright Night Film Fest – Louisville, Kentucky, US, 13th year in 2018 – conMMHoFa
- Fright Nights – The Ultimate Festival of Angst – Vienna, Austria, 13th year in 2018
- Gen Con Film Contest – Seattle, Washington state, US, 14th year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- Halloween International Film Festival – Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, US, 3rd year in 2018
- Hallucinations Collectives – Lyon, France, 10th year in 2018
- Hollywood Horrorfest – Los Angeles, California, US, 2nd year in 2018
- Horrorant Fright Nights Film Festival – Athens, Greece, 5th year in 2018
- HorrorHound Weekend Film Festival – Cincinnati, Ohio, US, 8th year in 2018 – FF100
- Horror-on-Sea Film Festival – Southend-on-Sea, UK, 6th year in 2018
- HorrorQuest – Atlanta, Georgia, US, 8th year in 2018
- Idaho Horror Film Festival – Boise, Idaho, US, 5th year in 2018
- Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film Festival – Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, 3rd year in 2018
- Montevideo Fantastico – Montevideo, Uruguay, 13th year in 2018
- Panic Fest – North Kansas City, Missouri, US, 5th year in 2018
- Torremolinos International Fantastic Film Festival – Torremolinos, Spain, 7th year in 2018
- Tucson Terrorfest – Tucson, Arizona, US, 7th year in 2018 – nomMMHoSF5
- Zinema Zombie Fest – Bogota, Colombia, 9th year in 2018
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