Screamfest Horror Film Festival has opened submissions for scripts and films in horror, sci-fi and thriller genres for its 21st annual run. The largest and longest-running horror film festival in the USA is slated to be held in October this year in Los Angeles at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres.
Entry fee—charged per film—varies depending on the date of submission as well as the duration, in the case of films. Please note: Screamfest does not accept short screenplays. The early deadline for films is currently open, closing on 15 April 2021, 11:59 PM PST.
To be eligible for entry, films must have been completed after January 1, 2020, although exceptions will be made for projects completed after January 2019 that were selected to festivals that had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. The premiere status of a film will be based on selection criteria. Commercially available films are not eligible. Works in progress may also be submitted, while projects which have been previously submitted may be submitted only if substantial changes have been made. For detailed information on submissions rules and FAQ, click on this link.
Screamfest awards short films in two categories, Best Short and Best Student Short.
List of deadlines are as follows:
- 15 April 2021: Early Deadline
- 15 July 2021: Regular Deadline
- 1 August 2021: Final Deadline
- 15 August 2021: Extended Deadline
About Screamfest:
Regarded as the Sundance of Horror and named among MovieMaker’s 30 Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World, Screamfest was founded in 2001 by Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin to showcase independent works of horror by filmmakers worldwide. Fun fact: Paranormal Activity gained recognition at Screamfest.