Film Festivals
By Shane Rivers
This section of the site provides a list of film festivals from all over the world. Every type of genre is included, from horror film festivals and science fiction film festivals, to independent film festivals and international film festivals.
- A Night of Horror - An international film festival that also happens to be the first horror festival held in Australia. Categories include Feature Films, Short Films, Music Videos, Screenplays, and Animations. Has been held annually since 2007.
- Ankara International Film Festival – Held annually in Ankara, Turkey, this film festival has been around for over two decades.
- Ann Arbor Film Festival – An annual film festival held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The second-oldest film festival in North America.
- Annecy International Animated Film Festival - Created in 1960, this annual French event is the oldest international film festival dedicated exclusively to animation.
- Another Hole in the Head- An annual San Francisco film festival held as part of the SF Indiefest. Specializes in horror, science fiction, and exploitation.
- Asian Festival of 1st Films – Held annually in Singapore and devoted to the work of first-time filmmakers.
- Atlanta HorrorFest – In operation since 2006, this annual festival in Atlanta, Georgia focuses on horror, dark comedy, mysteries, camp, gore, and experimental films.
- Bangkok International Film Festival – Held annually in Bangkok, Thailand since 2003. Includes gala events, seminars, and film screenings.
- Big Bear Horror Film Festival – Held at Big Bear Lake, California, this horror film festival combines screenings of independent horror films with seminars and workshops.
- B-Movie Festival - Created in 1999, B-Movie Fest features the best in cult classics and indie hits.
- Bram Stoker Horror Film Festival – Held in Whitby, England, this international film festival features 30 films in the horror category. Also includes the Vampire Ball, celebrity guests, lectures, readings, and an exhibition from Hammer. Held annually in October.
- The British Urban Film Festival – Also known as BUFF, this showcase for urban independent cinema was founded in 2005. Held in the late summer.
- Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival- Held annually since 1982, this festival is held in Brussels, Belgium and focuses on horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Celebrity guests such as Luc Besson and Uwe Boll attend, and additional events include workshops, a Vampire’s Ball, and a zombie parade.
- Buried Alive Film Fest- Atlanta’s premier horror film festival. Created by the same people responsible for the city’s long-running Atlanta HorrorFest. Focusing on independent horror films.
- Cairo International Film Festival – Established in 1976, this annual Cairo, Egypt film festival was the first in the Middle East.
- Cambridge Film Festival – This U.K. festival was first held in 1977 and shows many of the films which have debuted at Cannes or the Berlin Film Festival.
- Cannes Film Festival – Held annually in the south of France, it is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
- Chicago Horror Film Festival – Started in 2003, this horror film festival is held yearly in Chicago, Illinois, and includes feature films, short films, celebrity guests, and a Ladies of Horror competition.
- Cinemagic – Held annually in both Dublin and Belfast, this film festival is designed for the participation and interest of young people from 4 to 25.
- The Columbus International Film and Video Festival – Also known as “The Chris Awards,” it’s a long-running festival held each November in the city of Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1952, it’s the oldest film festival in North America.
- Cryptshow Festival - Yearly horror, fantasy, and monster movie festival held in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Official site is in Spanish.
- Dark Carnival Film Festival- Held in Bloomington, Indiana, this film festival has been called “the Sundance of horror.” Pre-show events occur the week leading up to the festival, and the event itself includes movies, special guests, and a vendor room.
- Dead by Dawn – International horror film festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Started in 1993, the event focuses on independent horror features and short films.
- Donostia – San Sebastian Horror and Fantasy Film Festival – Held annually in Spain, this celebration of horror and fantasy has been entertaining moviegoers since 1989. Spanish films are the focus of the festival, although special programs also highlight works from abroad.
- Durban International Film Festival- Taking place annually in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province, this festival celebrates African, South African, and international films.
- Durres International Film Summerfest- Held annually in Durres, Albania, this festival screens international feature films, short films, and highlights projects made in the Balkans. Their highest award is the Golden Gladiator.
- The Edinburgh International Film Festival – Held each June, the EIFF is the world’s oldest continually running film festival (established in 1947). Both UK and international films are shown.
- Eerie Horror Film Festival – Held in Erie, Pennsylvania, this festival has been held annually since 2004. The four-day event celebrates independent horror films, while also including celebrity guests, workshops, and special screenings.
- Festival de Cinema de Gramado – The largest film festival in Brazil, it has been held annually since 1973.
- Festival International du film Merveilleux – Held from late June to early July in Paris, France, this film festival features themes such as magic, the imaginary, the marvelous, the astonishing, the supernatural, the occult, the strange, the esoteric, poetry, the fantastic,science-fiction as well as myths, legends, comics, anime, mangas, and video games.
- International Film Festival of Marrakech- Since 2000, this film festival has been held annually in Marrakech, Morocco.
- The International Film Festival Rotterdam – Held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, this annual film festival takes place at the end of January and is one of the largest in Europe. Founded in 1972.
- Los Angeles Film Festival – More than 100 feature films are screened at this annual 10-day event which debuted in 1971.
- New Orleans Horror Film Festival – Founded in 2011, the NOHFF takes place during the last weekend of October in New Orleans, the “most haunted city in America.”
- New York Film Festival – First held in 1963, this is considered one of the world’s most important film festivals.
- Noir Film Festival- Started in the early ’90s, this festival recognizes the best in horror, noir, thrillers, mysteries, sci-fi, and spy movies.
- Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou- The largest film festival in Africa, with an emphasis on African film and filmmakers. Held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
- Raindance Film Festival – Held each year in London, this independent film festival also founded the British Independent Film Awards.
- Rendezvous With Madness – Annual Canadian festival focusing on movies that feature issues of addiction or mental illness.
- River to River – The first film festival in the world devoted entirely to the cinema of India. Held in Florence, Italy.
- Roger Ebert’s Film Festival (Ebertfest)- Also known as Ebertfest, this annual Champaign, Illinois festival focuses on films which have been overlooked by critics and fans.
- San Francisco International Film Festival – Held for two weeks each spring, the SFIFF presents an average of 150 films from over 50 countries.
- Santa Fe Film Festival – Accepted films are divided into categories such as documentary, narrative feature, animation, and indigenous. Held annually.
- Sarasota Film Festival – Held each year in April, this festival is intended to “celebrate the art of filmmaking and the contribution of filmmakers by hosting an international film festival and developing year-long programs for the economic, educational and cultural benefit of our community.”
- Slamdance Film Festival- An annual Utah-based film festival which takes place the same week as the Sundance Film Festival.
- South by Southwest – Started in 1987, South by Southwest is a film and music festival held each spring in Austin, Texas.
- Sundance Film Festival – Started in 1978, it’s the largest independent film festival in the United States. Held annually in Utah.
- Sydney Film Festival – Running for two weeks, this is one of the oldest festivals in the world, having started in 1954.
- Taiwan International Children’s Film Festival – Held every two years, this film festival specializes in programming for children 12 years and younger. A book fair and multimedia installations are also held alongside the festival.
- TCM Classic Film Festival – Held in Los Angeles, this festival is dedicated to screening classic films. Hosted by Turner Classic Movies, this festival debuted in 2010.
- Telluride Film Festival- Held annually in Telluride, Colorado, this festival features both debuting and overlooked films.
- Three Rivers Film Festival – Held each year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this festival is a mixture of international films, local productions, and examples of classic cinema.
- The Times BFI London Film Festival – Starting in 1956, it’s the largest film event in the UK. Also known as the London Film Festival.
- Tirana International Film Festival- Held annually in Tirana, Albania, this international film festival screens both feature-length and short films, as well as animated and experimental projects.
- Tokyo International Film Festival – Established in 1985, this international film festival is one of the most prestigious throughout the Asian countries. Their top award is known as the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix.
- Toronto After Dark Film Festival- An annual festival dedicated to showcasing cult, horror, and sci-fi cinema.
- Traverse City Film Festival – Held in the last week of July, this Traverse City, Michigan film festival is one of the largest in the Midwest. Screenings number around 100, and everything from foreign to documentary films are shown. Founded by filmmaker Michael Moore.
- Tribeca Film Festival – Founded in 2002, this annual Manhattan film festival has quickly become one of the most prominent in the world.
- Vancouver International Film Festival- This two-week festival takes place in late September and early October. Has an annual attendence of over 150,000.
- Washington, D.C. International Horror Film Festival – Created in 2005, this film festival showcases the best in new horror cinema.
- World Film Festival of Bangkok – Dedicated to promoting the art of cinema in Thailand. Held annually in the month of October.
We have plans to continue to expand our listings of film festivals. Please contact us if you have feedback for this section, or if you have a film festival you want to see included on the above list.