Eligibility
Films must meet all of the following requirements:
Narrative Feature Film
Minimum runtime of 70 minutes
Horror, Science Fiction, or Fantasy genre
Principally photographed during 2024 or later
Produced by filmmakers located in the United States or U.S. Territories
Non-English language films must include English subtitles
No generative AI used
Previously commercially distributed films are not eligible.
Festival screenings are permitted.
Submission Fee
$50 USD
$25 Student
$25 Gold Member
All submission fees are non-refundable.
You must be subscribed to Abracadabra Media on the website and/or the Abracadabra ROKU app as a free with ads subscriber
You must follow Abracadabra Media on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Submission Deadline
October 1, 2026
Official Selections Announced
October 15, 2026
Audience Voting
October 15–30, 2026
Award Winners Announced
October 31, 2026 (Halloween)
Judging
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of industry professionals using the following weighted system:
Judges' Scores — 80%
Audience Vote — 20%
Judging criteria include:
Storytelling
Direction
Acting
Technical Achievement
Originality
Audience Engagement
All judging decisions are final.
Official Selection Showcase
All Official Selection films will be presented during a special Abracadabra Media Independent Film Showcase on the Abracadabra Media Roku Channel.
Finalists must provide a broadcast-quality digital master suitable for OTT streaming.
Accepted delivery formats include:
ProRes 422 HQ
High-bitrate H.264
High-bitrate H.265
Entries can be submitted to info@abracadabra.media via DropBox, WeTransfer, or uploaded to the contest server. First email info@abracadabra.media that you are entering the festival contest to receive your pdf packet and instructions.
By submitting, entrants certify that:
They own all rights necessary to exhibit the film.
All music, artwork, footage, and performances have been legally cleared.
The submitted film does not infringe on any copyright or trademark.
Abracadabra Media is granted a limited, non-exclusive license to exhibit selected finalist films solely for contest judging, promotion, and Roku showcase programming.
Copyright remains with the filmmaker.
Abracadabra Media reserves the right to disqualify submissions containing fraudulent information, copyright violations, or attempts to manipulate audience voting.
