Hosted by Asylum Brewing, Asylum After Dark is a horror short film festival celebrating independent filmmakers and the many subgenres of horror.
Submissions are now open for short horror films 10–20 minutes in length. Films must be rated R or lower.
All entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and 10 films will be selected for a live theatrical screening on October 22 at The Frida Cinema.
Selected films will screen for a live audience and compete for festival awards across multiple horror categories.
If you’ve created something eerie, unsettling, terrifying, or darkly funny, we want to see it.

Awards & Prizes

From all submissions, 10 films will be selected for the Official Screening at The Frida Cinema on October 22. These films will be screened for a live audience and will be eligible for festival awards.
An additional 5 films will be selected as Honorable Mentions, which will receive a special screening opportunity at Asylum Brewing Company.
Selected films will receive official festival laurels and promotion through festival marketing and social media.

Official Selection (10 Films)
Official selections will receive:
Theatrical screening at The Frida Cinema
Official Selection festival laurel
Eligibility for festival awards
Promotion through festival marketing and social media
Invitation to an optional filmmakers’ release party at Asylum Brewing

Honorable Mention (5 Films)
Honorable Mention selections will receive:
Screening opportunity at Asylum Brewing
Honorable Mention festival laurel
Recognition across festival promotion

Festival Awards
A limited number of awards will be presented during the festival.
Best in Festival- The top overall film selected by the judging panel.
Audience Choice Award- Determined by audience vote during the screening.

Filmmaker Release Party
All 10 Official Selection filmmakers will be invited to plan an optional post-festival celebration and screening event at Asylum Brewing.

Rules & Terms

Asylum After Dark Horror Short Film Festival is hosted by Asylum Brewing Company and will take place on October 22 at The Frida Cinema.
By submitting a film, entrants acknowledge and agree to the following rules and terms.

Eligibility
Films must fall within the horror genre.
Films must have a runtime between 10 and 20 minutes, including credits.
Films must be rated R or lower.
Films cannot include the use of AI.
The director must be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission.
Films must not have been publicly released or widely distributed prior to submission. This includes theatrical releases, commercial streaming platforms, or public online releases.
Private cast/crew screenings or password-protected festival submissions are acceptable.

Submission Requirements
All submissions must include:
A completed submission through the festival’s official submission platform
A working digital screener
Basic film information including title, runtime, synopsis, and director information
A high-resolution still image from the film (recommended for promotion)
All submission fees are non-refundable.

Selection Process
All submitted films will be reviewed by an independent panel of judges.
From all eligible submissions:
10 films will be selected for the Official Screening at The Frida Cinema.
5 additional films may be selected as Honorable Mentions, which will receive a screening opportunity at Asylum Brewing.
Selected filmmakers will be notified prior to the public announcement of the lineup.

Screening Format
Official Selection films will screen at The Frida Cinema on October 22 as part of the live festival event.
Honorable Mention films may be screened during a separate event hosted at Asylum Brewing.
The festival reserves the right to determine the final program schedule and screening order.

Awards
All Official Selection films are eligible for festival awards. Primary awards include:
Best in Festival (selected by the judging panel)
Audience Choice Award (determined by audience vote)
Additional recognition awards may be presented at the discretion of the festival.

Rights & Permissions
By submitting a film, the submitter confirms they have obtained all necessary rights and permissions for all included material, including but not limited to:
Music
Footage
Performances
Artwork
Filmmakers retain full ownership of their work.
By submitting, filmmakers grant the festival permission to:
Screen the film during festival events
Use film stills, titles, and brief clips for promotional purposes
List the film and filmmaker in festival marketing and promotional materials

Festival Discretion
The festival reserves the right to:
Disqualify films that do not meet eligibility requirements
Refuse entries that violate festival guidelines
Make final decisions regarding programming, awards, and screening order
All decisions made by the festival and judging panel are final