BizarroLand exists to celebrate those beautiful deranged freaks making movies with no regard for commercial appeal and for no other audience than the demons in their heads. If you’re bored to tears with that tired old story structure Hollywood has been cramming down your throat your whole life, if nothing exhausts you quite like hearing people debate the finer points of a movie’s “genre,” if you’d rather hammer a rusty nail through your thumb than watch another superhero movie, then BizarroLand is your home.

The Representation Discount

BizarroLand encourages weirdo filmmakers from historically excluded communities — including (but not limited to) women filmmakers, LGBTQ+ filmmakers, BIPOC filmmakers, and disabled filmmakers — to submit their work at a 25% discount. Email stephen@demonskull.org for the code.

Awards & Prizes

The crown jewel of the BizarroLand Film Festival is the Sickie. Originally designed by Brad Bailey and thenceforth sculpted and hand painted by Orlando artists Paul and Debra Berg, the Sickie is the coveted totem of excellence in cinematic weirdness. Thirteen Sickies are given out each year in categories celebrating stand-out achievements in bizarreness, including the Mink Stole Award for the most brain-searingly unforgettable performance and the Weirdest Boner Award for the most unsettlingly sexy scene. Attendees will choose the Audience Favorite Award for both features and shorts, and then finally, there are the most desperately, feverishly desired of all: the Pink Tentacle and the Golden Tentacle, which are only awarded to the short and feature films (respectively) that best exemplify the spirit of BizarroLand.

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSIONS CONTAINING UNSIMULATED ANIMAL HARM WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

BizarroLand accepts submissions exclusively through FilmFreeway.

By submitting your film for consideration, you acknowledge and agree that:

1. You have read and understood all the rules and terms and do fully comply with them.
2. Your film is not subject to any litigation, nor is it threatened by any litigation.
3. You possess all the necessary rights to submit your film to the festival (including the full rights to the use all of the music in the film).
4. You indemnify and hold harmless the BizarroLand Film Festival as well as its directors, judges, and sponsors and anyone affiliated with the festival of any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney’s fees and costs of the court) that may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening film entered, or any other claim resulting from your entry.
5. You grant the BizarroLand Film Festival the right to use any still images or excerpts from the film, as well as any titles, written copy, and/or other information included with the film submission, for promotional purposes for the duration of the festival year as well as the future. (You may rescind permission for inclusion in future years’ promotion at any time by contacting the festival director.)
6. You give permission for the BizarroLand Film Festival to screen the film at the 2026 BizarroLand Film Festival or any promotional or press events leading up to the 2026 BizarroLand Film Festival.
94 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
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Networking
  • Aaron Mento

    This festival KICKS F****** A**, full stop. Stephen and Jennifer are the patron saints of weird s*** that rules, so it was an absolute privilege to screen my feature film DEGRADABLE at BizarroLand! The talent at the 2025 festival was seriously out of f****** control, which made winning the Audience Sickie (and a Jury Sickie?!) a mind-melting surreal experience that I can't really put into words. If other festivals overlook your bad a** oddball creations (and if you're tired of seeing the same old s*** with the same old faces getting the same old praise) STOP what you are doing and ENTER THIS FESTIVAL. I can't promise that you will get accepted, and I can't promise that you will win a HIGHLY coveted Sickie, but I CAN promise that they will watch your s***, they will wrestle with the slate, and they will appreciate all of the things that make your work unique (ironically the same s*** that probably will NOT get you into many other festivals). If you get into this festival, do EVERYTHING you can to attend it in person (the other filmmakers were cool as hell and the audience knows how to f****** party), and if you don't get into this festival, STILL attend this m***********! I'm currently writing a crazy a** movie with a KILLER filmmaker that I met at BizarroLand (who I would have NEVER met in Los Angeles)! Look, this isn't a festival that is going to "MAKE YOUR CAREER" or whatever the f*** that means, but it will inspire you, it will titillate you, it will stir your f****** brains, and some of the gonzo amazing people you meet MIGHT just become your new best friends and co-conspirators in midnight moviemaking. So you know what to do you sick bastards, submit that m***********! And if you don't get in, f*** it, you will WIN just by attending! And when you do, tell Stephen and Jennifer that Aaron Mento sent you (and make sure to buy them a drink because they f****** ROCK)!

    May 2026
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  • Laurie Garner

    We feel honored that SEA LEGS screened along with so many fantastic films at Bizarroland. Stephen, the Festival Director, was super communicative & welcoming. We enjoyed the fun filmmaker outings & events & loved meeting the other super talented filmmakers. Highly Recommend!

    December 2025
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  • Rachel Williamson

    This festival is exactly what you hope it’ll be. Films you won’t see anywhere else, filmmakers who show up, a quirky venue, and the kindest festival runners. Thanks Bizarroland!

    December 2025
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  • Ian Hunt

    Thank you for screening Cringe! Bizarroland is by far the best festival we've been to. All the movies were awesome, Stephen has excellent taste. There were parties, food, and the award we received is a work of art. Festivals like this make me want to keep making stuff so we can go back. We saw our favorite movies of the year. I can't recommend this festival enough.

    December 2025
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  • Stephen Michaels

    Stephen and Jen curate an incredible experience that's absolutely worth the submission fee. I couldn't be more grateful to have attended the festival this last December with my feature. The programming slate was full of diverse and subversive selections, showcasing a glorious range of "bizarre" films. It was incredible to be included with so many talented filmmakers, and I enjoyed getting to meet everyone at the various filmmaker events!

    January 2025
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