BUFF seeks films that celebrate alternative visions and sounds, offering a platform that connects filmmakers with one another and our intelligent, engaged, and incredibly passionate audience, and encourages new ideas in celebration of work that pushes the envelope in style and content.
We are looking for challenging & exceptional independent features and shorts in the categories of: Dark comedy, genre, bleak sci-fi, cerebral and/or psychedelic horror, strange documentary, fantastic music video, mature animation, weird AF, and/or films that defy description (preferably with a WTF) from all over the world. While we are often lauded as a horror festival, we screen a broad variety of indie subgenres that touch nerves and hearts. We don't like to be easily categorized.
Since 2012, BUFF's primary screening venue has been the historic Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA. In addition to film screenings, BUFF hosts receptions and parties all over Cambridge and Somerville for attending filmmakers, industry guests, audience members, and media.
In 2020, BUFF was forced to cancel its physical edition days before kickoff due to the pandemic. In October of that year, BUFF joined forces with four genre festivals -- Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (NY), North Bend Film Festival (WA), the Overlook Film Festival (LA), and Popcorn Frights Film Festival (FL) -- under the banner of NIGHTSTREAM to present a dynamic and accessible virtual festival. It was bonkers. Then we did it again in 2021. In 2022, we resumed as a standalone physical festival.
We pride ourselves on the caliber of the content we exhibit, the hospitality of our dedicated and 100% volunteer staff, and the passionate community we've fostered here in New England; we hope you'll check us out!
Recent Festival Accolades:
MovieMaker Magazine World's 50 Best Genre Film Festivals 2021
DreadCentral's The Best Horror Festivals in the World 2021
MovieMaker Magazine’s 30 Bloody Best Genre in the World 2019
Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston® 2018 – Best Film Festival
Rather than giving cash or trade value prizes for awards, BUFF doles out a trophy in the shape of a demonic black bunny (after the festival's evil rabbit mascot, Bacchus).
The annual award categories are:
Audience Choice Award -
Best of Fest Short, Best of Fest Feature
Director's Choice (BUFF organizers) -
Best Short, Best Feature
Best First Feature
Best New England Film
*Occasionally, special awards (e.g. Lifetime Achievement) are selected as well.