"You have something really special here!" - Joe Bob Briggs

Welcome to Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest, South Carolina's premier horror film festival and an IMDb qualifying event. Experience the best of independent horror films from all over the world in our upcoming 2027 festival, taking place over three days in Columbia, South Carolina. You don't want to miss this chance to see the Official Selections, screened exclusively at The Nickelodeon Theater in the heart of downtown Columbia, SC. Join us for a spine-chilling, thrilling and unforgettable event at Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest.

Step aside Oscars, the "Crimmy's" are here to steal the spotlight! This event is the ultimate stage for filmmakers and screenwriters to showcase their talent. With over 20 categories, all Official Selections will compete to win the prestigious Crimmy trophy. Each trophy is handmade and signed by Tony Rosen, the mastermind behind special effects in blockbuster horror films like "The Conjuring" and "Annabelle." Tony is also the creator of the infamous "Annabelle" doll that made audiences shiver in theaters.

Our festival is proudly sponsored by ShortsTV, the world's biggest distributor of short films. The selected short films have a chance to be broadcasted worldwide on ShortsTV's cable channel, which airs Oscar-winning short films globally. With our festival being the only horror film fest sponsored by ShortsTV, this is an incredible opportunity for filmmakers to have their work seen by millions worldwide.

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase your work to a global audience. Submit your film or screenplay today and get ready to make your mark in the world of cinema. The Crimmy's are waiting for you!

Screenplay winners will also compete to win scriptwriting software from FinalDraft.

Screenplay winners will also receive a 4-month InkTip Pro Membership. As an InkTip Pro Member, thousands of filmmakers can find and read your scripts, and you'll be able to pitch directly to production companies every week. With over 3,000 options and 400 movies made, InkTip is the place for independent film..

Our festival is a celebration of all things horror, from sci-fi to fantasy, comedy to experimental, and everything in between. We're committed to showcasing the widest variety of horror films and screenplays possible, as long as they contain horror elements. With so much creative talent on display, you're guaranteed to find something that will scare you silly, make you laugh, or leave you on the edge of your seat.

Our festival is not just about watching films, we're all about making connections and building lasting relationships within the horror film community. That's why we offer networking opportunities each night at our after-party events, including the "Official Un-official" after-parties called “Beers and Fears”. These events are the perfect chance to meet other filmmakers and VIP attendees, create new friendships, and share your experiences. We also make sure to schedule downtime so that you can explore the city, relax, and enjoy yourself.

At the Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest, we're proud to be a filmmakers' film festival. We welcome both first-time filmmakers and established professionals, and we're committed to providing a platform for you to showcase your work to a captive audience. Our mixers and Q&A sessions after film screenings provide the perfect opportunity for you to meet fellow filmmakers, make important connections, and share your experiences.

If you are lucky enough to be chosen as an official selection, you definitely will want to attend! We are not like any other film festival out there! We provide our attending filmmakers with a free VIP pass (2 for feature and short films), a bag of swag, a personal welcome letter with wax sealed envelope embedded with our logo, and lots of other goodies also!

Filmmakers and VIP pass holders also have access to mixers as well as discounts at various bars and restaurants during the fest. At past festivals we have held "Maverick Filmmaking" workshops by such filmmakers as Steve Balderson, lectures on H.P. Lovecraft by authors such as W. Scott Poole, and have also awarded our new annual "Horror Icon" award to PJ Soles (Halloween/Carrie) , Mark Patton (Nightmare on Elm Street 2), Joe Bob Briggs and Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp).

So, what are you waiting for? Submit your horror films and screenplays today and join us for an unforgettable celebration of all things horror!

Awards & Prizes

"Crimmy" award trophies are awarded in feature and short categories. These include:
Best Feature
Best Short
Best Director - Short
Best Director - Feature
Best Cinematography - Short
Best Cinematography - Feature
Best Special Effects - Short
Best Special Effects - Feature
Best Produced Screenplay - Short
Best Produced Screenplay - Feature
Best Un-produced Screenplay & 1st Runner Up - Short
Best Un-produced Screenplay & 1st Runner Up - Feature
Homegrown Horror Award (for SC produced films)
Audience Choice Award
Jury Award

Sponsored in part by ShortsTV, the world's largest distributor of short films, all submitted and accepted short films have the chance for worldwide broadcast deals on their cable channel, ShortsTV, which plays Oscar winning short films all over the globe. Crimson Screen is the ONLY horror film fest that ShortsTV is sponsoring. This is a huge opportunity for filmmakers to have their work seen worldwide!

Screenplay winners will also compete to win scriptwriting software from FinalDraft. Screenplay winners will also receive an InkTip Script Listing to promote themselves and their scripts to InkTip’s entire network of producers, managers, and agents.

Winners will receive a 4-month InkTip Pro Membership. As an InkTip Pro Member, thousands of filmmakers can find and read your scripts, and you'll be able to pitch directly to production companies every week. With over 3,000 options and 400 movies made, InkTip is the place for independent film.

Rules & Terms

Submissions:
The 2027 festival welcomes films produced after January 2023. Films are accepted from any country - worldwide. If selected we will need a digital download of your movie file for exhibition (mp4, h.264 etc). DCPs files require a digital backup. If your film is not in English, we require English subtitles. Foreign selections can provide a HD digital file for exhibition.

Jury:
Our jury, festival directors and committee are made up of volunteers who work in the film industry including filmmakers, producers, journalists, authors, and actors.

Notification:
The festival committee makes all programming decisions and will notify filmmakers by email of Official Selection status. If accepted, your exhibition copy will need to be delivered to us by April 15th. Filmmakers who are accepted will receive one (1) complimentary VIP All Access Festival Pass for short films and two (2) for feature films. If additional passes or tickets are needed they can be purchased. If your film or actors are nominated for an award, it is highly suggested that you attend or have a representative attend the festival for you. Hey, these are some pretty cool trophies and you would not want to miss getting one awarded to you! Once accepted to the festival, we take into consideration audience reaction, your participation of your project promotion online and at festival, and lots more before awarding a CRIMMY award! Screenplay finalists will get also 1 VIP pass to the film festival as well.

Keep watching our page and Facebook/Instagram/Twitter feeds for updates and announcements.

159 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Markham Samuels

    Thanks for having us at the Crimson Screen Horror Film Festival this year, it was great to be able to join alongside so many other great short films. From everyone on the "Firecrow" short film team, it was wonderful to be part of the festival! :)

    May 2026
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  • Marisa Green

    Had an absolute blast at Crimson Screen! My very first film fest for my very first short, TRUNK. Tommy and Tracey and the whole team were so kind and welcoming from the moment I walked into the theatre. Screening my project in the Homegrown Shorts block for such a supportive and engaged genre audience alongside so many stellar films was an amazing experience, and I have so many more filmmaker contacts now that I didn't have before attending. As long as I am lucky enough to keep making horror films, I'll be submitting them to Crimson Screen. THANK Y'ALL! 🖤

    May 2026
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  • Jack Kudas

    Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest was truly one of the greatest festival experiences I’ve ever had as a filmmaker. From the moment we arrived, Tommy Faircloth and the entire team made us feel incredibly welcomed and supported. The communication, hospitality, programming, networking, and overall atmosphere were absolutely outstanding.

    Watching “The Celebration” screen at the legendary Nickelodeon Theatre surrounded by passionate horror fans, filmmakers, and creatives was an unforgettable experience. The energy during the screening and Q&A was incredible, and seeing audiences connect with the film meant the world to us.

    One of the most surreal moments of the weekend was seeing horror fans line up to take photos with Jingles the Clown, a character I created for “The Celebration,” as he roamed Columbia in full costume throughout the festival.

    We were also deeply honored to take home a CRIMMY Award for Best Cinematography, which made the experience even more special. Crimson Screen absolutely deserves its reputation as one of FilmFreeway’s Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals.

    Huge thank you again to Tommy and the entire Crimson Screen team for creating such an unforgettable weekend and for supporting independent horror filmmaking in such a meaningful way. We’re incredibly grateful to have been part of it and cannot wait to return.

    May 2026
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  • Alan Sanchez

    Such an amazing festival. I really felt the hospitality with Tommy and his amazing festival team. The curated programs were fun and the theater was always filled with amped horror fans from the area. Each block felt like its own big premiere. Lots of great opportunities to meet fellow filmmakers either local or on the circuit. Highly recommend this festival!

    May 2026
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  • Salil Jason Fernandez

    A wonderfully supportive festival for genre filmmakers. Even though I couldn't attend in person from India, communication with Tommy and the team was excellent throughout – prompt, warm, and professional. They truly care about showcasing horror and creating a community around it. Highly recommend submitting here!

    May 2026
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