PLEASE READ ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE SUBMITTING
**Terms and Conditions for Film Submissions to Haunted House FearFest**
Thank you for submitting your work to Haunted House FearFest, an independent horror film and video game festival dedicated to celebrating the creativity and passion of indie filmmakers and game developers. We strive to honor and amplify the voices of independent creators in the horror genre, but as a small indie festival, we operate on a limited budget and resources.
While we work hard to secure a venue for our festival each year, we cannot guarantee one will be available due to funding constraints. In cases where an in-person event cannot take place, we are committed to promoting and celebrating nominated films and games through our online platforms ensuring your work reaches a wider audience.
Even when we have a venue, we may not be able to screen every submitted film or showcase every video game due to time and space limitations. However, all selected films and games will benefit from our marketing and promotional efforts, including features on our website, social media channels, and other outreach efforts to spotlight your work to horror fans and industry professionals worldwide.
By submitting your film to Haunted House FearFest, you agree that your work may be showcased BOTH IN-PERSON AND ONLINE as part of the festival’s programming. As a small indie festival, we strive to reach a diverse and global audience, and offering online screenings is an essential part of our mission to promote independent horror films to as many viewers as possible. For our online screenings, we use the screening platform, Eventive.
If your film is selected for the festival, YOU CONSENT to its inclusion in our online programming, which will include streaming on our secure, ticketed platform, Eventive, during the festival dates. These online screenings are designed to complement our in-person events (when available) and to ensure that your work receives the visibility it deserves, even if physical venue constraints prevent us from screening it in-person.
Your submission acknowledges and accepts that online screenings are subject to the same protections and restrictions as our in-person events, with measures in place to safeguard your intellectual property.
1. Submission Agreement
By submitting your film, you affirm that you are the creator or have obtained all necessary rights and permissions to submit the film and its related assets. You grant Haunted House FearFest permission to showcase, promote, and publicly display the submitted work during the event, both in-person and online.
2. Complete and Accurate Submission Information
To ensure the best possible promotion and presentation of your film, you agree to provide all required information accurately and completely at the time of submission. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Film synopsis
- Detailed description
- Director biography
- Cast information
- Social media handles for the film and its creators
Failure to provide these details may result in delays or exclusion from the festival's programming and promotional activities.
3. Downloadable Film and Trailer
You must ensure that both your film and its trailer are uploaded in a downloadable format through the submission platform. Providing downloadable files is critical to the festival’s ability to program and showcase your work effectively. Non-downloadable files may disqualify your submission or delay its consideration.
4. Public Display and Promotion
Selected films may be showcased at physical venues, on the Festival’s online platform, or both. By submitting, you agree to allow the Festival to promote your film using provided materials such as trailers, stills, and descriptions.
5. Showcase Limitations
While we strive to include as many films as possible, time and resource constraints may limit the number of films screened during the in-person or online event. However, all selected films will be promoted through our marketing channels to ensure visibility to a wider audience.
6. Online Features
If selected, you consent to your film being featured on the Festival’s secure, ticketed online platform, Eventive, during the festival dates. This may include on-demand or live-streamed screenings.
7. Copyright and Ownership
All intellectual property rights to the submitted films remain with the creators. The Festival will not claim ownership of your film or its assets. However, you grant the Festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to showcase and promote your work in relation to the event.
8. Fees and Refunds
Submission fees, if applicable, are non-refundable, even if your film is NOT selected for the Festival.
9. Content Guidelines
Films must align with the Festival’s policies. Content containing hate speech, discriminatory themes, or anything deemed excessively inappropriate may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Festival organizers.
10. Acceptance and Notification
Selected filmmakers will be notified via the contact information provided during submission. The Festival is NOT obligated to provide feedback on unselected films.
11. Liability
The Festival is NOT responsible for any loss, damage, or unauthorized use of submitted materials. Filmmakers participate in the Festival at their own risk.
12. Amendments
The Festival reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time. Updated terms will be communicated to filmmakers as necessary.
When submitting your project, ensure you apply to the correct and appropriate category.
FOR VIDEO GAME SUBMISSIONS
**Terms and Conditions for Video Game Submissions to Haunted House FearFest**
We are currently accepting game submissions for our 2025 Festival. Your game should be immersed in a world where darkness reigns supreme and every creak, groan, and whisper sends shivers down our spine. Whether you're a master of atmospheric horror, a virtuoso of jump scares, or a maestro of psychological terror, the Haunted House FearFest Festival invites you to unleash your most terrifying creations upon the world.
Submit your original video game creations, from indie gems to horrific nightmares, let your imagination run wild. From haunted mansions to abandoned asylums, from ghostly forests to desolate streets, your game can transport players to the darkest corners of their nightmares.
IN ORDER TO QUALIFY, you must submit your game on our FilmFreeway page and submit under the project type - VR/XR/Immersive
When submitting a video game, you must explain your involvement in the work. Please also have the right to submit a game (get permission from the publisher). Should you be selected, you must provide a copy for us to play.
A video will have to be submitted to enter. However, our goal is to create an environment where game creators are met halfway and can relax about promotion - A screen capture is fine. MAKE SURE to list where or if the game is published.
1. Submission Agreement
By submitting your video game to the Haunted House FearFest Video Game Festival (the “Festival”), you affirm that you are the creator or have obtained all necessary rights and permissions to submit the game and its related assets. You grant the Festival permission to showcase, promote, and publicly display the submitted work during the event, whether in-person or online.
2. Public Display and Promotion
Selected games may be showcased at physical venues, on the Festival’s online platform, or both. By submitting, you agree to allow the Festival to promote your game using screenshots, trailers, descriptions, and other materials provided in your submission.
3. Showcase Limitations
While we aim to exhibit as many selected games as possible, technical, time, or space constraints may limit the number of games we can physically or digitally showcase. The Festival reserves the right to curate and prioritize submissions based on programming needs and available resources.
4. Online Features and Distribution
If selected, you consent to your game being featured on the Festival’s secure, ticketed online platform as part of our programming. This includes potential live-streamed gameplay sessions or downloadable demos, provided such formats are agreed upon in advance with the developer.
5. Copyright and Ownership
All intellectual property rights to the submitted games remain with the developers. The Festival will not claim ownership of your game or its assets. However, you grant the Festival a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to showcase and promote your work in relation to the event.
6. Submission Materials
You are responsible for providing all materials required for evaluation and presentation, such as gameplay videos, trailers, game files, or setup instructions. Please ensure all submitted materials are free from viruses, malware, or harmful code.
7. Technical Requirements
The Festival is not liable for technical issues or malfunctions that may occur during the showcase of your game. Developers are encouraged to provide clear instructions, system requirements, and troubleshooting guidance to ensure smooth presentation.
8. Fees and Refunds
Submission fees, if applicable, are non-refundable, even if your game is not selected for the Festival.
9. Content Guidelines
Submitted games must align with the Festival’s policies. Games containing hate speech, discriminatory content, or anything deemed excessively inappropriate may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Festival organizers.
10. Acceptance and Notification
Selected developers will be notified via the contact information provided during submission. The Festival is not obligated to provide feedback on unselected games.
11. Liability
The Festival is NOT responsible for any loss, damage, or unauthorized use of submitted materials. Developers participate in the Festival at their own risk.
12. Additional Materials Clause
By submitting your work to the 2025 Haunted House FearFest Film & Video Game Festival, you acknowledge and agree that the festival may contact you to request additional files, materials, or information necessary to properly evaluate your submission. Failure to provide the requested materials within the specified timeframe may impact the eligibility of your submission for nominations or awards.
13. Amendments
The Festival reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time. Updated terms will be communicated to developers as necessary.
BOTH FILM AND VIDEO GAMES
There are NO restrictions on when your film or video game was completed or previously screened. Even if it is already online, you may enter your film or video game.
If your project is 'not in' English, please EMBED SUBTITLES in your screening file.
For all films and video games submitted, make sure your content is available to download in the highest quality possible, preferably via FilmFreeway or Vimeo. If you wish to send your film, do so on a USB stick. But it will ONLY be returned if you send a Stamp addressed envelope.
We accept no responsibility for illegal submissions under any circumstances. Please check you are authorized to submit the film/video game and that it is not subject to any litigation or under threat of litigation. If you have a distributor, make sure they agree to allow the film to be submitted. Each Applicant must possess all of the legal rights and clearances to the submission. It is the SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APPLICANT to clear all content of the Project from any and all actual or potential legal claims and issues, including, without limitation, claims based upon theories of libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, violation of rights of publicity, theft of trade secrets, breach of confidence, breach of confidential relationship, and breach of express or implied contract (“Third Party Claim(s)”). The Festival expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any content or materials within or relating to the submitted Project that are or may be the basis for any Third Party Claims based upon any of the foregoing legal theories or others.
In the event that any claim, dispute, action or proceeding shall be brought or asserted by any person or entity that alleges that the Project makes unauthorized or unlawful use of any copyrighted content or material, Applicant shall fully indemnify and defend the Festival, and each of their representatives and affiliates from any liability in connection therewith and from any fees and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees, that any of them may incur in connection therewith.
The applicant permits HHFF to use stills, titles, copy, and/or information from the film. We also encourage accepted filmmakers and video game developers to do their promotion of the festival on social media - THIS BENEFITS US ALL.
Applicants agree to HHFF holding additional exhibition screenings if selected or win. The screening selections are at the sole discretion of the festival judges - All Decisions Are Final.
Due to the number of submissions and limits on screening times, being accepted DOES NOT necessarily mean your project will have a live screening. Even if it is not screened theatrically, we may still include it in our online screenings. If this is an issue, please do not submit to the festival.
Anyone from any country can take part in this competition. EXCEPT those from a RESTRICTED/SANCTIONED country, in which case you CANNOT be included in the competition. Please refer to the countries listed in the U.S. Department of Treasury website - https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information. If you are from a sanctioned country and you submit your film, the festival reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees collected from the Applicant.
For entrants under the age of 18 parental consent must be provided.
We do not offer screening fees under any circumstances.
It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that any Project submitted to the Festival for consideration is viewable in its entirety. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify, without refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant, any Project that is not viewable due to any technical issue, whether the fault of the Applicant or any third-party system.
You may withdraw your submission at any time, but there are NO REFUNDS.
We offer a discounted rate for films WE invite to submit. As festivals go, our entry fees are very reasonable.
Applicants acknowledge that HHFF reserves the right to change the nature of screenings and events due to circumstances related to the venue (in person and virtual), public health and welfare or at the direction of local, state, or federal authorities. In such cases no submission refunds shall be issued.
HHFF is under no obligation to provide comments regarding submitted films and video games to any applicant. The festival is not responsible for any internal comments obtained by the applicant regarding their film or video game.
If the film and/or video game is selected for the live screening of the annual, the director/game developer or someone from the cast or crew must be able to attend the screening in New York or send someone on their behalf.
If the film and/or video game is selected as a winner then he/she MUST ATTEND to accept their award or send someone on their behalf.
Harassment, Threats, or Disruptive Behavior
In the event that a filmmaker, game developer, submitter or anyone affiliated with the submitted project engages in any form of harassment, threats, or disruptive behavior towards the festival organizers, staff, or any other participants, whether in written or verbal communication, or through any digital or physical means, Haunted House FearFest Film Festival reserves the right to take the following actions:
1. Immediate Disqualification: The film or submission in question may be disqualified from the festival, and all associated benefits, including any scheduled screenings or participation in the event, may be revoked. There will be NO REFUNDS on submission fee(s)
2. Legal Action: Haunted House FearFest may pursue legal action if the harassment or threats are deemed to be unlawful.
3. Ban from Future Participation: The submitter may be banned from submitting to Haunted House FearFest in the future, and this information may be shared with other film festivals within the industry.
By submitting your project to Haunted House FearFest Festival, you agree to abide by these terms and conditions, and you acknowledge that any form of harassment or threats will not be tolerated.
By submitting to the festival, you agree that you have read, understand, and will comply with ALL Terms & Conditions as stated in the items above.
