Now celebrating our 5th anniversary, Highlands Horrorfest is a competitive film festival dedicated to showcasing short horror films from the Appalachian Highlands region. The call for submissions for this year's festival is open from May 1st, 2026 to October 30th, 2026. The event is one night only and will be held at the Martin Center for the Arts in Johnson City, TN on November 14th, 2026. The grand prize (Best of the Fest) receives a cash reward of $1000.

From its founding in the Spring of 2022, the objective of the festival was to promote horror cinema not only as an artistic genre but as a window into our society as well as the region, itself, for its rich cultural history, folklore and natural beauty.

From its roots as a showcase for local filmmakers, Highlands Horrorfest has evolved into a competitive film festival that brings together filmmakers, alumni, film students, and fans from across the region to celebrate the genre, independent filmmaking, and continue to celebrate the genre and the region through film, art and music.

Awards & Prizes

Best of the Fest
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Cinematography
Best Makeup & Practical FX
Best VFX
Best Student Film
... and more!

All winners and selected works receive custom awards and the grand prize winner will receive a $1000 cash reward.

Rules & Terms

By submitting your project, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to all of the following rules and terms. Please thoroughly read the following before submitting your film:

HIGHLANDS HORRORFEST RULES & REGULATIONS

1. All film submissions must include a submission fee (unless you have a promo code) and a completed online FilmFreeway entry form. Film submission entry fees must be paid through the FilmFreeway portal as instructed.

2. All films must be 15 minutes and under in length. Digital files only.

3. All films must have some connection to the Appalachian Highlands region or the filmmaker or principal talent must be a native.

4. HHF values the work of human creators therefore we have a strict zero-tolerance policy for projects made using Generative AI. Any projects we receive that have used these tools in their creation will be disqualified.

5. All films must either be in English or include English subtitles.

6. Once films are submitted, no alterations may be made unless given approval by HHF programmers.

7. When final films are selected, filmmakers may be contacted to be interviewed for the Featured Filmmaker web series or for alternative film formats for programming purposes.

8. Films that have screened and or have received awards at other festivals can be submitted provided they adhere to all rules and regulations.

9. Only films that have been completed by October 2025 or newer will be accepted as part of the competition process.

10. HHF reserves the right to accept, reject, or disqualify any submission at its discretion without a refund. That said, it should be noted that we will watch every film received in its entirety.

11. HHF does not maintain ownership of any film submitted but does have the legal right to use images and as much as 30 seconds of footage for current and future festival promotional materials.

11. Award winners will be revealed live at the HHF awards ceremony at the end of the festival this November as well as through our social media channels.

12. Filmmakers will be notified whether or not their film has been accepted to HHF no later than November 2, 2026.
7 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
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Communication
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Networking
  • Jalyn Weston

    As a second year Highlands contestant, Highlands just gets better and better each year!

    Jake is always a pleasure to work with, as well as Big Daddy Voodoo being a lovely host, both being so gracious, professional and yet still fun when it came to presenting projects. The projects themselves too, is something else. Everybody always brings their A game, each bringing their own personal stamp and voice to the genre (or even putting a horror twist onto other genres! It makes for good variety!)

    Hopefully, this festival gets to run for many more years, and you best believe I will try to get something in next year!

    October 2025
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  • Murphy Diddle

    While I didn't go home with any awards, I still felt like a winner at the festival. Incredible welcoming atmosphere, especially for someone like me who may be considered an “outsider” to the area. They really strive to amplify both professional and DIY filmmakers with this event. And the venue this year was great! Loved the Jackson Theatre and my brief stay in Jonesborough.

    October 2025
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  • Joey Carrier

    I had such an incredible time at this festival!! It was so amazing to watch so many great films come from my local area and I can't wait to see how it grows!

    October 2024
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  • Anthony B. Frazier

    I attended the Highlands Horror Fest and it was a lot of fun with great energy and excitement. The lineup of films, including student films, was impressive. It's a fantastic festival for independent filmmakers, and I highly recommend it.

    October 2024
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  • Jermi Little

    These folks love movies. That’s the basis is a good film festival. They don’t mind answering questions, give the cool trophies and are motivational to say the least.

    October 2024
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