The focus of our festival is to showcase up-and-coming voices within horror; while placing the focus on mental health. Coming back to the Alamo Drafthouse in beautiful Winchester, VA April 14th and 15th.

Awards & Prizes

Best Feature
Best Short
Best Performance in Feature
Best Performance in Short
Best Gag
Audience Award
Plus, Screenplay awards.

Rules & Terms

1). Must be at least 18 & older to submit your film. Any filmmakers under 18 will not be considered.
3). Submission doesn't mean admission. Not all those accepted will be playing on the big screen.
4). Costs for the submissions go towards the cost of the festival and mental health resources alike.
5). Sexually explicit sequences. bordering the pornographic, will not be accepted.
6). The film doesn't have to be 100% focused on mental health.
7). We welcome international entries but the entries MUST have English subtitles. The same goes for screenwriting. If you are submitting from outside the US, all scripts must be in English.
8). Shorts have to be between 2 and 22 minutes. While features have to be a minimum of 75 minutes and a maximum of 120 minutes.
9). You, as the filmmaker, are responsible for all licenses and permits that pertain to your film. You will be asked to provide a release for said licenses as well.
6 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ryan Jafri

    I had a great experience screening my short film, The Call, at the 2022 Horrific Hope Film Festival. Josh was so accommodating, polite and professional. The venue (Alamo Drafthouse) is fantastic. I highly recommend this festival to my fellow filmmakers.

    October 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Hey Ryan! It was such a pleasure to screen your film at our inaugural year. Thanks for all your kind words and we look forward to seeing what you will bring us in future years.

  • Paul Anthony Nelson

    The Victims and Villains team behind the Horrific Hope Film Festival could not have been sweeter, not only choosing to add our film APPARITIONS to a superb program and giving it the chance to play on the big screen, but by being so enthusiastic about it they interviewed us for a podcast AND awarded us their Best Feature prize! Our only regret was we couldn’t have been there to attend in person. A great new festival with ace programming, run by lovely people with thoughtful, socially conscious aims — highly recommended.

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much for your kind words, Paul. We tried our hardest to bring the best selection possible to the wonderful world of the Alamo Drafthouse. It was absolutely our honor to bring Apparitions to our festival. It was a humbling experience to be the festival that brought your spooky film stateside. Looking forward to future submissions!

  • Mike Thompson

    I can't say enough about how great of an experience this festival was. Excellent curation of films, excellent promotion outside of the festival itself, great venue. Really amazing folks doing amazing things for indie cinema.

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much for your kind words, Mike. We tried our hardest to bring the best selection possible to the wonderful world of the Alamo Drafthouse. It was absolutely our honor to bring Threshold to our festival. Looking forward to future submissions!

  • Derek Silver

    Amazing festival, especially for their first year. Very well organized. Responsive communication throughout the process. Excellent curation of films. It was a real pleasure to have our film Ba'al Out make its Virginia debut here screening at the Alamo Drafthouse.

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much for your kind words, Derek. We strived to keep the filmmakers in the loop as much as possible. We wanted this to be your festival as much as those in attendance. It was absolutely our honor to bring Ba'al Out to our festival. We are humbled that Horrific Hope could be the VA premiere for your short film. Looking forward to future submissions!

  • Emre Balcık

    What a good festival! Thanks for eveything! :)

    May 2022
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks so much for your kind words, Emre. It was absolutely our honor to bring My Lovely Boy to our festival and its fear of parenthood. We are humbled that Horrific Hope could be the US premiere for your short film. Looking forward to future submissions!