IMPORTANT UPDATE: DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND RESTRICTIONS, WE ARE UNABLE TO HOLD THE FESTIVAL IN 2020. OUR 2020 FESTIVAL IS MOVING TO SUMMER OF 2021, WHERE WE WILL HAVE AN EXPANDED JOINT EDITION OF OUR 9TH AND 10TH ANNUAL EVENTS COMBINED. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR NEW SUBMISSIONS FOR 2021.

The International Horror Hotel Film Festival and Convention is held every June in Northeast Ohio (near Cleveland). We have open competitions for films and scripts in the following genres: documentary (film only), experimental (film only), fantasy, horror, horror-comedy, slasher, sci-fi and suspense-thriller. We also accept trailers, music videos, TV pilots (film or script), and web episodes (film or script).

Competition is also open for our horror film scoring competition (submissions through our website). At the event, we have live scream king/scream queen and FX makeup competitions as well.

The event features four days of film screenings, two days of panel discussions and lectures, a convention, special guests, networking parties, live competitions and more.

***PLEASE READ ALL RULES/TERMS BEFORE SUBMITTING***

Awards & Prizes

Genre awards in each category - 1st through 4th place, plus honorable mention awards, for qualifying projects.

For attending winners, awards include trophies, plaques and certificates. Non-attending winners receive e-certificates.

Grand champion belts to: Best Overall Film, Best Overall Script, and Viewer's Choice Award. (Must be in attendance to receive the physical award.)

Additional film awards and nominations include acting, cinematography, directing, editing, and Ohio film awards.

Sponsored awards TBA.

Rules & Terms

***PLEASE READ ALL RULES/TERMS BEFORE SUBMITTING***

When submitting your project, be sure to E-MAIL US at horrorhotelfest@gmail.com with your selected genre: documentary (film only); experimental (film only); fantasy; horror; horror-comedy; sci-fi; slasher; suspense-thriller. If you are submitting a TV pilot or Web episode, whether film or script, please e-mail us which of the two you are entering your project as. Filmmakers, please also note if your film is a student project or non-English/subtitled film, as we have separate categories. Please include your project name in the e-mail.

There are NO restrictions as to when your film or script was completed or where it has been released. Anyone may enter the competition. All entries must receive an average score of 85 or above in the judging process to qualify for award placement.

Filmmakers - If you are submitting your screener by hard copy, we will require TWO copies. Please check BOTH copies of your DVD or Blu-Ray before mailing to make sure they play. Each DVD or Blu-Ray should have your film title, total run time and FF tracking number. It is recommended that you check your DVDs or Blu-Rays on more than one DVD/Blu-Ray player (not a computer) to ensure they play, as this is a common issue with submissions. We do NOT accept files, file discs, or any other format - NO EXCEPTIONS.

Hard copies are NOT returned, unless you clear this with the festival administration from the beginning. In order to have your disc(s) or script(s) returned to you (after the festival) you MUST send an SASE along with your disc(s) OR script(s) - not separately or after.

IF YOU SUBMIT VIA SECURE ONLINE SCREENER AND YOUR FILM IS SELECTED TO SCREEN, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SEND A HARD COPY (DVD / BLU-RAY) OF YOUR FILM FOR SCREENING. ANY SELECTED FILM NOT RECEIVED BY A GIVEN DEADLINE WILL BE REPLACED IN THE LINEUP - NO EXCEPTIONS.

We do not grant submission fee waivers under any circumstance.

We do not pay screening fees.

Please note, if your project qualifies for an award, you or a direct representative from your project must be in attendance at the festival in order to receive any physical awards. Non-attending winners will be e-mailed award certificates after the event.

All submissions - whether accepted or not - come with ONE complimentary 4-day event pass to the festival. No additional passes will be comped. Any additional passes must be purchased in advance or at the door.

If you have a film in competition which can no longer be considered for screening, you may withdraw it from screening consideration but still leave it in competition for award placement. Please e-mail horrorhotelfest@gmail.com immediately if you need to withdraw from consideration for screening.

You may withdraw your submission at any time, but there are no refunds on submissions.
71 Reviews
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  • Tobias Forrest

    Although festivals had to be online this year, it was great to be involved with ones like The International Horror Hotel. Dead End Drive appreciated the opportunity to be included as well as represent inclusion in the film industry. Much gratitude for making us an award winner! ~DED

    July 2021
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  • James Barrett

    This year's International Horror Hotel Film Festival was great! Met a lot of people. Great screenings and informative lectures. Ray and Kristina did a wonderful job pulling the festival all together.

    June 2021
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  • Austen Sprake

    Awesome people, just trying to create a festival where filmmakers can network. No cash-hungry film festival from these people! Drove down from VT and will do so again gladly.

    June 2021
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  • max willocx

    Thanks for nominating and screening "The Unwanted Guest" at the festival. Very good and personal communication with Kristina. Due to covid, I couldn't travel to the USA, and I regret that I couldn't be at the festival. Because of that, I didn't receive a physical award. It would have been a great reminder for my first film, but unfortunately covid prevented that. I'm also wondering what the audience thought of the short, because I haven't heard anything after...

    June 2021
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  • Kerry Stauffer

    I had a great time at the International Horror Hotel. Ray and Kristina truly know what they’re doing and have a vast knowledge not only in picking quality content but creating it as well. I met amazing writers, directors, and actors and am grateful I got to go to this festival in person.

    June 2021
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