The 'International Fortean Film Festival' is run by filmmakers and people with a passion for all things weird and paranormal....

ABOUT US

We are non-elitist and non-political, and welcome entries from all Fortean (and non-Fortean) filmmakers around the globe irrespective of age or experience, with several categories to celebrate a wide range of genres, paying special attention to film projects which may be deemed quirky and unusual, or sit outside the mainstream.

The trophy for the 'Judge's Award for Best of Show' will be presented to the submission which they deem to be the overall best entrant in the festival.

There will also be an 'Audience Choice Award' which attendees of the live event will be able to vote for in-person.

WHAT DOES 'FORTEAN' MEAN?

Fortean - /ˈfôrdēən/ /ˈfɔrdiən/

adjective.
1) A subject of the unexplained, unknown, paranormal, supernatural or strange/anomalous phenomena.
2) Of or relating to 'Charles Fort' (6th August 1874 – 3rd May 1932); he was an American writer and researcher who studied anomalous phenomena.

noun.
1) A person who studies and investigates the unexplained.

WHY CHOOSE US?

There are many perks to submitting your project to the 'International Fortean Film Festival', which include: -

We have been able to facilitate the sale of UK television rights for at least one submission in every season of our festival to date - as aquisitions to major network A+E, leading to premieres on UK television on renowned channels Sky History and Blaze.

A guarantee that your project will be viewed and judged by an international panel of industry professionals from the world of film and television, from both in front and behind the camera, with a wealth of connections to numerous main-stream television networks, distributors and media outlets.

This is an IMDb approved festival.

£1 SUBMISSION for the category of 'Best Poster/Press Kit'.

Guaranteed free publicity for all official selections via our social media platforms.

The potential for publicity through interviews on established genre-specific YouTube channels and podcasts, as well as the possibility of being interviewed by the prestigious 'VideoScope' and 'Fortean Times' magazines.

The potential for reviews to be published in a range of media forms with a range of media outlets, including British national newspapers.

Bespoke selection and award laurels.

Discount on submission for FilmFreeway Gold members.

The creators of the most exceptional submissions may be invited to join the judging panel for the next season of the festival, offering a potential opportunity to gain experience behind the scenes of the judging process and live film screenings.

A great opportunity to network with industry professionals and have your project catch the eyes of international distributors.

SUBMISSIONS ENTERED INTO ONE SINGLE CATEGORY WHICH THE JUDGING PANEL DEEM TO FIT IN OTHER CATEGORIES MAY BE MOVED INTO ANOTHER CATEGORY OR JUDGED IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR EVERY SELECTION TO BE SCREENED AT THE LIVE EVENT.

Short submissions are less than 45 minutes in duration; feature submissions are more than 45 minutes in duration.

We have many submission categories to celebrate a wide range of genres, paying special attention to film projects which may be deemed quirky and unusual, or sit outside the mainstream.

In previous seasons there has been a multi-level award structure, however in 2025 we changed to a model of one winner per category.

The 'Judge's Award for Best of Show' will be presented to the submission which our jury deem to be the overall best entrant in the festival.

There will also be an 'Audience Choice Award' which attendees of the live event will be able to vote for in-person.

Entrants are responsible for ensuring that any material submitted is appropriately licensed for use and public screening.

All films submitted must be in English or have English subtitles included.

We will accept links to online versions of your film. You may enter a password protected link for Vimeo, or an unlisted/private link for YouTube when completing the submission form via FilmFreeway. Links must remain active for the duration of the festival.

All entrants must consent to having their work downloaded.

All films which are officially selected will be scored by the judging panel, but not all selections are guaranteed to be screened at the live event. If you would definitely like your film to be screened, you are encouraged to notify the festival organisers by emailing info@forteanfilmfestival.com or using the contact form at www.forteanfilmfestival.com when you complete your submission.

The Fortean Film Festival reserves the right to disqualify a submission, without refund of any kind, if eligibility requirements are not met including if eligibility status changes post-submission.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST: -

Completed submission form, submitted electronically via FilmFreeway.

For best chance of selection entrants should aim to include a poster for their film, an electronic press kit, and a trailer (where possible); as well as a link to a secured online screener for your film that is accessible for the duration of the festival.

Ensure that entry fees are paid; these are non-refundable.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Thank you Fortean, for your support of our film "Mom's Secret?", and the award of best childrens film! Wish you al the best.

    November 2025
  • Thank you Fortean Film Festival for having our debut feature film 'Haunters of the Silence' as an official selection! Excellent communication from the festival.

    November 2025
  • Thanks for choosing No Such Thing As Werewolves! as one of your Official Selections. Always nice to be selected by the home team, and hope to attend next year!

    November 2025
  • We are honoured that Third Floor Pigu was recognised at the Fortean Film Festival. The festival is professional, inspiring, and genuinely dedicated to showcasing unique, thought-provoking, and diverse storytelling. A fantastic platform that values originality and global creativity, proud to be part of it!

    November 2025
  • Luca Caserta

    Thank you so much to the Jury for awarding me the Best Director Award for my short film "The Reach". I'm thrilled and truly honored for this recognition. Fortean Film Festival is a really well-organized and high-quality film festival. I truly recommend it to filmmakers all over the world!

    November 2025