SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN!

Welcome to the Top 100 Film Festivals, The Upstate NY Horror Film Festival in Rochester NY! BRRR, it's cold!

Three Days of Films, Sep 23rd, 24th, 25th, 2022!

This years Special Guest, TBA

*Entertainment and special guest are subject to change to schedule conflict*

NEW FOR 2022- ANTHOLOGY CONTEST

Upstate NY Horror Film Festival has partnered with A Shadow in the Dark Productions LLC and Blue Waves Distribution to give YOU a chance to be part of a feature and get your film distributed Worldwide.

A Shadow in the Dark Productions has gotten their films into places like Walmart, Bestbuy, FYE, Family Video (RIP), FandangoNow, Itunes, GooglePlay, Amazon, and even Distribution in over 10 Countries including Top 14 Box Office Turkey, Top 10 Microsoft Horror UK, Russia, Germany, Korea, India, Australia, Italy, and much more!

We are taking submissions worldwide!

Contest Rules:
1) Film must be a Horror/Thriller/Psycological
2) Films must be between 5-13 min
3) Films must be of English Dialogue or English Subtitles if Foreign
4) Films must be filmed in 4k. Some exceptions for 1080P (Home Documentary Style)
5) Have fun!

The winning films will play at the VIP Networking Party during the Festival Weekend!

Terms: A Shadow in the Dark Productions LLC has sponsored and guarantee a shared $3,000 Advancement Plus shared Backend Points to the Winner(s), with Worldwide Distribution!

Check out some of the films from our previous year,
Yr 2 https://youtu.be/SYiLeTKy8Sc .
Yr 3 https://youtu.be/nBew9F55JeM
Yr 4 https://youtu.be/CZlvlmxNBxM
YR 5 https://youtu.be/Sv1Wh7Ul1nk
YR 6 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4m7iLXOV26U
YR 7/8, https://youtu.be/_cyN5ePWkmk

2020/2021 WINNERS
UPSTATE NY HORROR FILM FESTIVAL

WINNERS

PHOTOGRAPHY

BEST OVERALL PHOTOGRAPHY - Michael J. Huxley

GORIEST Photography- Tyler Darkow
CLASSIC Photography - Tyler Darkow
ARTISTIC Photography - Michael J. Huxley
CREEPIEST - Tyler Darkow
Mysterious - Steven Hirohama

MUSIC VIDEO

BEST MUSIC VIDEO - Ghosted

RUNNER UP - The Emperor of Ice Cream

TRAILER

BEST Trailer - Searchers Believe
Best Animation Trailer - Rabbit Snake
BEST EXPERIMENTAL TRAILER - Tales from the Gravestones
BEST GRINDHOUSE TRAILER - Keep Closed at all Times

RUNNER UP - The Murder House
Honorable Mention - Aphasia

CLOWN SHORT

BEST CLOWN SHORT - YOU MISSED A SPOT

RUNNER UP - DEATH SCENE

MINI SHORT FILMS

Best Mini - Born to be Damned
Best NY Mini - Dark Desire
Best Animation Mini - Port
Best NY Animation - Posted No Hunting
Best Experimental Mini - The Orange Virus
Best Foreign Mini - Fated
Best Sci-Fi Mini - Sentient

Tastiest Mini - Kiss The Cook
Creepiest Mini - Stranger

Runner Up Best Mini - The Feeding
Runner Up Best NY Mini - Mezza Morta
Runner Up Best Animation Mini - Lethologica
Runner Up Best Foreign Mini - My Own Worst Enemy

Honorable Mention Best NY Mini - Matched
Honorable Mention Best Foreign Mini - Killer Party
Honorable Mention Best Mini - Milk

NY SHORT FILMS

BEST NY SHORT (2019)- Professor M

RUNNER UP (2019) - Boo?

Honorable Mention (2019) - The White Place

BEST NY STUDENT ANIMATION - Anna’s Letters

FOREIGN FILMS
BEST FOREIGN (2019) - A tale of Salt and Sea
BEST FOREIGN (2020) - Human Trash
RUNNER UP (2019)- Mojave Shadows
RUNNER UP (2020) - Script
Honorable Mention (2019) - Switch
Honorable Mention (2019) - Grandfather
Honorable Mention (2020) - Bite

STUDENT FILMS
Best Student Film - Nesting Grounds
Best NY Student Film - Overgrown
Best Foreign Student - Silenceless
Best Experimental Student Film - Soul Mates

Runner Up Best Student Film - The Moon The Bat The Monster
Runner Up NY Student Film - Every Little Thing
Runner Up Foreign Student - 13th TAKE

Honorable Mention Foreign Student Marzanna
Honorable Mention NY Student Film - All we can Do

SHORT Horror Films
BEST ANIMATION (2019) - Peek A Boo
BEST ANIMATION (2020) - Pain Boy
BEST SHORT (2019) - Deep Shock
BEST DARK COMEDY (2019) - Meat Lovers
BEST EXPERIMENTAL (2020) - Passport Chronicles

CREEPIEST SHORT (2019) - Cottonmouth

RUNNER UP (2019) - Fool

Honorable Mention (2019) - Grian Dubh (Black Sun)

BEST FEATURE FILM - THE GIRL IN CABIN 13
YOUNG FILMMAKER AWARD - It’s only the end of the World
Best Stop Motion Viviana Triumphant
Best Diverse Film - Sundown Town
Cell Award - Number One Hit

Awards & Prizes

Awards & Prizes
Best Director (Short and Feature)
Best Short Film
Best Sci-fi Film
Best Fantasy Film
Best Special Effects
Best Cinematography
Best Sound Design
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Gore
Audience Choice
Best Sci-Fi Film
Best Fantasy Film
Best Student Film
Best NY horror Film
Best Foreign horror Film
Best Trailer
Best Animation Horror Film
Best Horror Script
Best Sci-Fi Script
Best Scenic Photography and Aerial shots
Best Creepy Photography and Aerial shots
and many more additional awards.

Rules & Terms

*No Entry Waivers*

GENERAL RULES
• All submissions to the Upstate NY Horror Film Festival (the "Festival") must include,
in one delivery: (a) the applicable entry fee; and (b) the submission. Multiple entries require multiple submission packages. All submissions are subject to these guidelines and rules (the "Festival Rules").
Submission deadlines for this festival are posted.

• Film submissions must be provided on a digital file (FilmFreeway/Vimeo/Youtube) (please test before sending)
•Once selected, please send movie in Highest format (up to 4gb for shorts) (Feature films can go up to 10 GB) mp4. h264 files only, Mov.
• Submissions must be English language or English subtitled.
• Include title and name of contact on all media, materials, and containers.
• Do not send originals. The Festival is not responsible for materials lost or damaged in transit.
• Submissions must be available for screening during the Upstate NY Horror Fest
• Upstate NY Horror Film Festival reserves the right to change submission categories.
Eligibility and category determinations, along with prize awards, are the sole discretion of the Festival.
• We ONLY accept films from a horror, horror comedy, suspense, thriller, science fiction or any other genre related to horror/thriller. Films will only be accepted in the following categories: Short horror/thriller films with a time limit under 30 minutes, trailers, features
. We will accept Trailers or short promos that deal with the horror genre.
All films selected, Digital, must be given three weeks prior to festival. Any copies received after, will be considered for the next year.
51 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Spencer D. C. Gunnell

    Wasn't able to attend but they were delightful over email and easily communicated to me. Hope people enjoyed seeing my work!

    January 2022
    Helpful
  • David Dorsky

    Really disappointed w/ the communication regarding award winners. After being notified by film freeway that my film had received an award, I contacted the festival multiple times to find out what I had won but never received a response. Furthermore, they posted some award winners on their facebook page and said they'd post more the next day. It's now been a month and they still haven't posted the award winners. Really unprofessional and disappointing.

    November 2021
    Helpful
  • Kate Darion

    Very nice folks, very happy to be part of the festival with our short film,"Keep Closed At All Times." Hope we can be part of the fun again in the future.

    October 2021
    Helpful
  • Alexander Hinojosa

    Unfortunately couldn't make it to the screening, but I think its awesome my film could be screened in a theater finally! I talked to a friend who saw my film play and he had nothing but good words about the festival. Hopefully I can attend another year~

    October 2021
    Helpful
  • Brooks Wieszczek

    Super fun to be a part of this festival. Was ecstatic to see my film on the big screen. All around great experience, and very proud to have contributed.

    October 2021
    Helpful