INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL ~ We accept films from around the world!!

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The rumors are true, the Northern Frights Festival will return for a SEVENTH year!! That's cause for one scary celebration, and we intend to bring the fear like never before. Stay tuned for all the updates.

Once again, we're bringing the world's scariest films to Northern Ontario, and we're throwing this down on October 8 and 9, 2021, in beautiful North Bay, Ontario.

Please Note these THREE important updates (Jan. 2, 2021)

Ist Update: We are accepting features again! We haven't screened features since our first festival, and now we're hungry for more. With a longer festival, we will be able to once again acommodate feature length films...and we are thrilled.

2nd Update: Last year we presented the festival online and on YourTV. This year, we will be producing another special for YourTV (yes, we're doing this even if we have the live festival). This special will conist of submitted shorts. Rest assured if you're accepted to the festival, and we decide to use your film in the television special, we will contact you to let you know. Please NOTE, not all shorts accepted to screen at the festival will be chosen for inclusion in the television special. We will not include features in the television special.

3rd Update: Due to the health concerns posed by Covid-19, these dates are subject to change. We hope things are much better by then, and we can return to live events! If our hopes are dashed, we may be forced again to present the fest this year in a "virtual" manner--online, or otherwise--so as to ensure the safety of all horror fans within the city.

This is Northern Ontario's PREMIERE horror festival, and we're gearing up to bring you another heavy hit of horror!

We love horror movies, and we love those who make them, so we want to screen your films! We're looking for all types of horror flicks...monsters, psychos, killer plants, demon dogs, supernatural, super serious, hilarious, dreadful, creepy clowns, possessed machines, ghost horror, found footage, we want them all!!

Anything goes, as long as it's horror! We're also accepting sci-fi as well! As for format, we're focusing this year on shorts, no longer than 20 minutes, and feature films. We're also down with documentaries, animation, claymation, puppetry, wizardry, and we love trailers!!

Submit today, and showcase your work to a new audience of horror fans! Help us celebrate our seventh Northern Frights Festival!

We've been part of the "Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals" on FilmFreeway five times, in Nov. 2016, and February, April, May and June 2017! Thanks to everyone for their kind reviews!

Awards & Prizes

Awards and Prizes:
Yes there will be awards...the soon-to-be-coveted NFA's...the Northern Frights Awards! We'll have a jury this year to select the winners.

Laurels will be presented to:

Audience Favourite (for Shorts and Features)
Scariest Film
Best Soundtrack
Most Original Story
Best Actor (both male and female leads)
Best Visual Effects
Best Makeup
Best Gore
Best Cut (editing award)
Favourite Director

Rules & Terms

Rules and Terms:
We will accept films from any country, however, if they are not in English, please subtitle or dub them.
There is no "film made by" date. If it's good, we want to see it, doesn't matter if it was produced in '86. That's how we roll.
We'll accept submissions that have been previously screened elsewhere. After all, they will be new to Northern Frights.
We will also accept films that are currently available for public viewing on a video platform such as YouTube of Vimeo. However, if that film is accepted, you must make it inaccessible (i.e. not viewable) to the public on those platforms from the time you receive notice of acceptance to the Festival's conclusion.

Those submitting must be authorized to submit the film, and hold the rights to the film. Any violations of copyright will not be tolerated. Those INTERPOL warnings weren't just to scare you, stealing is not cool.

All films must be submitted in 1920 X 1080 Full HD. NO Quad HD, 4K, or 8K.

Please ensure that all subtitles are hardcoded to your video file as opposed to including discreet subtitles that need to be turned on in order to display on the
screen, such as utilizing the "CC" option on your Vimeo or YouTube upload.

Submitting your film does not guarantee a spot in the Northern Frights Festival lineup. However, we will get back to everyone who does submit to let them know the outcome of our decision.

If your film is accepted, you will gladly send us some digital promo material, and let us use this material to promote your film as part of our festival lineup.

The Northern Frights Festival reserves the right to use film stills and portions of accepted films for promotional purposes.

We only accept digital screeners, via FilmFreeway. That is all.
We will not accept works in progress. All entry fees paid are non-refundable. Please be sure to submit under the correct category.

Upon acceptance of your film, the Northern Frights Festival is granted the right to utilize and excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless the Northern Frights Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees, and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

The Northern Frights Festival DOES NOT PAY SCREENING FEES FOR FILMS.

Thanks for taking the time to read the rules. We appreciate it!!
One last thing, please do not contact the venue directly, as we'll only be there on the festival's date, and we'll be busy!

But contact us at distantfield@hotmail.com or through our site, www.northernfrightsfestival.com

40 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Conall Pendergast

    A great experience. Communication was excellent, and it was a smart pandemic-friendly idea (and a nice surprise) to have the films available both online and on broadcast TV!

    November 2021
    Helpful
    Northern frights distant field productions (8)
    Response from festival:

    Thanks Conall, it was so great having you involved this year. We appreciate the kind words!

  • Sam Quinn & Connor McLean

    Kind and enthusiastic folx and a rad festival. I'll def be submitting again in the future!

    November 2021
    Helpful
    Northern frights distant field productions (8)
    Response from festival:

    Thanks guys! Looking forward to what you cook up next!

  • Carlos Garcia, Jr.

    Broadcasting your film on TV, what a crazy cool experience! Northern Frights definitely came up with a fun way to forgo the cinema experience. COVID sucks!

    December 2020
    Helpful
    Northern frights distant field productions (8)
    Response from festival:

    Thanks Carlos!

  • Marc Cartwright

    I have had the pleasure of participating in the Northern Frights Festival with a few films. Each time gets better and better!! This team clearly loves filmmakers and makes the experience inclusive, fun, and interactive. The quality of work is great and the communication is impeccable! I highly suggest submitting to this festival and attending when possible!! When you make a film, you want the type of attention Northern Frights brings to it!

    November 2020
    Helpful
    Northern frights distant field productions (8)
    Response from festival:

    Well isn't that a nice thing to say...thanks so much, Marc! It's always a treat having you guys involved in the fest. You're becomming a regular, which is very cool for us, because the North is digging what you all are laying down! It's truly impressive the body of work you're developing, and we can't wait to see what you all come up with next. Stay safe, and keep those cameras rolling!

  • Rafael De Leon Jr.

    I've had the pleasure of having several short films screen at Northern Frights and David did a great job with this year's virtual festival. Not only were the films available to watch on the festival website, but they were also televised in North Bay, Ontario! Great communication from David as well, which is an important part of any festival. Submit to Northern Frights!

    November 2020
    Helpful
    Northern frights distant field productions (8)
    Response from festival:

    Thanks Rafael, it's always great having you involved in the fest. You and your team make some awesome films, and we're always excited to see what you get up to next. All the best on your future projects!