It's a film competition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of George A. Romero's classic "Night of the Living Dead"! With the 2017 passing of this legendary independent filmmaker, Pittsburgh is celebrating his legacy with a month-long collection of screenings and fun events in October 2018, called "Romero Lives!". ROMERO of TOMORROW SHORT HORROR FILM Contest is one of the kickoff events, with a screening of the best submissions at the Regent Square Theater.

This contest is being offered by Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

Awards & Prizes

There are prizes for the best film in the two divisions:

Adult Division $250 (age 18-over)
Teen Division $150 (age 13-17)

Rules & Terms

This contest is for films with a connection to Pittsburgh--where Romero built his career as the master of the zombie and other horror films. The film must be shot in the Pittsburgh region, and/or the director/directing team must have resided in the region when the film was made.

The R.O.T. Fest accepts films up to 15 minutes in length.

We are looking for films made in the tradition of Romero: independent, original, and terrifying! We seek films made at any budget level, but we're especially interested in a couple things:
1. Creativity. We like to be scared, creeped out, and spooked, but LOVE to experience it in new ways that contribute to the horror genre.
2. More than Gore. Blood and body parts are good--we all need them!--but so are character, story, and setting. All the ketchup in the world won't make a bad hot dog good.

FAQ's That We Just Made Up
Can I submit a film that has screened in Pittsburgh before?
Sure. Good films deserve a second life.

Can I submit an old film?
We will accept any film made since the premiere of "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968.

Do I have to be present to win?
What, you have something better to do on October 7? No, you don't have to be present, but we'd love to have you in town for the city-wide Romero Lives celebration, and for the R.O.T. screening.

Will I get to read the judges' comments?
Yes, if you ask nicely, we will send judges' scores and comments for your film.

Must it be in English?
Yes, or English subtitles.

4 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Ryan Lucht

    The Festival was a lot of fun. Since this was my first film festival, I didn't know what to expect. I met great people, saw some fantastic films and had a great time

    October 2018
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  • Tyler Sandy

    I really enjoyed my time at the festival for it's first year. I really hope there is a second year. It was a small group of people but it's a first year. There were some great films that I saw that really blew me away. Will the manager of the event, was really cool and took a few of us out for drinks after the event. It was a lot of fun.

    October 2018
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  • Jason Sealy

    Wonderful, fun, and open! A great showcase to help foster the evolution of Pittsburgh horror.

    October 2018
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  • Bradford Uyeda

    I know it's weird to give five stars for everything, but I would give ten if I could. Romero of Tomorrow Film Festival was one of the best festivals I've ever been to. Great programming, wonderful people, perfect communication, awesome venues and a lot of fun. If you miss this festival you REALLY MISSED A LOT. Romero of Tomorrow really is a festival for filmmakers and people who love horror movies. Thank you for having me. I will be back. 100%.

    October 2018
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