RUSH After Dark will now run alongside the RUSH Youth Film Festival JULY 23-26, 2026.

SEE LAST YEAR'S FESTIVAL RECAP: https://youtu.be/a52V--9rKyE

A twisted sister to the RUSH Youth Film Festival, RUSH After Dark is a late-night celebration of the bizarre, the bloody, and the beautifully unhinged. We’re calling for short films that live on the fringes—horror, schlock, grindhouse, midnight movies, and anything too weird for the mainstream. Think cult classics in the making. If your film is gritty, gory, or just gloriously unclassifiable, we want to see it.

Awards & Prizes

We’re recognizing excellence in filmmaking across multiple categories:

Top Awards
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Sound Design/Editing
Best Screenplay
Best Original Score
Best Visual Effects
Best Practical Effects

Performance Awards
Best Performance in a Lead Role
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Best Ensemble Cast

AND MORE ...

Rules & Terms

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
We accept short films that fit within or around the following genres:

- Horror
- Psychological Thriller
- Grindhouse / Exploitation
- Sci-fi Horror
- Dark Comedy
- B-movie / Schlock
- Experimental / Surreal
- Anything too weird for the mainstream

If your film pushes boundaries, leans into the bizarre, or could air at 2AM on a cursed VHS tape—send it.

LENGTH
- Maximum runtime: 25 minutes (including credits)
- No minimum length.

ELIGIBILITY
- Films must have been completed within the last 2 years.
- International entries are welcome, but all non-English films must include English subtitles.
- You can submit multiple films, but each must be submitted separately.

CONTENT WARNING
We love chaos, but we have some standards:
- No real harm to people or animals.
- No hate speech, racism, or bigotry.
- No pornography.
- We reserve the right to disqualify films that cross the line.

SELECTION PROCESS
- A panel of blood-soaked judges will select finalists based on originality, style, execution, and raw nerve.
- Selected films will be screened at the RUSH After Dark festival event in Fall 2025.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
By submitting, you confirm:
- You own the rights to your film.
- You grant us permission to screen your film at the festival and use excerpts/stills for promotional purposes.