Mm 137 best genre fests laurels 2021 1

San francisco’s ‘Another Hole in the Head’ Film Festival is a two week cinematic excursion into the realms of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and assorted other genres. Taking its cue from other legendary festivals such as Cannes, Sundance, Another Hole in the Head pulls together a diverse collection of films representing all varieties and budgetary considerations. Another Hole in the Head provides a unique vehicle for independent cinema. This year’s festival takes place December 1st - December 13th 2021 at the THX certified New Peoples Cinema in San Francisco, CA. It will also take place online on Eventive and Zoom for those who can't make the live theater screenings.

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With this festival, we seek broader horizons than the common interpretation of "genre film" allows. All styles of independent film are welcome to compete: whether it's a major production from a professional company, a student film, or a micro-budget labor of love, we are committed to giving each film due consideration.

We are located in a very receptive town for film, and we've built a passionate following over the years. 2021 will mark our 18th year among the most highly rated festivals in the world, and we're still growing!

San Francisco is the second largest film market in the country, and a great promotional platform for indie filmmakers who are trying to get their film out into the world. Many films that screen at our festival spark the attention of other film festivals and film brokers/buyers. In addition, the films and the festival are reviewed by some of the top players in the industry, such as Variety, The San Francisco Chronicle, Dread Central, Bloody Disgusting, and Fangoria, just to name a few.

Our theatrical home is New People Cinema in San Francisco's Japantown. A 143-seat underground venue located in the New People Building, the Cinema is equipped with cutting-edge HD digital projection, 35mm film projection and a THX®-certified sound system. New People Cinema hosts many local film festivals including the San Francisco International Film Festival, CAAMFest, Green Film Festival, and the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco.

Awards & Prizes

AWARD CATEGORIES:

*Audience Awards:
Top Film
Best US Film
Best Foreign Film
Best Local Film
Best Student Film
Best Action/Adventure Film
Best Animated Film
Best Art/Experimental Film
Best Comedy Film
Best Crime Film
Best Documentary Film
Best Drama Film
Best Fan Film
Best Fantasy Film
Best Horror Film
Best Musical Film/Music Video
Best Mystery/Noir Film
Best Science Fiction Film
Best Slasher/Splatter Film
Best Thriller/Suspense Film
Best Warped Comedy Film
Best Western Film

* When there are a sufficient number of features, featurettes, and shorts in a category, one of each will receive an award.

Staff Awards:
Favorite Feature
Favorite Featurette
Favorite Short
Best Trailer (entries limited to films screening in the festival)

2020 Winners:

AUDIENCE AWARDS:

TOP FILMS
Feature: Stray Dogs
Short: Sadlands

BEST US FILMS
Feature: The Big Ugly
Short: Sundown Trail

BEST FOREIGN FILMS
Feature: The Turn of the Screw
Short: Endgame

BEST LOCAL FILMS
Feature: Precarious
Short (tie): DENNIS: The Man Who Legalized Cannabis + Doris and Ivy

BEST STUDENT FILM
Secret Base

BEST ACTION/ADVENTURE FILMS
Feature: Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers
Short: Officer Down

BEST ANIMATION FILMS
Feature: Joe Finds Grace
Short: First Born

BEST ART/EXPERIMENTAL FILMS
Feature: Country of Hotels
Short: Kiko's Saints

BEST CRIME FILMS
Feature: Choir Girl
Short (tie): The Body + Sidewinder

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Feature (tie): The Explorer + The Horror Crowd
Short(tie): Giant: The World of Filmmaker Jeff Leroy + Irelands Wild Ancient East

BEST DRAMA FILMS
Feature: The Statement
Short: The Menu for Tomorrow

BEST FAN FILMS
Feature: DEATH WISH REVISION
Short: The Other Wayne

BEST FANTASY FILMS
Feature: Imperial Blue
Short: The Haunted Swordsman

BEST HORROR FILMS
Feature: An Unquiet Grave
Short: Endangered

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Even the Rats

BEST MYSTERY/NOIR FILMS
Feature: Some Southern Waters
Short (tie): Insurance can be sometime a dangerous game! + Tutu Grande

BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILMS
Feature: The Return
Short (tie): Jeff Drives You + Pa Pa

BEST SLASHER SPLATTER FILMS
Feature: The Last Thanksgiving
Short: The Fourth Wall

BEST THRILLER/SUSPENSE FILMS
Feature: Beasts Clawing at Straws
Short: Out of Sync

BEST WARPED COMEDY
Feature: MURDER BURY WIN
Short: My Dinner with Werner

BEST WESTERN FILM
Ghost in the Gun

STAFF AWARDS:

Favorite Feature Film: Sister Tempest
Favorite Short Film: The Lost
Best Trailer: The Big Kitty

2019 Winners:

Best Feature Film of the Fest: Senior Love Triangle
Best Short Film of the Fest: Urban Scout
Best US Feature Film: EAT BRAINS LOVE
Best US Short Film: FOOLS, GOLD
Best Foreign Feature Film: Dead Dicks
Best Foreign Short Film: Dong Kae (My Little One)
Best Local Feature Film: X
Best Local Short Film: "The Escort"
Best Student Film: Passenger
Best Action/Adventure Feature Film: She Never Died
Best Action/Adventure Short Film: The Redeemer
Best Animated Film: TO YOUR LAST DEATH
Best Art/Experimental Film: Amaterasu
Best Comedy Feature Film: Holy Trinity
Best Comedy Short Film: The Last Callback
Best Crime Feature Film: Easy Does It
Best Crime Short Film: Cut
Best Documentary Feature Film: Phantom of Winnipeg
Best Documentary Short Film: Fixing L.A.
Best Drama Feature Film: The Man With the Silver case
Best Drama Short Film: CHICKEN
Best Fan Film: Friday the 13th "REVISION"
Best Fantasy Feature Film: The Wretched
Best Fantasy Short Film: Furube
Best Horror Feature Film: THE DEAD ONES
Best Horror Short Film: Killer Date
Best Music Video: Clouds
Best Mystery/Noir Film: The Tangle
Best Science Fiction Feature Film: Giantess Attack versus Mecha Fembot
Best Science Fiction Short Film: Hacked
Best Thriller/Suspense Feature Film: Greenlight
Best Thriller/Suspense Short Film: Playtime's Over
Best Western Film: Bleeding, Kansas

Staff Awards:

Best Feature Film: Get Gone
Best Short Film: La Noria
Best Trailer: 8 (South Africa)

2018 Winners:

Audience Awards (Genre Division):
Top Feature - [Tie] Alive; Galaxy Lords
Top Short - The Quiet Room
Best US Feature - The Night Sitter
Best US Short - Unzipping
Best Foreign Feature - Lifechanger
Best Foreign Short - Hangover Food
Best Local Film - Snaggletooth
Best Student Film - Beyond Horizons
Best Action/Adventure Film - Earthy Encounters
Best Animated Film - Double King
Best Art/Experimental Film - Pee Free Pool
Best Comedy Feature - Killer Unicorn
Best Comedy Short - Toasted
Best Documentary - Giant Women, Micro-Budget
Best Fantasy Film - Should You Meet a Lady in a Darkened Wood
Best Horror Feature - Echoes of Fear
Best Horror Short - The Hidebehind
Best Music Video - Avicenna
Best Science Fiction Feature - Reborn
Best Science Fiction Short - Deep Clean
Best Thriller/Suspense Feature - Rondo
Best Thriller/Suspense Short - Frank's Last Job
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Audience Awards (Non-Genre Division):
Top Feature - Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records
Top Short - No Tricks
Best US Film - Heather Has Four Moms
Best Foreign Film - Piscina (Pool)
Best Local Film - The Last Lesson
Best Comedy - Pretty Pretty Prison
Best Documentary - The World is Round So That Nobody Can Hide in the Corners, Part 1 - Refuge
Best Drama - Good Morning Pakistan
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Staff Awards:
27 West (Genre Feature)
Faulty Father (Genre Short)
I Love My Mum (Non-Genre Film)

Rules & Terms

Only online screeners will be considered for short films. Any questions or other correspondence regarding short film submissions should be addressed to Romany Adams (romany@ahith.com).

Feature film screeners in the form of DVD, Blu-ray, and USB drive may be accepted for consideration with prior permission from the Festival Producers [George Kaskanlian Jr. (415-793-6868) or Eric Ringer (eric.ringer@gmail.com)].

LEGAL STUFF: Submitters understand that submission of their work authorizes the Festival to use the work for exhibition, education and/or publicity purposes related to the festival; that the Festival will handle any prints and drives with a maximum of care but cannot be held liable for any damage or loss during shipping, preview, or screening, and also that the Festival is not responsible for any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, or royalty infringement related to the work. Submitters may receive future correspondence from the Festival. The festival will never publish your film online under any circumstances.
58 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Joseph Graham

    Wonderful festival in the Bay Area. Great weirdo films and good people. We've done this fest twice now, one of them being virtual and had different but very fun experiences!

    August 2021
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  • Mike Hay

    I was thrilled and delighted that my project ‘Even The Rats’ was officially selected to participate in the prestigious 2020 ‘San Francisco Another Hole in the Head Film Festival’. I have been a long time fan of the festival and just proud to have been selected, and for my project to win Best Music Video, I was absolutely blown away! My experience was great; I found the festival team to be extremely helpful and supportive in answering questions and helping making arrangements for participation. Due to COVID-19, the festival was virtual, and I applaud the festival for creating what I thought was a brilliant event under the circumstances. Really going out of their way to provide a great virtual streaming event as well as great zoom-based networking and workshops. I applaud any festival that works this hard to try and maintain the spirit of collaboration and networking, especially when having to do it all remotely. I am very proud to have had the opportunity to participate in the festival and I look forward to the opportunity to participate again and would love to attend in person someday!

    March 2021
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  • Peter Tintle

    This festival is great. All the films were amazing and the organizers were very professional. Our film was submitted during COVID so everything was online...but the organizers did a fantastic job making sure the films were accessible and Q&As were hosted perfectly. This festival just keeps getting better and better each year...I recommend it to anyone submitting a film, whether it's high budget, indie, music video, long format, short format...you'll be very happy with the results.

    February 2021
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  • Rus Wooton

    We had a great experience with AHITH 2020! The pandemic limited networking, but that wasn't the fault of festival organizers. They did a great job with the online festival.

    February 2021
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  • Kevin Hanson

    San Francisco AHITH Film Festival is one of the most welcoming festivals I have experience with, it's very inclusive and truly fun.

    February 2021
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