Scumdance is a celebration of the best of underground film. ​We champion punks, weirdos, mutants, misfits, metalheads & maniacs from around the globe.

We specialize in horror, comedy, horror-comedy, sci-fi, avant-garde, music based, and experimental films. Though really, we're just looking for good, weird movies.

Awards & Prizes

Awards Categories
Best Short
Best Feature
Best Score/Soundtrack
Best Performance
Best Animation/stop-motion
Best Directing
Best Cinematography
Audience Favorite Short
Audience Favorite Feature
The Travis Calvery Scumdancitarian Award for the film that truly embrace the ethos of Scumdance.

2023 Winners:
Best Performance: Micheline Chartier - Red Tiles
Best Cinematography: Jakob Bilinski - Real Cool Time
Best Music/Sound: Logan Felber - Annihilator
Best Animated Film: Duban Pinzon - Lete
Best Director: Dustin Shea - Untitled.mov
Best Short: Now Is Not The Time
Best Feature: INTO THE SHED
Audience Award Best Short: Annihilator
Audience Award Best Feature: Kim's Video
The Travis Calvert Scumdancitarian Award: (TIE)
Microdosing directed by Patrick Adam Peña
and
Motomarine directed by Gabriel Auclair-Doucet

2022 Winners:
Judges Favorite Feature: The Secret of Cuck Island
Judges Favorite Short: Living Room
Audience Favorite Feature: Zero Budget Heroes
Audience Favorite Short: Don't Walk Alone in the Dark

Best Score/Soundtrack -Barry Paul Clark - Bid Hope Farewell
Best Acting (non-gender specific) - John Burgio - The Secret of Cuck Island
Best Animation/stop-motion - Lynn Kristmanson - Secret Santa
Best Directing - Oz Stremel Overshiner - Sanctus
Best Cinematography - Elwin Rijken - Living Room

Rules & Terms

Please send us your most entertaining live action, stop motion, and animated shorts and features, but any submissions that are deemed to be overtly racist, sexist, homophobic, featuring animal or child abuse, or otherwise just plain outside the bounds of bad taste will be flatly rejected.
Shorts - 30 min or less
Features - 30 min or more

Please note: selection into Scumdance does not guarantee that your film will be screened at our live event.
29 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kyle Mangione-Smith

    One of the few festivals I've been involved with that can authentically claim to be about underground filmmaking. If you're a genuine weirdo filmmaker and want your work seen by a crowd that's going to appreciate sleaze, grime, low budget experimentation, fringe work that's too rough or weird or crazy for most quote unquote underground festivals - look no further. George and the rest of the Scumdance crew are some of the realest and kindest people I've met playing festivals, they were genuinely excited to get to play my work in a way you don't usually get.

    October 2023
    Helpful
  • Serkan Aktaş

    I was honored to participate in this year's Scumdance with "Resurrection under the Ocean" short film! - 😃😃😃🙏🙏🙏👏👏👏

    October 2023
    Helpful
  • Caitlin Stow

    A underground festival that truly lives up to its name. All the selections were fantastic and bizarre; filled with personality and heart. The hosts truly care about the films and filmmakers they select, taking the time to get to know us and our movies. The venue was atmospheric and charming. Would absolutely submit to and attend again!!

    October 2023
    Helpful
  • Harry Waldman

    Thanks for selecting "Enter the Room" into your festival. The communication was clear and concise and the interview was a nice addition. I had a very good experience overall and will definitely consider submitting future projects to Scumdance.

    October 2023
    Helpful
  • Rives Elliot

    Great festival with films you're never gonna see anywhere else! Unfortunately was unable to attend 2022 festival due to Airline issues but am extremely proud that my film The Secret of Cuck Island won Judges' Favorite Feature and Best Acting for our lead. Even got two awesome trophies for it and a Scumdance t-shirt. Very cool festival, highly recommend

    January 2023
    Helpful