"20 Coolest Film Festivals" | MovieMaker Magazine
"50 Best Genre Festivals" | MovieMaker Magazine
The Telluride Horror Show, Colorado's first and largest horror film festival, returns for its 14th edition October 13-15, 2023. Every year, the festival attracts the latest & best genre films from around the world and attendees from all over the country for an incredible gathering of film fans in the world-famous mountain resort town of Telluride, Colorado. For three packed days, experience an eclectic mix of horror, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy, sci-fi and dark comedy in Telluride's unique theaters, with many of the films showing for the first time in the US. The festival line-up showcases feature films & short films from new and established talent, special programs, guests, and events.
SHORT FILMS (Please Read):
The Telluride Horror Show has an exciting and unique partnership with Vertigo Entertainment: In addition to being considered for this year’s festival, short films submitted to the Telluride Horror Show will also be eligible for review by Vertigo Entertainment. Vertigo Entertainment is a film and television production company that has produced features spanning a broad spectrum of budgets and genres, from genre films such as THE RING and THE GRUDGE, to the Oscar Winning THE DEPARTED. The company’s most recent work includes SALEM’S LOT and DON’T WORRY DARLING for New Line, BARBARIAN for 20th Century Studios and the horror anthology series, THEM for Amazon.
Short films submitted to the Telluride Horror Show will automatically be eligible for review by the team at Vertigo Entertainment. While there is of course no guarantee that short filmmakers will land a development deal or be considered for one, Vertigo Entertainment and the Telluride Horror Show are eager to provide this opportunity for short films to truly serve as calling cards for genre filmmakers.
TECHNICAL PRESENTATION:
The technical exhibition side of Telluride Horror Show is something we take very seriously. We have a deep understanding of how the presentation of a film can affect the way the audience connects with the film. We go to great lengths to ensure your film is played back just as you saw it in the studio. Our technical staff has many years of experience on festivals such as Sundance Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, AFI Fest, and many more. We go to great lengths to ensure all of our venues are DCI compliant with meticulous color calibration, audio calibration, and highly trained projectionists.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
The 14th Annual Telluride Horror Show takes place October 13-15, 2023 in Telluride, Colorado. For three packed days, fans and filmmakers are invited to experience the best and latest genre films in three Telluride venues: Nugget Theatre, Palm Theatre, and the historic Sheridan Opera House. Special events and parties take place at various venues throughout the world-famous town of Telluride.
We appreciate your interest in the Telluride Horror Show and we hope to share your film with our audiences!
TESTIMONIALS:
"Such a wonderfully unique festival" - Joe Bob Briggs
"The Telluride Horror Show is paradise for horror fans. You get to watch an incredible slate of short and feature films and hang out with horror filmmakers and writers all while in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Every horror fan should book this trip.” -Paul Tremblay, Guest Author (A Head Full of Ghosts, The Cabin at the End of the World)
"Telluride Horror Show is one of the most exciting fests operating today. The scenery is unmatched and the passion of the programmers is obvious with the killer lineup each year. I'm totally honored to have been some small part of it for two years. I think people will be kicking themselves when the fest becomes this unstoppable giant and they didn't get in on it early. I'm mostly excited because it's a festival that offers so many experiences - it can be a nonstop party or a totally laid back weekend of movies in the mountains - whatever kind of time a guest wants to have, you guys make happen. That's why I pledge allegiance to Telluride Horror Show." - Mickey Keating, Director (Offseason, Psychopaths, Darling)
"I had a fantastic time! The films were great, the location was fabulous, and the people were the best." - Stephen Chiodo, Director, (Killer Klowns from Outer Space)
"Those are people who know what they're doing running a film festival." - Phil Tippett
"Great audience and goddamn, Telluride is a slice of heaven! What an amazing place!" - Greg McLean, Director (Jungle, The Belko Experiment, Wolf Creek)
"Telluride Horror Show is by far my favorite film festival. The scenery is awe-inspiring, the crowds are bursting with energy and the films are handpicked by some of the most genuine fans of the genre. I couldn't recommend it enough!" - Damien Leone, Director (Terrifier, Terrifier 2)
"If somebody asked me, 'Should I go to Telluride Horror Show?' I would say, 'Go. Now. Don't hesitate. It's one of the best festivals in the country!'" - Jeremy Robert Johnson, Guest Author (The Loop, Skullcrack City)
"We've been to a bunch of these by now, and Telluride was a real peak experience. Of course the beauty of the setting is totally unique, but it was also just such a well-organized, well-curated, and friendly festival ... and we couldn't have been happier with our screening, from the gorgeous Sheridan Opera House to the packed, super-engaged crowd. I think it was the best, most enthusiastic audience reception we've yet had, including the great Q&A. Your audiences are the best! " - David Marmor, Director (1BR)
"Telluride Horror Show is known for its tremendous shorts programming, and the fans certainly come out for it." -Meredith Borders, Birth.Movies.Death
“The festival was very well organized, and the response from the audiences at the screenings was a wonderful experience. Telluride itself was absolutely beautiful, and the organizers treated us extremely well. We can't wait until next year's festival.” -Tom Holland, Director (Fright Night, Child's Play)
PRESS:
"20 Coolest Film Festivals"
"13 Horror Film Festivals To Die For"
"50 Best Genre Festivals"
-MovieMaker Magazine
"A smorgasbord of horror goodness" -Bloody Disgusting
"Mixes its unique small town setting with some of the most highly anticipated horror" -Fangoria
"Dedicated to scouting out the next generation of horror talent" -WestWord
"One of the most prestigious and anticipated horror film festivals of the year" -Modern Horrors
"Want a killer time at a film festival? Then we recommend you check out this year’s Telluride Horror Show.” -Entertainment Weekly
“Telluride Horror Show stands apart from similar festivals because Telluride is such an extraordinarily beautiful space to watch horror movies, and because the team behind the festival is so close-knit and passionate. And in between movies you can hike in one of the prettiest places on Earth. Not many film festivals can boast that.” -Meredith Borders, Managing Editor, Fangoria
"Telluride Horror Show is one of the best damn weekends of the year and one of the best niche community events in Colorado. It’s worshiped like a holiday.” -303 Magazine
"...Telluride Horror Show was an absolute blast in a gorgeous location that is ideally suited for a horror festival. If you have the chance to go, make it happen. I promise you that you won’t regret it." -Jonathan Barkan, Dread Central
"Telluride Horror Show is a unique, one-of-a-kind film fest that every horror fan should experience at least once in their lives." -Horror Geek Life
"This horror film festival has quickly become one of, if not THE, horror destination for fans and filmmakers worldwide. This was their 8th year in existence, and having been in attendance for the past two years consecutively, I can safely say that this is the place to be in October. I was able to catch nine films over the course of three days, and I’m shocked to report that there was not one bad film I can recall. Having been to my fair share of horror film festivals, this is high praise."
-Kvlt of Brewtality
"...this three-day horror film festival should be on every to-do list for those who crave slasher flicks, creature features and all things frightening." -303 Magazine
"...the Telluride Horror Show was one of the best film festival experiences I’ve had in my life. The films the team at this festival were able to pull together made for one of the most satisfying film lineups around.” -Matt Storc, Horror Society
"I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: 'The second weekend of October is my favorite weekend of the year.' This is the weekend of the Telluride Horror Show! Set against a gorgeous backdrop of tree-lined, snow-covered mountaintops, the Telluride Horror Show has quickly cemented itself as one of the country’s best horror film festivals." -Who Goes There Podcast
"Kinky thrills are provided knowing that nestled deep within the humbling, operatic grandeur that is Telluride, horrific, taboo-smashing entertainments of every sort are unspooling across screens in front of the wide eyes of bolder cinema fans seeking to be scared. There's no other dichotomy like this at work in any other horror festival I've attended or am aware of. It's a thing of twisted beauty.” -Chris Alexander, Fangoria Magazine
"There have been a plethora of horror film festivals popping up over the last 6 or 7 years, but standing alone atop them all is the Telluride Horror Show in Telluride, Colorado. The festival has quickly become the premiere destination for the very finest independent horror films that the genre has to offer." -Modern Horrors
"The Telluride Horror Show stands out, and for good reason. It's been host to a slew of the greatest indie-horror films of the last half decade." -Horror-Movies.ca
"Telluride Horror Show is known for its tremendous shorts programming, and the fans certainly come out for it."
-Birth.Movies.Death
"If you're going to enjoy a horror film festival, there is no better way than Telluride's Horror Show."-Playback
"Telluride Horror Show needs to be on every horror movie fan's bucket list." -Web Wombat
PAST FESTIVALS:
In 2022, the Telluride Horror Show sold out in advance again. Feature films included A Wounded Fawn, Christmas Bloody Christmas, ENYS MEN, Huesera, Mad Heidi, Matriarch, Megalomaniac, Mind Body Spirit, Scare Package II: Rad Chad's Revenge, Seire, Something in the Dirt, The Attachment Diaries, The Breach, The Harbinger, The Offering, and V/H/S/99. Vinegar Syndrome presented a special screening of Ice Cream Man with Clint Howard in person. 46 short films were presented in themed blocks, all with sold out crowds. Special events included the annual Ice Scream Social, Pig Roast, Horror Trivia, free screenings of Spirit Halloween: The Movie and Deadstream, and free author events with guest genre authors Alma Katsu, Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, and Jeremy Robert Johnson. Once again, attendees traveled to Telluride from all over the U.S.
In 2021, the Telluride Horror Show returned to in-person and sold out in advance. Feature films included closing night film Antlers from Searchlight Pictures, Alone with You, Black Friday, Broadcast Signal Intrusion, The Exorcism of God, The Feast, Hellbender, Let the Wrong One In, Phil Tippett's Mad God, The Medium, Offseason, The Sadness, The Spine of Night, Sweetie You Won't Believe It, Take Back the Night, When the Screaming Starts, and Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror. Around 40 short films were presented in themed blocks. Special events included the annual Ice Scream Social, Pig Roast, Horror Trivia, Last Call at the Last Dollar, and free events with guest genre authors Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, and Jeremy Robert Johnson. Attendees traveled to Telluride from all over the U.S. for an incredibly enthusiastic return to "normal".
In 2020, the Telluride Horror Show took place virtually in response to the pandemic. Feature films included Anonymous Animals, Bloodthirsty, Butchers, Dark Stories, Faking A Murderer, For the Sake of Vicious, Hail to the Deadites, Possessor Uncut (Closing Night Film), Reunion, Spare Parts, The 100 Candles Game, The Columnist, and The Oak Room, along with retro programs Retribution and The AGFA Horror Trailer Show. Over 50 short films were presented in themed blocks. Special events included Deathly Spirits with Ted Raimi, Live Conversation with authors Max Brooks & Daniel Kraus, 50 States of Fright: Red Rum + Live Conversation with Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei, Fright or Wrong: Horror Trivia, and Creepy Campfire Tales with authors Alma Katsu, Emily M. Danforth, Jeremy Robert Johnson, and Paul Tremblay. U.S. attendees from over 40 states participated in the virtual festival.
In 2019, the Telluride Horror Show celebrated its tenth anniversary with record attendance. Feature films included festival hits 1BR, After Midnight, Daniel Isn't Real, Extra Ordinary, Girl On the Third Floor, Making Monsters, Mutant Blast, Porno, She Never Died, The Deeper You Dig, The Golden Glove, The Lodge, The Wretched, VFW, and Z, along with the latest from Netflix (Eli), Hulu (Wounds), and Blumhouse (Sweetheart). Features with U.S. premieres at the festival were Girl with No Mouth, Sator, and Scare Package. Special presentations included a screening of Tucker & Dale VS Evil with director Eli Craig and host Joe Bob Briggs. Over 40 short films were presented in five themed blocks, with every shorts program having sold-out crowds. Special events included "How Rednecks Saved Hollywood" with Joe Bob Briggs, a meet & greet with famed horror photographer Joshua Hoffine, our annual Pig Roast, Creepy Campfire Tales, conversations, and book signings with guest authors Jeremy Robert Johnson and Kelly Link, Ice Scream Social, Killer Karaoke Party, and Horror Trivia presented by Who Goes There Podcast. Over sixty filmmakers and guests were in attendance for intros and Q&As.
In 2018, the Telluride Horror Show grew again, retaining its place as one of the largest attended genre film festivals in the world. Bloody Disgusting and Dread Central were onsite as official media partners. Industry sponsors included Fangoria, Dark Sky Films, and Shudder. Pre-festival coverage was provided by Entertainment Weekly, Bloody Disgusting, Dread Central, Horror Society, and many other media outlets, both national and regional. Feature films included the highly-anticipated movies Anna and the Apocalypse, CAM, Lords of Chaos, OPEN 24 HOURS, Possum, Terrified, The Boat, The Dark, The Dead Center, The Guilty, The Witch in the Window, Tigers Are Not Afraid, and You Might Be the Killer. Features with U.S. premieres at the festival were DeadTectives, Heretiks, Mega Time Squad, The Cleaning Lady, and The Head. Special presentations included a 30th Anniversary screening of Killer Klowns from Outer Space with director Stephen Chiodo. Over 60 short films were presented in seven themed blocks, with every shorts program having sold-out crowds. Special events included our annual Pig Roast, Creepy Campfire Tales, conversations, and book signings with guest authors Paul Tremblay and Jeremy Robert Johnson, Ice Scream Social, Killer Karaoke Party, Virtual Reality Experience, and Horror Trivia presented by Who Goes There Podcast. Over fifty filmmakers and guests were in attendance for intros and Q&As.
In 2017, the Telluride Horror Show added a new third venue, the 587-seat Palm Theatre, to accommodate the growing crowds, officially making it one of the largest-capacity genre film festivals in the world. Birth.Movies.Death and Dread Central were onsite as official media partners. Industry sponsors included IFC Midnight and Shudder. Pre-festival coverage was provided by Entertainment Weekly, Bloody Disgusting, Horror Society, and many other media outlets, both national and regional. Feature films included the U.S. premiere of Patrick Brice's CREEP 2 and the Colorado premiere of Greg McLean's JUNGLE, with both directors in attendance. Other highly-anticipated films were TRAGEDY GIRLS (Tyler MacIntyre), DOWNRANGE (Ryuhei Kitamura), MAYHEM (Joe Lynch), 78/52 (Alexandre O. Philippe), TRENCH 11 (Leo Scherman), COLD HELL (Stefan Ruzowitzky), THE ENDLESS (Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead), PSYCHOPATHS (Mickey Keating), HOUSEWIFE (Can Evrenol), and VICTOR CROWLEY (Adam Green). Premieres of WHAT THE WATERS LEFT BEHIND, COLD GROUND, DEAD ANT, BORLEY RECTORY, DERELICTS, CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL KILLER: DIRECTOR'S CUT, EAT LOCALS, FRAZIER PARK RECUT, DESOLATION, and the Friday the 13th fan film NEVER HIKE ALONE rounded out the feature film line-up. Special presentations included 35mm screenings of Mario Bava's THE WHIP AND THE BODY and a special Telluride Horror Show edition of "TRAILERS FROM HELL". 60 short films were presented in six themed blocks, with every shorts program having sold out crowds. Special events included our annual Pig Roast, Creepy Campfire Tales with guest author Jeremy Robert Johnson, Ice Scream Social, Killer Karaoke Party, and Horror Trivia Night presented by Dread Central. Over fifty filmmakers and guests were in attendance for intros and Q&As.
In 2016, the Telluride Horror Show SOLD OUT in advance, providing packed houses for every screening. Bloody Disgusting was onsite as our official media partner. Festival coverage was provided by Entertainment Weekly, Fangoria, Horror Society, Modern Horrors, Rue Morgue, and many other media outlets, both national and regional. Our "Secret Sunday Shows" (surprise screenings of highly-anticipated films) were "The Autopsy of Jane Doe", "Raw", and "Safe Neighborhood". Feature films included the World premieres of "Terrifier" and "#Screamers", the North American premieres of "Ibiza Undead" and "Kill Command", the Colorado premieres of Morgan Spurlock's "Rats", "A Dark Song", "Another Evil", "Beyond The Walls", "Here Alone", "Man Underground", "Sadako VS. Kayako", "Spring Break Zombie Massacre", "The Eyes of My Mother", "The Girl With Two Faces", "The Windmill", "Trash Fire", and "We Are The Flesh". Special presentations included Don Coscarelli's "Incident On and Off A Mountain Road" with acclaimed genre author Joe R. Lansdale in attendance. Staying true to our mission to showcase the talent of short filmmakers, a record 59 short films were selected for seven themed shorts blocks. Special events included our annual Pig Roast, Creepy Campfire Tales with Joe R. Lansdale, Ice Scream Social, a conversation on indie filmmaking with guest directors Joe Begos & Mickey Keating, and Horror Trivia Night. Over fifty filmmakers and guests were in attendance for intros and Q&As.
In 2015, the Telluride Horror Show once again saw record-breaking attendance numbers, with the majority of screenings sold out. Features included the Colorado premieres of "Bone Tomahawk", "The Devil's Candy", "German Angst", "Hell House, LLC" with director Stephen Cognetti in person, "Howl", "Inner Demon", "The Mind's Eye" with director Joe Begos in person, "Nina Forever", and "Sensoria". US premieres included "The Funhouse Massacre" with director Andy Palmer in person and "The Interior". Other features included the North American premiere of "III", a special presentation of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with director Henry Selick in person, "The Invitation" with John Carroll Lynch in person, "Darling" with director Mickey Keating in person, a behind-the-scenes look at the classic "Return of the Living Dead", a secret screening of "Baskin", along with screenings of 2015 festival circuit favorites "He Never Died", "Body", "The Hallow", "Landmine Goes Click", and "They Look Like People". A record 46 short films were programmed for the 2015 Telluride Horror Show, with four sold-out shorts programs.
In 2014, the Telluride Horror Show enjoyed sold-out shows and full theaters for the majority of the programs. Feature films included "ABCs of Death 2", "The Babadook", "Creep", "Spring", "Suburban Gothic", "The Houses October Built", "The Boxtrolls", "WolfCop", and many more, solidifying the Telluride Horror Show's role as an important stop on the festival circuit for major indie horror films. Four dedicated shorts programs saw capacity crowds as the festival continued its tradition of treating our shorts programs as major events. Over 33 short films were selected for the 2014 festival. Many of the talented cast & crew behind both the features and shorts were in attendance for lively Q&As. All in all, our best year yet, with incredibly enthusiastic attendees and guests.
In 2013, attendees flocked to Telluride from all over the country for an incredible line-up of films, including the World Premieres of indie horror features "All Hallows' Eve" and "Chemical Peel", a sneak peek of Lionsgate's "Hellbenders", Bobcat Goldthwait's "Willow Creek", closing film "Beneath", the US Premiere of "Across the River", and indie festival hits such as "Delivery", "Septic Man", "The Midnight Game", "On Air", "Pinup Dolls on Ice", "The Seasoning House", and a special presentation of the hit doc "Rewind This!" Guest Director Frank Henenlotter was on hand for a special screening of the cult classic "Basket Case" and visual effects legend Phil Tippett joined us with a sneak preview of his latest stop-motion animation project "MAD GOD". Our three dedicated shorts blocks saw record crowds, with 34 short films from all over the world, proving once again that short films will always find enthusiastic support at the Telluride Horror Show. Over 30 filmmakers & guests were in person for Q&As and presentations. 2013 sponsors included Dread Central, Revolver Picture Co., Colorado Office of Film, Television, Media, Well Go USA, and many others. Reviews generated at the festival appeared on Dread Central, All Things Horror, and Yahoo!
In 2012, attendance numbers saw another strong increase, with Quiet Earth, Dread Central, and Screen Invasion publishing reviews of the films. New sponsors included FEARnet, 20th Century Fox's Wrong Turn 5, and Sony. Our third festival showcased 17 features and 34 short films. Highlights included the world premiere of the ultra-low-budget zombie hit "The Battery" with cast & crew in attendance, the US premiere of "Inbred", the North American premiere of "The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh", a special presentation of "ParaNorman" with Laika Studios, as well as 2012 festival circuit favorites "The American Scream", "Grabbers", "Excision", "Errors of the Human Body", "Game of Werewolves", and many more. The 34 short films showcased at the festival represented the best of the best, from all over the world, and spoke to our mission to support and foster the art of short filmmaking. Out of all these superb shorts, Australia's "Perished" was chosen to be shown on FEARnet.com, alongside the rest of FEARnet's horror, thriller and suspense programming.
In 2011, the Telluride Horror Show saw a massive increase in festival attendance. The press was on hand and reviews of films generated at the festival were published on Bloody-Disgusting, Quiet Earth, and Shadowlocked. The festival showcased 17 feature films and 20 shorts, including 2011 festival circuit favorites "Chillerama", "Monster Brawl" (US Premiere), "Some Guy Who Kills People", "Helldriver", "Deadball", "Rabies", "The Tunnel", "Sennentuntschi", "The Whisperer in Darkness", and many others.
The inaugural 2010 festival showcased 17 feature films and 22 shorts. Special guests included Guest Director Tom Holland (Fright Night/Child's Play), Guest Producer Jon Davison (Robocop/Starship Troopers), and Guest Host Chris Alexander, editor of Fangoria magazine. Our line-up of films featured many of the heavy-hitters on the 2010 festival circuit, including "Tucker & Dale VS Evil", "Machete Maidens Unleashed!", "Colin", "Bitter Feast", "The Last Lovecraft", "Phasma Ex Machina", "Vampire Girl VS Frankenstein Girl", "Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives", "The Legend of Beaver Dam", and the world premiere of Tom Holland's "Twisted Tales."
