Prepare to face your deepest cinematic fears this November 2024, as the Buried Alive Film Fest creeps into Atlanta, Georgia like a shadowy apparition, ready to haunt your dreams with the darkest, most spine-chilling independent genre films from around the world. In its 17th year of terror, this festival has become a horror tradition like no other.

We unearth the most sinister and macabre gems from a crypt of submissions that would make even the bravest souls shudder. These films will transport you to realms where the bizarre and the bloodcurdling reign supreme, leaving your heart pounding and your nerves in tatters.

The Buried Alive Film Fest is your chance to prove your film’s worth. Our staff and judges come from across the Atlanta filmmaking community, and with their discerning eyes can truly decide what should remain buried and what should be unearthed.

The Buried Alive Film Fest is your gateway to showcasing your terrifying talents. Our staff and judges are like the spectral gatekeepers of Atlanta's horror community, skilled in deciphering what should remain buried in the dark and what should be dragged into the sinister spotlight. So, summon your courage and unleash your cinematic horrors upon the world!

This year, we're unleashing the ultimate horrors upon filmmakers! The Buried Alive Film Fest is unveiling a brand-new coveted award that'll make your spine tingle with dread, and there are a few more chilling surprises in store.

Prepare for the horror event of the century as we bestow awards upon the bravest souls who dare to venture into the darkest corners of cinema.

Our diabolical awards will honor:
- Feature
- Short
- Animation
- Music Video
- Director
- Cinematography
- Horror / Sci-fi / Thriller Documentary
- Editing
- Acting Performance
- Screenplay
- Student Film
- The WTF Award
- Georgia Local Filmmakers
- Production Design
- Creature (Practical FX)
- Best Villain
- Visual FX
- Best Ensemble
- Best Poster Design
- Trailer

Note following the guidelines, rules, and regulations of our competition and/or not meeting eligibility requirements may be cause for disqualification. Please read carefully.

Criteria: Each film will be judged solely on its own merits.

Certification of Entrant

I, the undersigned, acknowledge and agree:

1 . I have read, understated and fully comply with all submission eligibility information, Submission Guidelines, Terms and Conditions of Entry and Entry Eligibility requirements.

2 . To the best of my knowledge, all of the statements in this document are true;

3 . This film or video is not subject to any litigation nor is threatened by any litigation;

4 . I am duly authorized to submit this film to the festival;

5 . I hold the Film Festival harmless from any damage to the print(s) or tape(s) en route or otherwise during the course of the festival’s possession of the film;

6 . I hold the Film Festival, its owners, management, juries, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates, and etc. harmless from any and all claims of liability resulting from my entry.

7 . I certify that I have full rights to the use of the music in the entered work.

8 . I give permission for the Film Festival to use stills, titles, copy, and/or information from the film for promotional purposes

9 . I give permission for the Film Festival to screen the film at the Festival as well as any Festival presentations, programs, and/or events.

I M P O R T A N T !
-- Please do not include color bars or countdown leaders or any other video within your print besides the final exhibition copy of the film to be screened.

-- Please send the dimensions as is (no black bars, only image). **
Subtitles for non-English films must be burned in.

We recommend that you send your film as one of the following formats:

OPTION 1:
Digital Cinema Package (preferred)
Please email to the address below
OR
Coordinate with BAFF on a delivery to the Plaza Theatre:
1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE,
Atlanta, GA 30306

NOTE: They open 30min before the first show.

OPTION 2:
Digital File

Please convert your file to the following format:
Video/Data Settings:
Compression type H.264
Frame rate 23.97, 29.97fps, 24fps (preferred), 25fps, 30fps are acceptable
Key frames AUTO
Quality BEST (in Adobe Premiere, Render at maximum depth)
Data-rate RESTRICT TO 50mbps (in Adobe Premiere, VBR 2Pass)
Dimensions CURRENT **
Sound Settings
Format: LINEAR PCM or AAC
Channels STEREO (L,R)
Sample Rate 48K
Quality BEST 320kbps

Send all prints to: buriedalivefiledrop@gmail.com
We’re thrilled to have you at the Buried Alive Film Festival!

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • What an incredible honor to have had our film Violet Butterfield screen at Buried Alive!!! Bummer we couldn't make it in person! Still very much over the moon about winning best short film!! Thank you so much to the entire team!!!

    December 2023
  • Aayushman Pandey

    An all-round great festival! Thank you for having our film "Kamathipura".

    October 2023
  • Daniel Fersner

    Wonderful fest with beautiful & fun films from all over the world as well as regionally. The team was very helpful and communicative. I was fortunate to have a film selected this year (Printer Problems), but will return in the future as an attendee as there was a lot of fun to be had (on top of wonderful films!).

    October 2023
  • Philippe SFEZ

    How lucky that my film SURVIVAL participated in Buried Alive! Josh and the team were so friendly and efficient. And the biggest surprise of my life was to learn quite by chance that Lucas Godfrey was the founder of the festival even though we had been working together for 1 year! Love you guys

    October 2023
  • Brian Lonano

    Josh and team did a good job this year running the festival after the founders took a step back. Great programming. Lots of filmmakers present. A great local horror festival!

    October 2023