Welcome to the Nightmare in the Ozarks Film Festival, nestled in the notoriously haunted and picturesque town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Named by The New York Times as one of the top 5 Halloween Horror Film Festivals worth traveling for, Nightmare in the Ozarks is a grand celebration of the horror genre in all its forms, including classic horror, thrillers, and horror-themed sci-fi.

The film festival is hosted in the historic City Auditorium of Eureka Springs. Films are screened on a 26ft screen in front of nearly 1000 seats.

Take a break from the silver screen on Saturday evening to catch the famous Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl. Join undead horde and apocalyptic vehicles as they crawl through the winding downtown streets of Eureka Springs in one of the nation’s largest Halloween spectacles!

The Nightmare in the Ozarks Film Festival invites horror enthusiasts and filmmakers to converge in the haunted town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a celebration of spookiness, mystery, and the macabre.

Awards & Prizes

The festival will close with an awards ceremony honoring outstanding achievements in horror filmmaking. The coveted Golden Howler trophies are custom-made by Bloodwither Studios. Trophies are awarded in eight categories: Best Feature, Best Short, Best Actor/Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Villain, Best Kill, Best Practical FX (Presented by Rue Morgue), and Audience Favorite.

Rules & Terms

Nightmare in the Ozarks is open to short and feature films that fall under the horror genre broadly, including dark thrillers, horror-themed sci-fi, slashers, dark comedies, and spooky fantasy. The horror genre is flexible, but submissions must include some form of horror and/or dark themes. Please let us know if the screening will be a premiere.

Short Films - 45 Minutes or less

Feature Films - Over 45 Minutes

SUBMISSIONS.

Films must be submitted in a digital format. Submissions can ONLY be made through the FilmFreeway website. You may submit as many films and shorts as you want, but each submission is subject to a non-refundable fee. Foreign language films are welcomed, but must be subtitled in English.

The main contact submitting must be authorized to do so and must have permission from any sales agents or distributors involved. When completing the submission process you agree to have the necessary rights for screening the film at The Nightmare in the Ozarks Film Festival.

NOTIFICATION 

All applicants will receive an email shortly after the closing date notifying them whether their submission has been selected.

SELECTION PROCEDURE 


Each film submitted will be viewed by at least two members of The Nightmare in the Ozarks Film Festival selection committee. All decisions on are final .

SELECTION 


If selected, the screening copy of the film must be sent to us no later than October 1st and once selected you guarantee that the film cannot be withdrawn from the festival .

PUBLICITY AND PRESS 


By submitting to Nightmare in the Ozarks, you agree to the use of stills in press and publicity for the festival. These may be included in our official program, press releases, on our website, and on all social media platforms.
10 Reviews
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  • J Best

    We have been fortunate enough to visit several festivals over the last couple of years, and this is hands down one of the best. Excellent communication from a passionate team. A fun and spooky location. And loads of high-quality films. Definitely apply and definitely attend. Highly recommended!

    November 2025
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  • Timo Puolitaipale

    What a hidden gem of a festival! In the lead up to the fest, communication was fantastic and we were excited to attend. The screenings were flawless and the filmmaker Q&As informative. The Victorian town of Eureka Springs in the Ozarks is the perfect, intimate setting around Halloween. The accompanying Zombie Crawl event through the town was also epic. All this make this festival such a blast. It's no wonder the NY Times is calling it 1 of the top 5 Halloween film festivals to visit.

    November 2025
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  • Tyler Beveridge

    Ok, look. I really really really wanted to attend this festival. I tried so hard to make it work on my end, but I just couldn't pull it off. The FOMO I felt on social media was palpable. Nightmare in The Ozarks is a film festival that has only been around for two years, but the communication and the overall vibe it has makes it seem like it's been around for 20. This festival in the amazingly unique town of Eureka Springs is every horror and genre lovers dream. Even though I couldn't attend, communication was incredible throughout. Feedback from filmmakers who did attend was amazing and if you do the festival circuit a lot you know how rough it is to have a screening with 9 people attending. Not at this festival! Full attendance for all screenings in a beautiful and eerie theater. What more can you ask for? This festival is nothing short of magical and I am so happy they gave The Nature of Death a spot in their lineup. We are so honored to have been a part of it and maybe next year I'll actually get to attend! Who knows! Submit your film to this festival, you will not be disappointed!

    October 2025
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  • Joe Gietl

    This is quite simply one of the best fests in the country. Point blank. Amazing experience showing our film Tasteless. Ozarks is building something really special in stunning Eureka Springs (the perfect setting for spooky season) and I hope to be back soon!

    October 2025
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  • Douglas Luciuk

    This is one of those festivals that you follow along on the socials and repeatedly kick yourself for not attending. It looked like a total blast! Definitely submit your film for next year's event, and if accepted, go there! Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of Ozarks, and all the best for 2026!

    October 2025
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