Portland Horror Film Festival is embarking on our second Annual Evening of Holiday Horror! Since 2016, Portland Horror Film Festival has been bringing the best independent horrors to audiences near and far, and now we're bringing the best independent HOLIDAY HORRORS to the big screen!

There is a long tradition of sharing ghost stories around the fireplace on Christmas Eve, when the night is long and the day is short. We all love a good iconoclastic pairing, and what better way to ease the tension of the hectic holiday season than with Evil elves, Naughty children, Krampus and other monsters or mystical deities associated with the season?

Films submitted should be Horror short films under 20 minutes that present holidays that fall between the last week of November up through New Year's Eve - including, but not limited to Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Christmas, Bodhi Day, etc. (international holidays too!)

We're looking for horrific, or hilarious (or hilariously bloody) short films to get us in the festive spirit.

Please note that our festival pertains to festivals and celebrations that occur in the Winter season, and not to vacations (which are sometimes referred to as "holidays" or "breaks").

Awards & Prizes

Best of Fest
Audience Choice

Rules & Terms

• Films must be 20 minutes or less
• Films must be Horror Films
• Subject matter must be winter holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.
• NO GENERATIVE AI

TERMS
• Only one title per entry.
• Productions not previously screened at the Festival may be submitted.
• Submitted films should have been completed less than 5 years before our festival dates.
• Premiere status, especially in the local Portland area, will be one of the factors considered when determining a film's inclusion in the festival.
• Short films must not have had any commercial theatrical, television, or internet play in the US, or been released on home media. Please do not submit films that are freely available to the public on streaming services including YouTube, Vimeo, or similar services. (This does not pertain to other festivals that stream to a ticketed audience)
• By submitting, you're giving us permission to exhibit your film at the festival, and other screenings (like press previews, promotional events, "best of" screenings, etc.), if we select it for exhibition.

By submitting, you represent and warrant that you have full legal right and authority to submit the film/video project for consideration by PHFF, and that all necessary consents, licensing, and approvals have been obtained with respect thereto. You agree to hold PHFF and its sponsors harmless in any and all matters pertaining to the consents, licenses, and approvals of heretofore film/video project. You understand that your submission is in no way a guarantee of acceptance into PHFF. No one from PHFF or its sponsors has guaranteed you admission into the festival.

Should your film be accepted to PHFF's Holiday Horror event, you grant PHFF the right to exhibit the film at the festival, and to use any footage from the preview screener, and all submitted publicity photos and any other materials pertaining to this entry for PHFF's promotional non-commercial purposes, without limitations.
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  • Steven Schloss

    Thrilled to have my Hanukkah horror film, Gimme included in the 2025 edition. Great communication and programming, wish I could have attended!

    December 2025
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