Tokyo, Japan — A new international film festival dedicated to horror and dark genre cinema, the YAMI International Film Festival, will launch this autumn in Japan, a country renowned for producing some of the world’s most influential horror films.

Carrying the official tagline “Darkness Makes the World Known,” the festival aims to spotlight bold, innovative films that explore the many dimensions of darkness across cultures and storytelling traditions.

The inaugural edition of the festival will take place from November 20 to November 26, 2026, at Human Trust Cinema Shibuya in Tokyo and will feature two competitive sections: Feature Film Competition and Short Film Competition. Awards will include Best Film, Audience Award, and other honors, with winners receiving both cash prizes and official trophies.

Submissions will open on May 27th via FilmFreeway, providing filmmakers from around the world with an accessible platform to participate.

The festival is organized by YAMI Inc., a leading Japan-based company specializing in horror entertainment. The name “YAMI,” meaning “darkness” in Japanese, reflects the company’s core creative philosophy.

YAMI Inc. has built a strong reputation through its unique fusion of horror and technology, developing innovative digital entertainment including AI-driven projects and gaming initiatives. The company has also created a series of highly successful immersive “analysis-based exhibitions,” such as “Did You Read That Ominous Letter?”, “A Missing Exhibition,” and “The Fear Exhibition,” which offer audiences new forms of interactive, real-world horror experiences.

The launch of the YAMI International Film Festival marks the company’s strategic expansion into the film industry, establishing a global platform to discover and promote cutting-edge horror cinema.
The festival is expected to invite emerging and established filmmakers, actors, and creators from Japan and abroad to serve as jury members, reflecting the very latest movements in international horror. The Jury will be announced shortly.

Awards & Prizes

YAMI Award – Best Feature Film
YAMI Award – Best Short Film
Audience Award – Feature
Audience Award – Short

Rules & Terms

Submission Guidelines

We are currently accepting short and feature-length films in the horror and dark genres. If you consider your film dark, it is eligible for submission.

Films that have premiered at other festivals are welcome, provided they have not yet screened publicly in Japan.

To be eligible, films must not be publicly available (including on YouTube, streaming platforms, or any other distribution channels). Previous festival screenings and private screenings are permitted.

All screening files and required materials must be submitted promptly upon selection.　The festival is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the information provided for selected films.

By submitting via FilmFreeway, entrants confirm that they hold all necessary rights and permissions for submission and for screening their film during the festival.

All non-English language films must include English subtitles.

Selected films must provide a high-quality MP4 or MOV file, along with an English dialogue list. The festival will handle Japanese translation, subtitle creation, and DCP production for theatrical screening.

All submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the festival programming team.

Selected films may not be withdrawn after confirmation of participation.

The festival reserves the right to use stills, trailers, and excerpts from selected films for promotional purposes.

Submission fees are non-refundable.