SOUS-SOL INTERDIT (2)

Festival Start: 29 Oktober 2026      Festival Ende: 31 Oktober 2026

SOUS-SOL INTERDIT is an underground horror short film festival based in Paris, dedicated to bold, unsettling, and uncompromising cinema.

SOUS-SOL-INTERDIT will take place the October 31 2026. Screenings take place at the Théâtre STEPHANE GILDAS located at 16 rue Tolbiac, 75013 Paris.

Born in a literal basement, the festival embraces dark atmospheres, raw storytelling, and films that dare to cross boundaries, aesthetically, narratively, or emotionally. We are looking for horror in all its forms: psychological, visceral, experimental, strange, or poetic.

The first edition was sold out, with a packed room and a highly engaged audience. Our goal is not to become a massive industry event, but to remain a human-scale festival, where films are watched carefully, discussed passionately, and experienced collectively.

What we’re looking for :

Horror short films (fiction, experimental, animation, hybrid)
Strong visual identity and atmosphere
Singular voices and personal visions
Films that work on a big screen, in the dark, with an audience

Low-budget films are absolutely welcome, sincerity and creativity matter more than production value.

What selected filmmakers will experience

Selected filmmakers will be invited to take part in a unique, live cinema experience.
All selected films will be screened in a theater setting, in front of a real audience.
Films are discovered by the jury and the audience at the same time, during the screening.

After the projections, awards are decided live, including:
Jury Award
Audience Award

Filmmakers are warmly encouraged to attend the event to present their work, meet the audience, and take part in post-screening discussions.

While attendance is not mandatory, we strongly values the presence of filmmakers, as the festival is built around human encounters and shared cinematic moments.

Award winners will receive an official laurels pack and will be highlighted on the festival’s social media and website.

SOUS-SOL INTERDIT is a human-scale, underground horror festival that celebrates bold, dark, and original short films in a friendly and immersive atmosphere.

Jury Prize

The Jury Award is decided live during the screening.
The jury discovers the films together with the audience and deliberates during the event.
The winner is announced the same evening, in front of the audience.

Audience Award

The Audience Award is determined by a public vote.
Spectators vote on-site after the screenings, and the result is revealed live during the event.

Both awards are presented during the same evening, making SOUS-SOL INTERDIT a fully live and interactive festival experience.

Submitted films must be horror or genre-related (horror, thriller, dark fantasy, experimental horror, etc.).

Films must have a maximum runtime of 15 minutes, credits included.

Films may be in any language. Subtitles in French are required if the original language is not French.

By submitting a film, filmmakers confirm they hold all necessary rights (image, music, sound, and distribution) and authorize SOUS-SOL INTERDIT to screen the film during the festival.

Selected films may be used for festival-related promotion (website, social media, trailer, press), using short extracts or stills only.

Filmmaker attendance is welcome but not mandatory.

We encourage filmmakers to attend whenever possible, as the festival values audience interaction and in-person exchanges, but all films are treated equally whether or not the filmmakers are present.

Screening format and projection specifications will be communicated to selected filmmakers after selection.

Submission fees are non-refundable.

The festival reserves the right to refuse any film that does not meet the rules or the spirit of the event.