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ScreenNow Horror Fest (1)

Deadlines

22 Jun 2025
Call for entries

01 Jun 2026
Final deadline

7
mths

04 Jun 2026
Notification date

22 Jun 2026
24 Jun 2026

Address

Juan Villola, 47, 44700, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Festival description

Short film festival 40'<

Feature film festival >50'

Festival requirements

Film festival

Fiction

Documentary

Animation

Fantastic

Terror

Experimental

Music Video

Other

Genres

Any Theme

Has submission fees

International Festival

Physical Location

Production date: Any

Production countries: Any

Shooting countries: Any

Director nationalities: Any

Debut Films

School projects

Short Films 40'<

Feature Films >50'

AI Tools

Any language

Subtitles
English Spanish

Share on Social Networks

Facebook
Tweet

Spanish

English

Festival description (Edition: 1)

Festival start: 22 June 2026 Festival end: 24 June 2026

ScreenNow Horror Fest
The Global Haven for Cursed Cinema

ScreenNow Horror Fest is an annual international, festival exclusively dedicated to horror cinema in all its forms. ScreenNow Horror Fest is an active member of the Etrerum Festival Network.

We accept films of any length and any year of production, as long as they belong to the horror genre. From micro-shorts to cult features, from found footage to experimental animation—if it scares, it belongs here.

BEST TRAILER OF THE MONTH
All submitted films are automatically entered into the Best Trailer of the Month competition, announced on the 3rd of each month.
Trailers are evaluated based on:

Number of views
Number of likes
Total watch time on our official YouTube channel

SPECIAL CATEGORIES – SCREENNOW HORROR
In addition to the official awards, the festival features two exclusive categories:

Best Short Film on the ScreenNow Horror channel
Best Feature Film on the ScreenNow Horror channel

These categories are reserved for films selected to be part of our digital distribution network.
Selected films:

Do not pay any submission fee
Receive a distribution contract
Earn 50% of the revenue generated from online exhibition

Cannot be withdrawn from the channel until the final awards ceremony in June 2026

IN-PERSON AWARDS CEREMONY – JUNE 2026
The official awards ceremony will take place in person in Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico), in June 2026, with filmmakers, press, and key figures of the independent horror scene in attendance.

DISTRIBUTION & PERSONALIZED GUIDANCE
The festival also offers individualized distribution support for selected films, helping each project find its best path to visibility and monetization.

OFFICIAL SECTION – COMPETITIVE CATEGORIES
Films may register to compete in the following categories:

Grand Prize – Best Film of the Year (Includes both shorts and features)
Cash Prize: 500 €

Best Horror Feature
Best Horror Short
Best Screenplay
Golden Scream Award – Best Acting in a Horror Film
Best Trailer of the Year
Jury Special Mentions

TERMS OF PARTICIPATION
By submitting to the festival, participants fully accept all terms and conditions described here.
Each film may enter as many categories as desired, with no limit.

Films selected for the YouTube channel may not be withdrawn before the official conclusion of the festival.

ScreenNow Horror Fest aims to become a key platform for emerging horror filmmakers.

This is not just a festival—it's a launchpad for the voices redefining fear.

Prizes and qualifications

Cash Prizes: 500$

AWARDS – ScreenNow Horror Fest

GRAND PRIZE – SCREENNOW HORROR FEST BEST FILM OF THE YEAR

Awarded to the most outstanding film of the entire festival, regardless of length.

Feature films, short films, and YouTube selections are all eligible.

Cash Prize: 500 €
Official diploma and featured promotion

ANNUAL AWARDS – OFFICIAL SECTION
(Announced at the in-person awards ceremony in Guadalajara – June 2026)

Best Horror Feature
Best Horror Short
Best Screenplay
Golden Scream – Best Acting in a Horror Film
Best Trailer of the Year
Jury Special Mentions

SPECIAL AWARDS – SCREENNOW HORROR (YouTube)

Best Short Film on the ScreenNow Horror YouTube channel

Best Feature Film on the ScreenNow Horror YouTube channel
(Both selected from films officially exhibited on our channel under signed distribution agreements.)

MONTHLY OFFICIAL AWARD – BEST TRAILER OF THE MONTH
Evaluated based on: number of views, likes, and watch time on YouTube

Digital diploma of recognition

Promotion via social media and partner platforms

Monthly winners automatically qualify for the Best Trailer of the Year award

Rules

PARTICIPATION RULES – ScreenNow Horror Fest

Genre Requirement:

Only horror films are accepted. All subgenres are welcome: psychological, supernatural, slasher, thriller, gore, found footage, experimental, animation, etc.

length & Year of Production:

Films of any length and any year of production are eligible.

Multiple Category Submissions:

Each film may be submitted to as many categories as desired, with no limit.

Trailer Recommended:

Including a trailer is highly recommended, as all trailers are automatically considered for the official Best Trailer of the Month award, announced on the 3rd of each month.

YouTube Category – ScreenNow Horror:

Films selected for our ScreenNow Horror YouTube channel:

Do not pay a submission fee
Receive a distribution contract
Earn 50% of the revenue generated through YouTube or related monetization

Compete for: Best ScreenNow Horror Short and Best ScreenNow Horror Feature

Streaming Commitment:

Films selected for these YouTube categories may not be withdrawn from the channel until the official end of the festival, which concludes with the annual awards ceremony in June 2026. This is a binding part of the distribution agreement and festival rules.

Unofficial Monthly Highlights:

Each month, we highlight a selection of outstanding films on our social media platforms.

These are non-binding promotional mentions.

The only official monthly award is Best Trailer of the Month, which includes a digital diploma and featured promotion.

Jury & Decisions:

All annual awards will be decided by an official jury composed of filmmakers, programmers, and distributors. All decisions are final and non-negotiable.

Awards Ceremony:

Official winners will be announced during our in-person ceremony in Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico) in June 2026.

Rights & Responsibility:

By submitting, participants declare that:

They hold all necessary rights to exhibit the work

They authorize public screenings and/or online exhibition as required by the category

They understand and accept all rules and terms of the festival

Language:

Films in any language are accepted. If the film is not in Spanish or english, it must include subtitles in at least one of these two languages.

✅ Legal Acceptance:
Submitting a film to ScreenNow Horror Fest implies full and unconditional acceptance of these rules and terms.

Premio ScreenNow Channel (Largometrajes)

Short and Feature Films >50'

No Fee

Submissions deadline
01 Jun 26

Save up
0$

Submit

SCREENNOW HORROR FEATURES (YouTube Category)

This section is dedicated to horror feature films selected for exhibition on our official YouTube channel ScreenNow Horror. It is a special category designed to showcase independent cinema through direct, monetized digital distribution.

Selected works:

Receive an exclusive distribution contract for YouTube

Do not pay a submission fee

Retain 50% of the revenue generated through views and monetization

Compete for the award: Best ScreenNow Horror Feature (YouTube)

Are also eligible to compete for the Grand Prize – Best Film of the Year

Premio ScreenNow Channel (Cortometrajes)

Short Films >1' 40'<

No Fee

Submissions deadline
01 Jun 26

Save up
0$

Submit

SCREENNOW HORROR SHORTS (YouTube Category)

This section is dedicated to horror short films selected for exhibition on our official YouTube channel ScreenNow Horror. It is a special category designed to spotlight independent cinema through direct, monetized digital distribution.

Selected works:

Receive an exclusive distribution contract for YouTube

Do not pay a submission fee

Retain 50% of the revenue generated through views and monetization

Compete for the award: Best ScreenNow Horror
Short (YouTube)

Are also eligible to compete for the Grand Prize – Best Film of the Year

Premio ScreenNow Channel (Trailers)

Short and Feature Films

No Fee

Submissions deadline
01 Jun 26

Save up
0$

Submit

BEST TRAILER CATEGORY
The Best Trailer category recognizes the ability of a trailer to generate impact, tension, and attraction on its own. This award is designed to highlight the power of short-form content as both a promotional tool and a creative expression within the horror genre.

Who can participate?

Trailers from films officially submitted to the festival
Trailers from non-submitted horror films, including past works, upcoming releases, or already distributed titles
Teasers or previews from future horror projects are also accepted

Evaluation Criteria:

Number of views on our official YouTube channel
Number of likes
Total watch time

How it works:

Each month, the highest-performing trailer is selected and awarded
The winner is announced on the 3rd day of the following month
The selected trailer receives an official digital diploma and featured promotion across our social media and media partners

Annual Award:

All monthly winners automatically compete for the Best Trailer of the Year, to be announced at the in-person awards ceremony in June 2026

Sección Oficial ScreenNow (Largometrajes)

Short and Feature Films >50'

Standard Fee 20$
-8% 18.4$

Submissions deadline
01 Jun 26

Save up
1.6$

Submit

OFFICIAL SECTION – HORROR FEATURE FILMS

This section features the most outstanding horror feature films submitted to the festival. The selection prioritizes originality of vision, atmosphere, creative use of cinematic language, and a personal, radical, or innovative commitment to the genre.

Eligibility:

Horror feature films from any subgenre (psychological, supernatural, slasher, gore, experimental, etc.)
Works from any year of production
National and international films
Independent productions, both low-budget and high-budget
Suggested minimum length: Over 45 minutes

Awards associated with this section:

Best Horror Feature Film (Official Section)
Eligibility for the Grand Prize – ScreenNow Horror Fest
Consideration for Jury Special Mentions, Best Screenplay, and the Golden Scream (Best Acting)

Note:
Feature films selected in this section may be screened either in theaters or on digital platforms affiliated with the festival, always with prior agreement from the filmmakers.

Sección Oficial ScreenNow (Cortometrajes)

Short Films 40'<

Standard Fee 20$
-8% 18.4$

Submissions deadline
01 Jun 26

Save up
1.6$

Submit

OFFICIAL SECTION – HORROR SHORT FILMS
This section brings together the most outstanding horror short films submitted to the festival. Special attention is given to originality of approach, atmosphere, creative use of audiovisual language, and a personal, radical, or innovative commitment to the genre.

Eligibility:

Horror short films from any subgenre (psychological, supernatural, slasher, gore, experimental, etc.)
Films from any year of production
National and international productions
Independent films, whether low or high budget

Suggested maximum length: Less than 40 minutes

Awards associated with this section:

Best Horror Short Film (Official Section)
Eligibility for the Grand Prize – ScreenNow Horror Fest
Consideration for Jury Special Mentions, Best Screenplay, and the Golden Scream (Best Acting)

Note:
Short films selected in this section may be screened either in physical venues or digital platforms associated with the festival, always with prior agreement from the creators.

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