Another Hole in the Head (23)

Festival start: 01 December 2026      Festival end: 31 December 2026

San Francisco’s ‘Another Hole in the Head’ Film Festival is a month-long cinematic excursion into the realms of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and assorted other genres. Another Hole in the Head pulls together a diverse collection of films representing all varieties and budgetary considerations, providing a unique vehicle for independent cinema.

This festival seeks broader horizons than the common interpretation of "Genre Film.” We include Westerns, Art/Experimental films, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and other unconventional fare right along with our Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction offerings. All styles of independent film are welcome to compete: whether it's a major production from a professional company, a student film, or a micro-budget labor of love, we are committed to giving each film due consideration.

The 2026 festival will take place from December 1st through the 31st; in San Francisco, CA at the historic Balboa Theatre, as well as On-Demand via Eventive and during special live screenings on Zoom (with Filmmaker Q&A).

Please be advised that if your film is selected it does not automatically equal a theatrical screening. Due to our limited theatrical schedule, some of our selected films will only be available On-Demand and via Eventive or during live private screenings on Zoom.

Theatrical and online screenings compete equally in our festival, and we do our utmost to promote all selected films equally. The rise of Eventive and Zoom has allowed us to offer more films the chance to be seen and to compete for our Awards. In 2025 our festival screened over 250 films from December 1st-31st. 20 features and 140 shorts were screened live at the Balboa Theatre in San Francisco, while another 110 films were available On-Demand.

We've built a passionate following over the years, both in theaters and online. 2026 will mark our 23rd year among the most highly rated genre festivals in the world, and we're still growing!

San Francisco is the second largest film market in the country, and a great promotional platform for Indie filmmakers who are trying to get their film out into the world. Many films that screen at our festival spark the attention of other film festivals and film distributors. In addition, the films and the festival are reviewed by some of the top players in the industry, such as Variety, the San Francisco Chronicle, Dread Central, and Fangoria.

We’re very excited to announce that our sister festival "Warped Dimension" is now live and accepting films on Festhome! Warped Dimension will be a festival dedicated to Animation, Experimental & AI film.

The festival will take place live, May 8–9, 2026, at the historic Balboa Theater in San Francisco.

We do not have Judges or Jury Prizes. The audience will rate the films for the Audience Awards at the theater (with paper ballots), on Eventive (online after each virtual screening) and on Zoom (after each live Zoom screening, via Zoom’s polling function).

Audience Awards (Feature, Featurette, and Short):

Top Films
Best US Films
Best Foreign Films
Best Local Films
Best Student Films
Best Action/Adventure Films
Best Animated Films
Best Art/Experimental Films
Best AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Best Crime Films
Best Dark Comedy Films
Best Documentary Films (entries limited to films with subjects related or adjacent to Genre entertainment)
Best Drama Films
Best Fan Films
Best Fantasy Films
Best Horror Films
Best Musical/Music Video
Best Mystery/Noir Films
Best Off-Beat Comedy Films
Best Science Fiction Films
Best Slasher/Splatter Films
Best Thriller/Suspense Films
Best Western Films

Staff Awards:

Favorite Feature
Favorite Featurette
Favorite Short
Best Trailer (entries limited to films screening in the festival)

Upon submitting to this festival, the submitter must add Filmmaker Info (filmmakers@ahith.com) to their contacts. There are specific film assets that we will require long before Notification Day. It is recommended that all submitters check their inbox and spam at least once a week, and if possible, include a phone number in their Festhome contact info (we will never share or sell your email or phone number). Films with representatives who do not respond in a timely manner may be dropped from consideration.

Any questions or other correspondence regarding film submissions should be addressed to Filmmaker Info (filmmakers@ahith.com).

LEGAL STUFF: Submitters understand that submission of their work authorizes the Festival to use the work and all materials provided through Festhome for exhibition, education and/or publicity purposes related to the festival; that the Festival will handle any files, prints, discs, or drives with a maximum of care, but cannot be held liable for any damage or loss during upload/download, shipping, preview, or screening, and also that the Festival is not responsible for any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, or royalty infringement related to the work. Submitters may receive future correspondence from the Festival. The festival will never stream your film online without explicit permission.