Reaper Film Festival (1)

Festival start: 22 October 2026      Festival end: 23 October 2026

Presented by BLOODSTREAM TV, the REAPER FILM FESTIVAL is an inaugural Los Angeles horror and genre event with a single purpose: help short filmmakers reach the audiences their work deserves.

We built Reaper for the creators without the industry connections, the festival budget, or the inside track, who are making the most fearless work out there anyway.

We keep the entry low, the process honest, and we put your film in front of a room that came to be scared.

Every Official Film Selection receives non-exclusive distribution on BLOODSTREAM TV.

Your film keeps working for you long after the lights come up.


EVERY OFFICIAL SELECTION EARNS:

Your short film streaming worldwide on BLOODSTREAM TV!

ALL officially selected films will stream on BLOODSTREAM TV, non-exclusive, giving selected films a streaming home beyond festival night while filmmakers retain ownership of their work and make money back on their films.

GET SEEN

One night. Three screening blocks. A room full of genre fans who showed up specifically to be scared by your work.

GET AHEAD

The Reaper trophy, one-on-one industry consultations, featured placement, distribution opportunities, and direct interaction with filmmakers and industry professionals for the projects that cut the deepest.

TWO WAYS TO ENTER -

SHORT FILM

Horror and horror-adjacent short films under 15 minutes, including credits.

We welcome supernatural, slasher, psychological horror, folk horror, body horror, creature films, found footage, gore, science fiction, action, thriller, fantasy, and other work with a significant horror, dark, suspense, or genre component.

Completed films only.

Previously screened and previously distributed films are welcome, provided they are not currently subject to an exclusive agreement that would prevent the non-exclusive Bloodstream TV distribution associated with Official Selection.

Films may be in English or subtitled in English.

SHORT SCREENPLAY

Great horror starts on the page.

Reaper accepts original horror and horror-adjacent short screenplays of 10 pages or fewer, excluding the title page.

Every eligible screenplay is read and scored.

The Top Five Finalists receive one-on-one consultations and first-look consideration from the Reaper Film Festival team and partners.

The winning screenplay is announced live at the festival.


HOW WE JUDGE

Every eligible submission is watched or read in full, more than once, by working filmmakers and industry professionals.

No algorithms. No skim-and-score judging. Entries move through a disciplined judging pipeline, conducted blind wherever practical, so the work speaks louder than the name attached to it.

Every eligible entry is checked for category requirements before being assigned to at least two independent reviewers.

Every reviewer watches or reads the complete submission before entering a score.

Entries are scored from 1 to 10 across a defined rubric. Reviewer scores are averaged, and a significant scoring disagreement triggers an additional review so no single opinion determines a project's fate.

Top-scoring entries move to jury deliberation. Jurors may re-screen or reread contested projects, defend their selections, and must recuse themselves from projects in which they have a personal or financial stake.

Watched in full. Scored blind. Decided on the merits.

THE 2026 REAPER JURY
SCREAM QUEEN JUDGE

JENNA KANELL
Actor / Scream Queen Judge
Terrifier, The Bye Bye Man, Renfield

Who better to judge horror than someone who has survived it on screen? Our Scream Queen Judge hunts for the films that get under your skin and stay there.

HONORARY JUDGES

MARCUS J. MCGILL
Executive Producer
Terrifier

JASON NEESE
Producer
The Umbrella Academy

KIMBERLY SKYRME
Casting Director
Cut Shoot Kill

JAMES CULLEN BRESSACK
Producer
I Have Proof

JONATHAN MARTIN
Founder of FilmQuest

GIGI SAUL GUERRERO
Director
The Purge

JESSE COVE
Actor
Scream Boat

MICHAEL YEDWAB
Executive Producer
Monster Party

RACHEL PAULSON
Director
Stuck

DAVID M. PARKS
Director
Static Codes

MICHAEL PICKLE
Director
The Dead Place

JP OUELLETTE
Producer
Affection

SUNNY ZHAO
Director / Cinematographer
The Gift

More judges to be announced.


OUR PARTNERS

BLOODSTREAM TV

Founding Presenter / Distribution Partner

Bloodstream TV is the horror, thriller, and science fiction streaming service from The Horror Collective.

The platform launched with more than 1,500 genre titles and includes free ad-supported viewing, premium subscription programming, FAST channels, and direct uploads built for independent filmmakers.

Every Reaper Official Film Selection receives non-exclusive distribution on Bloodstream TV.

STUDIO DOME

Development & Distribution Partner

Studio Dome provides a direct connection to the professional development and distribution ecosystem.

Its services include VOD aggregation, global licensing to platforms including Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV, marketing, PR, and real-time royalty tracking.

Studio Dome was founded by industry veteran Shaked Berenson, who has released more than 1,000 films and series.

For Reaper, Studio Dome opens the door to consultations for top filmmakers and first-look consideration for screenplay finalists.

David Joshua Lawrence, Head of Acquisitions

THE NIGHT
IN-PERSON SCREENING AND AWARD SHOW AT THE EARL

OCTOBER 22, 2026

6:00 PM TO 12:30 AM

THE EARL
4408 W 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90004

This is not a theater full of strangers politely clapping. It is a night out in Los Angeles.

Killer horror on the screen, a drink in your hand, and a room where the person beside you might be your next collaborator, producer, actor, writer, crew member, or the reason the next film gets made.

The night includes:

Three 45-minute screening blocks
30-minute intermissions for drinks and networking
Award presentations
Winner announcements
Prize giveaways
The announcement of the Reaper Screenplay Competition winner
Dedicated networking and conversation areas
Horror atmosphere and costumed characters
A silent costume contest
Sponsor giveaways
Festival merchandise
Industry interaction
THREE ROOMS AND A PATIO. ONE ROOF.

The Earl gives Reaper a darkened screening chamber for the films, dedicated space for handshakes and war stories, another room that can open up once the credits roll, and an outdoor patio to breathe between the screams.

Seating is limited to 200.

Attendance is encouraged and celebrated, but it is never required to be judged, become an Official Selection, win, or receive applicable distribution.


COME DRESSED TO DIE FOR

The Earl does not simply host the night. For one night, it becomes part of it.

Expect horror props in the shadows, scream queens working the floor, costumed characters, and festival staff joining the atmosphere.

Attendees are encouraged to come in costume.
A silent costume contest runs throughout the night.
No stage interruption. No stopping the screenings.
Winners are selected during the evening and can walk out with:

Cash
Drink tickets
Sponsor prizes
Festival merchandise
Additional giveaways
WHO'S IN THE DARK WITH YOU?

Reaper is a real industry night wearing a horror party's clothes.

You will meet the filmmakers coming up beside you: future collaborators, producers, actors, writers, crew, and friends, alongside the people already working inside the industry.

Our founders, festival directors, jury, and distribution partners bring their circles out to watch, meet filmmakers, and spend the night with the community.

Depending on attendance, the room may include:

Studio and distribution executives
Producers
Executive producers
Development professionals
Acquisitions professionals
Investors and financiers
Streaming professionals
Established filmmakers
Actors and recognizable talent
Horror icons and scream queens
Writers and directors
Jury guests
Emerging filmmakers and creatives

One room. All night. Everybody in it.

You never know who you will end up talking to at The Earl.


THE VENUE
THE EARL

4408 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90004

The Earl is an adaptive arts and culture space in mid-city Los Angeles founded by Michael Earl. For two decades, the venue has brought intersecting communities together for creative cross-pollination across art, music, design, and performance. It offers an intimate stage, green room, multiple gathering spaces, and an outdoor patio.


FESTIVAL DIRECTORS

JUDAH RAY

Screenwriter / Director / Producer

Writer, director, and producer with more than 100 festival honors and experience participating in more than 200 festivals worldwide.

DAVID JOSHUA LAWRENCE

Distributor / Screenwriter / Actor

Distributor, screenwriter, actor, and Head of Acquisitions at Studio Dome, providing a direct connection between the festival and worldwide distribution.

CLAIRE MCLEOD HILL

Executive Producer / Producer

Executive producer and producer with multiple films distributed worldwide and an eye for genre stories worth backing.


GET DISTRIBUTED. GET SEEN. GET AHEAD.

AT THE REAPER AWARDS, EVERYONE REAPS.

Every eligible film is scored by our jury from 1 to 10.

Every Official Film Selection receives distribution.

From there, the films that cut the deepest rise.

THE SCYTHE AWARD
Presented by WOMEN IN FILM

A crown of its own for the films made by women, the ones behind the camera as much as in front of it.

The honoree receives:

All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
10 drink tickets
Special prizes to be announced
One-on-one consultation with Heidi Honeycutt, Bloodstream TV programmer
One-on-one consultation with Kimberly Skyrme, producer and casting director
A professional pitch deck from Deck Syndicate
Official Selection laurel
Additional prizes to be announced!

ELIGIBILITY: Open to films produced and/or directed by a woman.

A film entered into The Scythe Award category without a female producer and/or director is disqualified.

GRAND PRIZE

The Grand Prize Winner receives:

The opportunity to pitch a feature film project directly to BLOODSTREAM TV and STUDIO DOME for potential financing and development consideration
All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
10 drink tickets
Everything included with the First Place award

The feature does not have to be based on the submitted short.

The winning filmmaker may pitch a feature adaptation of the submitted project or another eligible feature project, subject to applicable festival rules and the participating companies' submission requirements.

Bloodstream TV and Studio Dome independently evaluate the project following the pitch.

Financing, production, acquisition, development, or distribution is not guaranteed.

FIRST PLACE

First Place receives:

Non-exclusive distribution on Bloodstream TV
Official Selection laurel
Screening on October 21, 2026
The Reaper trophy
Four industry consultations with industry professionals including an executive producer, producer, and screenwriter
All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
8 drink tickets
Featured banner placement on the Bloodstream TV homepage for up to one week
SECOND PLACE

Second Place receives:

Non-exclusive distribution on Bloodstream TV
Official Selection laurel
Screening on October 21, 2026
Certificate of Achievement
All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
5 drink tickets
Three industry consultations with an executive producer, producer, and screenwriter
THIRD PLACE

Third Place receives:

Non-exclusive distribution on Bloodstream TV
Official Selection laurel
Screening on October 21, 2026
Certificate of Achievement
All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
3 drink tickets
Two industry consultations with a producer and screenwriter
EVERY OFFICIAL FILM SELECTION

Every Official Film Selection receives:

Non-exclusive distribution on Bloodstream TV
Official Selection laurel
All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
1 drink ticket
Screening on October 21, 2026
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

Every eligible screenplay is read and scored.

The Top Five Finalists receive:

One-on-one industry consultations
First-look consideration from the Reaper Film Festival team and partners

The winning screenplay is announced live at the festival.

THE WINNING SCREENPLAY ALSO RECEIVES:
Producer feedback
A professional pitch deck from Deck Syndicate
All-access VIP pass
Drink tickets
CRAFT HONORS

Additional honors may be awarded at the jury's discretion:

Best Directing
Best Cinematography
Best Acting
Best Screenplay
Best Score
Best Special Effects
Best Scare
Best Gore

By submitting to the Reaper Film Festival, presented by Bloodstream TV, the submitter acknowledges and agrees to the following Rules & Terms.

1. FILM ELIGIBILITY

The Reaper Film Festival accepts horror and horror-adjacent short films.

Eligible genres and styles include, but are not limited to:

Supernatural
Slasher
Psychological horror
Folk horror
Body horror
Creature films
Found footage
Gore
Science fiction
Action
Thriller
Fantasy
Other work with a significant horror, dark, suspense, or genre component

Films must be under 15 minutes in total runtime, including credits.

Films must be completed works. Works in progress are not eligible.

There is no production-date restriction.

Previously screened and previously distributed films are welcome, provided the film is not currently subject to an exclusive agreement that would prevent the non-exclusive Bloodstream TV distribution associated with Official Selection.

Films may be in any language.

Non-English-language films must include English subtitles.

2. THE SCYTHE AWARD ELIGIBILITY

The Scythe Award, presented by Women in Film, is open to films produced and/or directed by a woman.

The entry fee for The Scythe Award category is $10.

A film entered into The Scythe Award category without a female producer and/or director is disqualified.

The Scythe Award winner:

All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
10 drink tickets
Special prizes to be announced
One-on-one consultation with Heidi Honeycutt, Bloodstream TV programmer
One-on-one consultation with Kimberly Skyrme, producer and casting director
A professional pitch deck from Deck Syndicate
Official Selection laurel
Additional prizes to be announced

3. SCREENPLAY ELIGIBILITY

Screenplay submissions must:

Be original short screenplays
Be 10 pages or fewer, excluding the title page
Be submitted as a PDF
Use standard screenplay formatting
Be horror or horror-adjacent
Be original work owned or controlled by the submitting writer

Every eligible screenplay is read and scored.

The Top Five Finalists receive consultations and first-look consideration from the Reaper Film Festival team and partners.

The winning screenplay also receives producer feedback, a professional pitch deck from Deck Syndicate, an all-access VIP pass, and drink tickets.

4. SUBMISSIONS & FEES

All entries must be submitted through Festhome.

Multiple submissions are permitted.

Each project requires a separate submission and applicable entry fee.

Submission fees are tied to the deadline in effect at the time of submission.

SHORT FILM FEES

Earlybird, through September 4: $15
Regular, through September 24: $20
Late, through October 14: $25

A student discount is available for film submissions.

SHORT SCREENPLAY FEES

Earlybird, through September 4: $5
Regular, through September 24: $5
Late, through October 14: $10

THE SCYTHE AWARD

Entry Fee: $10

All submission fees are non-refundable.

5. DATES & DEADLINES

August 18, 2026: Submissions Open
September 4, 2026: Earlybird Deadline
September 24, 2026: Regular Deadline
October 14, 2026: Late Deadline
October 17, 2026: Notification Date
October 22, 2026: Festival Event

6. JUDGING PROCESS

Every eligible film and screenplay is watched or read in full, more than once, by working filmmakers and industry professionals.

The Reaper Film Festival does not use automated judging or skim-and-score evaluation.

Each submission moves through the following process:

ELIGIBILITY & FORMAT REVIEW

Each entry is checked against applicable category requirements, including:

Runtime
Page count
Genre eligibility
Ownership requirements
Language requirements

Ineligible entries are flagged and the entrant is notified.

BLIND FIRST ROUND

Titles are stripped of identifying names and credits wherever practical before entries are assigned to at least two independent reviewers.

Every reviewer watches or reads the complete submission before entering a score.

WEIGHTED SCORING

Each entry is scored from 1 to 10 according to the applicable Reaper judging rubric.

Reviewer scores are averaged.

A significant scoring disagreement between reviewers triggers an additional review so no single opinion determines a project's fate.

FINALIST DELIBERATION

Top-scoring entries advance to jury deliberation.

Jurors may re-screen or reread contested submissions and discuss and defend their selections.

Jurors must recuse themselves from judging projects in which they have a personal or financial interest.

SELECTION & AWARDS

Official Selections are determined, placements are set, and discretionary craft honors are assigned following jury review.

Winners are notified privately and announced live at The Earl.

All judging decisions are final.

7. FILM JUDGING RUBRIC
CRAFT

Directing: 1 to 10
Cinematography: 1 to 10
Acting: 1 to 10
Editing & Pacing: 1 to 10
Music & Composition: 1 to 10

GENRE

Concept & Originality: 1 to 10
Special Effects: 1 to 10
The Scare: 1 to 10
Atmosphere & Dread: 1 to 10

8. SCREENPLAY JUDGING RUBRIC

Premise & Originality: 1 to 10
Structure: 1 to 10
Character: 1 to 10
Dialogue: 1 to 10
Tone & Atmosphere: 1 to 10
Genre Payoff: 1 to 10

9. SCORING SCALE

1 TO 3: ROUGH

A promising idea that is not yet landing on the screen or page.

4 TO 6: SOLID

Competent, watchable work demonstrating real craft and standout moments.

7 TO 8: STRONG

Confident, memorable filmmaking or writing capable of holding its own in festival competition.

9 TO 10: EXCEPTIONAL

The films and screenplays that cut the deepest. Serious award contenders.

10. OFFICIAL SELECTION & DISTRIBUTION

Every film designated an Official Selection receives:

Non-exclusive distribution on Bloodstream TV
Official Selection laurel
All-access VIP pass, every room, all night
1 drink ticket
Live screening on October 22, 2026

Because distribution is non-exclusive, filmmakers retain ownership of their work and may continue pursuing other eligible opportunities consistent with agreements they have entered.

Any separate distribution terms required for Bloodstream TV placement will be addressed with selected filmmakers as applicable.

11. GRAND PRIZE FEATURE PITCH

The Grand Prize provides the winning filmmaker with the opportunity to present and pitch a feature film project directly to representatives of Bloodstream TV and Studio Dome for consideration for potential financing and development.

The project pitched may be a feature adaptation of the filmmaker's submitted project or another eligible feature project, subject to applicable festival rules and participating company submission requirements.

The participating companies independently evaluate the project following the pitch.

Financing, production, acquisition, development, or distribution is not guaranteed.

12. RIGHTS & OWNERSHIP

By submitting a project, the submitter represents that they own or control all rights necessary to submit and exhibit the work, including applicable rights involving:

Music
Footage
Performances
Likenesses
Underlying material
Copyrighted material
Other intellectual property incorporated into the project

The submitter is responsible for ensuring that the project does not unlawfully infringe upon the rights of any third party.

The submitter authorizes the Reaper Film Festival to use approved project titles, still images, excerpts, trailers, artwork, filmmaker information, and other promotional materials for purposes connected with promoting the festival, its programming, participating projects, and festival events.

Submission does not transfer ownership of the submitted project to the Reaper Film Festival.

13. NOTIFICATION

Entrants are scheduled to be notified of their festival status on or around October 17, 2026.

Winners are announced at the October 21, 2026 festival event.

14. ATTENDANCE

Attendance at the physical festival is encouraged but is not required to:

Be judged
Become an Official Selection
Win an award
Receive applicable distribution

15. FESTIVAL EVENT

The 2026 Reaper Film Festival screening and award show takes place:

October 22, 2026
6:00 PM to 12:30 AM

The Earl
4408 W 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90004
United States

The event includes three 45-minute screening blocks with 30-minute intermissions, networking, award presentations, prize giveaways, the Reaper Screenplay Competition winner announcement, and additional festival programming.

Seating is limited to approximately 200 attendees.

16. FESTIVAL DISCRETION

Craft honors and placements are awarded at the jury's discretion.

The Reaper Film Festival reserves the right to interpret and administer these rules and to make reasonable changes to festival rules, programming, scheduling, deadlines, or procedures when necessary.

Material changes will be reflected through the festival's official channels.

Submission constitutes acknowledgment and acceptance of these Rules & Terms.