ScreenNow Horror Fest (1)

Inizio del Festival: 22 giugno 2026      Festival si chiude: 24 giugno 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Cannot be withdrawn from the channel until the final awards ceremony in June 2026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Films selected for the YouTube channel may not be withdrawn before the official conclusion of the festival.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.

Premi in contanti: 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

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.