Blog: Film festivals

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Cannot be withdrawn from the channel until the final awards ceremony in June 2026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Films selected for the YouTube channel may not be withdrawn before the official conclusion of the festival.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.