The 2026 HorrorFest International Film Festival returns to the historic Electric Theater in beautiful St. George, UT, from September 16th thru 19th. Presented by the 501(C)(3) nonprofit, The Film and Media Alliance Southern Utah, HorrorFest International is a 4-day celebration of current works of horror (shorts and features) from all around the world. It should also be noted that this year, attendees will discover that hauntings are reel so hopefully, you don’t have an issue with ghosts.
In addition to over 60 films, HorrorFest will offer plenty of unique events for horror fans to get excited about. Included; Script to Scream: The Art of Horror Writing With Chris Thomas Devlin. Following 2022’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and 2023’s Cobweb, Devlin (whose feature screenplay, The Wretched Emily Derringer, was featured on the coveted Black List) was most recently tapped to pen a new take on Blair Witch. That film is about to start shooting and is slated for a 2027 release. During what promises to be a very insightful conversation, Devlin will dish on his screenwriting career and his love for horror in general. HorrorFest will also offer Behind the Scream: The Art of Producing Horror with industry pro, Christian Armogida. With credits that include The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Glorious, and We Summon the Darkness, Armogida is no stranger to genre films so you can expect quite the lively discussion. Both of these industry panels will be moderated by Kyle Peck, Senior Producer at Wild Card Creative Group.
Elsewhere, HorrorFest will also host a panel featuring the creative team behind the beloved year-round haunt attraction, Universal Horror Unleashed, as well as a listening party featuring a World Premiere episode from the Necro Radio broadcast with the team behind it on hand to talk about the origins of its creation. Additionally, HorrorFest once again welcomes fan favorite, Frank Dietz, a veteran screenwriter/actor/director/animator, who will be on hand to talk about his most recent book and to dazzle attendees with both his vast knowledge of horror and his next-to-none awards show hosting skills. Additionally, Mr. Dietz will host our traditional 80s Throwback Mystery Movie.
As for this year’s overall film lineup, it’ll offer a lot for horror fans to talk about. Goody Goody will serve as the opening night feature. Fresh off of a healthy festival run where it was eventually acquired by the streaming service Shudder, this atmospheric slice of home birth horror from writer/director Raymond Creamer will close out its festival run at HorrorFest. It will be preceded by the provocative and hard-hitting short, Night Feeds. Both of these films are part of the appropriately titled, The Birth of Horror Film Block.
The festival will close out with the much buzzed-about Japanese import, Never After Dark. This Magnolia Picture release finds a traveling psychic with the ability to communicate with spirits coming face to face with a powerful entity at a house in the middle of nowhere. Dave Boyle’s expertly crafted Never After Dark will be preceded by the effective and efficient Nick (Kolya) Denton-helmed short, 3:03 AM.
Other features in the lineup include Manu Herrera’s frightening witchcraft tale Lily’s Ritual, Lee Daehan’s brutal South Korean import Debone, Alex Watson’s zany ghosts vs. influencers comedy Demonetize, and the irreverent and altogether hilarious 80s slasher parody, Friday the 69th.
On the shorts front, prepare yourself for the icy cold creature stylings of The Last Snow, the terrifying 99 Ghosts, the darkly hilarious Ethel, the animated nightmare that is Hell, the quirky cool bromance that is The Sentry, the sci-fi centric Slow, the dog-headlined haunter Obey!, and a whole lot more.
HorrorFest will also offer a handful of old haunts including a September 15th preview night screening of the ghost movie to end all ghost movies, Poltergeist, the Chris Thomas Devlin-penned thriller Cobweb, an 80s Throwback Mystery Movie, and 30th-Anniversary screenings of both the Peter Jackson-helmed gem The Frighteners and Michael Dougherty’s animated winner Season’s Greetings which would go on to inspire the beloved anthology film, Trick ‘R Treat.
This is to say nothing of after pirates, opening and closing night dinners, a Cereal Killer Breakfast Bar, Horror Trivia With Timber Pictures Co., a costume contest, the annual HorrorFest Skreel Awards, and more. All in a beautiful area surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenic locales in the U.S.
Come for the unforgettable horror films…Stay for the incredible sights.
All-Access Fright Badges are only $129 (includes all screenings, all events, opening and closing night meals and after parties, and an exclusive HorrorFest swag bag). The All-Access Fright Badge will certainly offer attendees the most terrifying bang for their buck. 4-Day Passes, Day Passes, and Single Film Block Tickets are also available.
For all 2026 HorrorFest International Film Festival details, click here.
For a look at the 2026 HorrorFest International Film Festival In-Competition Film Blocks, look below–
TALES FROM THE UTAH SIDE SHORTS BLOCK
DO NOT WATCH — Dir. Andy Matthews, Aaron Tharp
CAMP EVERGREEN — Dir. Connor England
COME SUNRISE — Dir. Benjamin Vasion
FIESTA NO MAS — Dir. Amy Pope
THE WORMS — Dir. William Cowser
HILLCREST — Dir. Cary Leavy
ORSON WELLES IN SALT LAKE CITY — Dir. Max Bennion
IT’S NOT HAUNTED — Dir. Porter Justus
THE SWEATER — Dir. Jeff Call
UNTAINTED SKY — Dir. Madeline Bradley
HAUNTINGS ARE REEL SHORTS BLOCK
OBEY! — Dir. Jordan Wippell
PARASOMNIA — Dir. Charlton Lansley
THE ME IN THE TV — Dir. Gordon Phillips
THE STOLEN FUTURE — Dir. Vedd V. Rawtaani
HAPPY — Dir. Victor Basallote
ARCANA — Dir. Lester Platt
99 GHOSTS — Dir. Gonzalo Torrens
THE BIRTH OF HORROR FEATURE BLOCK
NIGHT FEEDS — Dir. Rana Roy
GOODY GOODY — Dir. Raymond Creamer
BLOOD CRIMES FEATURE BLOCK
HAPPENING… — Dir. Gn-Ju
DEBONE — Dir. Lee Daehan
CREATURE FEATURE SHORTS BLOCK
I’LL BE RIGHT BACK–Dir. Corbin Allred
SLOW — Dir. Rebecca Berrih
MY NAME IS JOHN — Dir. Jordan A. Roman
THE TASTE OF YOUR SCALES — Dir. Rafaël Beauchamp
BREEDER — Dir. Sapphire Sandalo
THE SMOTHER — Dir. Ben Kadie
THERE IS ALWAYS A MONSTER — Dir. Gaston Haag
THE WITCHENING — Dir. MK Kopp
THE LAST SNOW — Dir. Rodolphe Bouquet-Populus
THE DEVIL INSIDE FEATURE BLOCK
XARAX — Dir. Salil Jason Fernandez
LILY’S RITUAL — Dir. Manu Herrera, Diana Alina Miscu
KILLER SHORTS BLOCK
NO VOLVERÉ — Dir. Jan Bross
ARTICHOKE — Dir. Amir Moini
NIGHT TICKET SELLER — Dir. Peter Chan
DOPEMINE-BOX — Dir. Karson Knudsen
WORST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE — Dir. PJ Germain
TRIAL 670 — Dir. Hailey Jackson Boucher
A BREACH WITHIN — Dir. Jean-François Leblanc
DIE LAUGHING SHORTS BLOCK
IT’S A WONDERFUL NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD — Dir. John Bell, Dan Bell
THE CANDLE — Dir. Ren Ariel Sano
VOICEMAIL — Dir. Benjamin L. Brown
THE DEEP VESSEL — Dir. Sean Cruser
OPEN MIC — Dir. Jano Pita
A HAND TO HOLD — Dir. Philip Clyde-Smith
THE SENTRY — Dir. Jake Wachtel
FAMILY SECRETS FEATURE BLOCK
COBWEB — Dir. Samuel Bodin
MONETIZING HORROR FEATURE BLOCK
MY SEVERED ARM — Dir. Casey de Fremery
DEMONETIZE — Dir. Alexander Watson
DIE LAUGHING…AGAIN FEATURE BLOCK
ETHEL — Dir. Micah Schultz
FRIDAY THE 69TH — Dir. Alex Montilla
NOT-YOUR-TRADITIONAL-SATURDAY-MORNING-CARTOONS BLOCK
CREATION — Dir. Sav Vivanco, Angela Grace Aguas
HELL — Dir. Parker Croft
IN MY SKIN — Dir. Erica Amato
THE GATES OF IRKALLA — Dir. Alexi Tsitlakidis
THEATER OF MYSTERY — Dir. Matthew Rosvally
WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND — Dir. Jean-Sébastien Hamel, Alexandra Myotte
SHE FELT LIKE MURDER! — Dir. Ryan Clausen
HAUNTINGS ARE REEL FEATURE BLOCK
3:03 AM — Dir. Nick “Kolya” Denton
NEVER AFTER DARK — Dir. Dave Boyle
