FrightFest

Overview

FrightFest is the UK's largest genre film festival, now in its 27th year. The 2026 edition runs August 27-31 across six screens at the ODEON cinemas at Leicester Square and West End in central London. The festival programs horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and thriller films across four strands: Main, Discovery, First Blood, and Short Films. Tubi, Fox Corporation's ad-supported streaming service, is the 2026 headline sponsor.

For genre filmmakers, FrightFest provides access to one of the most passionate horror audiences in the world. The festival is included in the FilmFreeway and Dread Central top 100 festival lists and MovieMaker Magazine's top 50 genre festivals. UK genre distributors attend regularly, and the festival's London location makes it a practical acquisition venue for European buyers.

The festival also runs two additional events each year: FrightFest Glasgow, a three-day mini-festival in early March as part of the Glasgow Film Festival, and a Halloween event in late October at the ODEON Luxe West End.

Key Sections

• Main Screen - the primary program of high-profile genre features, typically with UK or European premieres
• Discovery Screen - emerging filmmakers and lower-budget independent horror; this is the entry point for first-time and micro-budget directors
• First Blood - a strand dedicated to debut feature filmmakers
• Short Films - competitive horror short program; the festival prefers shorts under 20 minutes, ideally under 15 minutes

What Filmmakers Should Know

Submission Process

FrightFest accepts submissions only via FilmFreeway. The festival is currently accepting submissions for both the March 2026 Glasgow event and the August 2026 London event.

Key dates for FrightFest London 2026:

• Early bird deadline: December 1, 2025 (reduced submission fee)
• Final feature deadline: June 1, 2026 (midnight)
• Final short deadline: June 18, 2026 (midnight)
• Films submitted before December 1, 2025 that are not selected for Glasgow will also be considered for London in August 2026
• Glasgow selections announced: early January 2026
• London features announced: mid-July 2026
• London shorts announced: early August 2026

Eligibility Requirements

• Films must be completed after January 1, 2025
• Films previously submitted to FrightFest will not be considered
• Features: minimum 60 minutes; require at least a UK, European, International, or World Premiere
• Shorts: under 20 minutes (ideally under 15); require at least a London Premiere
• Films must not be available online or on DVD/VOD for public viewing
• Open to horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and thriller genres, including documentaries and television series
• All submission fees are final and non-refundable

Ticket Prices (2026)

• Festival Pass (Stalls and Royal Circle): GBP 265
• Festival Pass (Balcony): GBP 225
• Thursday Day Pass: GBP 36
• Friday and Saturday Day Pass: GBP 72
• Sunday and Monday Day Pass: GBP 60
• Single Tickets: GBP 14.99 (plus GBP 1.29 booking fee)
• Pass fees carry a 4% booking fee

Line-up announced July 16; festival passes on sale from noon July 18; single tickets from noon July 25. The free passholder Discovery Screen tickets are released approximately one week before the festival begins.

Market and Industry Presence

FrightFest is not a market festival in the way Cannes or Berlin operate, but UK genre distributors including Arrow Films, Signature Entertainment, and 101 Films attend regularly to identify acquisition targets. The Discovery Screen strand is specifically designed to give micro-budget and emerging horror filmmakers exposure to these distributors without competing directly against major productions.

Major Awards

FrightFest is primarily audience-voted rather than jury-driven. The festival's competitive structure includes:

• Best Film - audience-voted grand prize
• Best Short Film - audience vote
• Discovery Award - recognition for emerging horror filmmakers in the Discovery Screen strand

The festival also hosts Q&A sessions after most screenings, giving filmmakers direct audience engagement that can generate word-of-mouth for subsequent theatrical or digital releases.

Festival History

FrightFest was founded in 2000 by Alan Jones, Ian Rattray, Paul McEvoy, and Greg Day. The first event was held at the Prince Charles Cinema off London's Leicester Square. The founders created the festival to give the UK a horror and fantasy festival comparable to European leaders like Sitges (Spain) and Brussels (Belgium). Greg Day joined as a co-director in 2006.

The festival has operated continuously since 2000, growing from a single-screen cult gathering into a six-screen event at the ODEON Leicester Square and West End. Graham Humphreys has designed the festival's poster art for multiple editions, including the 2026 design marking the 27th anniversary.

The festival was previously known as Arrow Video FrightFest during a sponsorship period. It has hosted special events including Dario Argento appearances, HOSTEL Day, and screenings with directors such as Jim Mickle. The traditional film quiz night returns on August 26, 2026, the night before the festival opens.

Practical Notes for International Filmmakers

FrightFest's August Bank Holiday timing (the last weekend of August) is fixed each year, making it predictable for planning. The festival's central London location at ODEON Leicester Square means screenings are accessible to UK press, distributors, and international visitors flying into London. Six screens run simultaneously, giving the festival a high programming capacity across five days.

For short filmmakers: the festival explicitly states that a short film means SHORT. Keep submissions under 20 minutes, ideally under 15. Non-standard running times are a practical barrier to programming.

Contact for eligibility questions: FrightFest@mac.com before submitting.

See Also

For horror filmmaking strategies, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For UK genre festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. To calculate the financial return of festival submissions, see the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator.