Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a horror film festival founded by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin in August 2001. Its first edition was October 24 to October 25, 2001 at the Vogue Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. It runs over ten days during the month of October and is hosted at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Los Angeles. In 2025, the festival celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary and has been credited as being the largest and longest running horror film festival in the United States.
Screamfest premieres and showcases new work from American and international independent horror filmmakers. Films that have premiered at the festival include Paranormal Activity, the series' final installment, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, 30 Days Of Night, Let The Right One In, The Grudge, and The Human Centipede.
Screamfest has received praise from AMC as being an "audience-friendly fest that celebrates indie and foreign horror and is run for the fans more than the industry". The festival was also featured in a 2012 episode of Cupcake Wars, where the winning team would create cupcakes for the festival's closing VIP event.
Skull Awards The Screamfest Skull Award is awarded at the festival in several categories, which can include the following: Best Feature Directing Cinematography Editing Special Effects Musical Score Best Animation Best Short Best Documentary Best Student Film Trailblazer Award Future Icon Award Career achievement awards are also occasionally awarded at the festival.
Convention history Dates Location Awards October 24–25, 2001 Vogue Theater Hollywood BoulevardHollywood, California Most Creative Short: Earth Day Best Student Short: The Appointment Best Animation: Blood: The Last Vampire Best Screenplay: Vampire's Hell Best Short Screenplay: The Bloated Beetle Honorable Mention Screenplays: Shadows of Life, Abductions Best Special Effects: Cradle of Fear Best Editing: Cradle of Fear Best Cinematography: Deep in the Woods Best Makeup: Night of the Headsman Best Actor: Jeff Rector (Fatal Kiss) Best Actress: Jennifer De Martino (The Appointment) Audience Choice Award: Night of the Headsman Best Director: Jeff Rector (Fatal Kiss) Best Foreign Film: Blood: The Last Vampire Best Film: Y2K October 17–20, 2002 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Repossessed Best Student Short: Off Best Animated Short: Puphedz Best Horror Comedy Short: Bad Father Best Screenplay: Bloodlines Best Horror Comedy Screenplay: Ravenna Best Short Screenplay: Reset Best Special Effects: Curse of the Forty-Niner Best Cinematography: R.S.V.P. Best Makeup: Kolobos Best Actor: Rick Otto (R.S.V.P.) Best Actress: Marianne Hayden (Ghostwatcher) Best Documentary: ISPR Investigates: The Ghosts Of Belgrave Hall Best Director: Todd Ocvirk and Daniel Liabtowitsch (Kolobos) Best Foreign Film: Ju-On: The Grudge Best Picture: Kolobos Career Achievement Award: William Friedkin October 10–19, 2003 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Ice Cold Best Student Short: 3AM Best Animated Short: Deadtime Stories Best Horror Comedy Short: R.I.P. Best Editing: A Tale of Two Sisters Best Special Effects: Ghost System Best Cinematography: A Tale Of Two Sisters Best Makeup: Sangre Eterna Best Musical Score: Ghost System Best Actor: Juan Pablo Ogalde (Sangre Eterna) Best Actress: Im Soo-jung (A Tale Of Two Sisters) Best Short Screenplay: Souls Best Screenplay: Desolate Best Director: Kim Jee-woon (A Tale Of Two Sisters) Best Picture: A Tale Of Two Sisters Career Achievement Award: Wes Craven October 15–24, 2004 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: El Ciclo Best Student Short: The Taking Best Animated Short: Day Off The Dead Best Documentary: H. H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer Best Editing: The Invisible Best Special Effects: Cube Zero Best Cinematography: The Invisible Best Makeup: Cube Zero Best Musical Score: Drowning Ghost Best Actor: Gustaf Skarsgård (The Invisible) Best Actress: Tuva Novotny (The Invisible) Best Short Screenplay: Lock Up Best Screenplay: The Domain Best Director: Mikael Håfström (Drowning Ghost) Best Picture: The Invisible Career Achievement Award: Stan Winston October 14–23, 2005 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Staring At The Sun Best Student Short: Dead West Best Animated Short: Little Dead Girl Best Horror Comedy Short: Zombie Movie Best Editing: Brasil Best Special Effects: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Best Cinematography: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari Best Makeup: Severed: Forest of the Dead Best Musical Score: The Echo Best Actor: Brad Hunt (Cookers) Best Actress: Cyia Batten (Cookers) Best Screenplay: Nightfall Best Director: Dan Miintz (Cookers) Best Picture: Cookers Audience Choice Award: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari Career Achievement Award: Sean S. Cunningham October 13–22, 2006 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Happy Birthday To You Best Editing: The Beach Party At The Threshold Of Hell Best Special Effects: Frostbite Best Cinematography: The Marsh Best Makeup: Frostbite Best Musical Score: Frostbite Best Actor: Marc Sentner, (The Lost) Best Actress: Essie Davis (Isolation) Best Screenplay: Childish Things Honorable Mention: The Tripper, The Beach Party At The Threshold Of Hell Best Director: Billy O'Brien (Isolation) Best Picture: Isolation Career Achievement Award: Clive Barker October 12–21, 2007 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: In The Wall Best Student Short: Angel Best Editing: Alone Best Special Effects: Storm Warning Best Cinematography: Alone Best Makeup: Inside Best Musical Score: Storm Warning Best Actor: Everon Jackson Hooi (Dead End) Best Actress: Katie Featherston (Paranormal Activity) Boost Mobile's Best of the Next in Horror: Stem Honorable Mention: Oren Peli Audience Choice Award: Wasting Away Best Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom (Alone) Best Picture: Alone October 10–19, 2008 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Detour Best Student Short: Citizen Best Editing: Splinter Best Special Effects: Splinter Best Cinematography: El rey de la montaña Best Makeup: Splinter Audience Choice Best Documentary: Spine Tingler!! The William Castle Story Best Musical Score: Splinter Best Actor: Leonardo Sbaraglia (El rey de la montaña) Best Actress: María Valverde (El rey de la montaña) Best Screenplay: Haunted High Audience Choice Award: Trick 'r Treat Honorable Mention: Dance of the Dead Boost Mobile's Best of the Next in Horror: Clown October 16–25, 2009 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Harry Doright's Prelude To Hell Best Student Short: Else Best Editing: Before The Fall Best Special Effects: The Revenant Best Cinematography: Before The Fall Best Makeup: The Revenant Best Musical Score: The House of the Devil Best Actor: Victor Clavijo (Before The Fall) Best Actress: Jocelin Donahue (The House Of The Devil) Best Screenplay: Hate Night Best Director: F. Javier Gutiérrez (Before The Fall) Best Picture: The Human Centipede October 8–17, 2010 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: The Legend Of Beaver Dam Best Editing: The Pack Best Special Effects: The Pack Best Cinematography: Black Death Best Makeup: Needle Best Musical Score: Black Death Best Actor: Sean Bean (Black Death) Best Actress: Zoé Félix (Caged) Best Screenplay: Controlled Best Director: Christopher Smith (Black Death) Best Picture: Caged October 14–22, 2011 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: The Little Mermaid Best Editing: Urban Explorer Best Special Effects: The Tunnel Best Cinematography: Crawl Best Makeup: Urban Explorer Best Musical Score: The Innkeepers Best Actor: Klaus Stiglmeier (Urban Explorer) Best Actress: Georgina Haig (Crawl) Best Director: Paul China (Crawl) Best Picture: Urban Explorer October 12–20, 2012 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Incident on Highway 73 Best Animated Short: PostHuman Best Horror Comedy Short, Killer Kart Best Student Short: Eaglewalk Best Editing: On Air Best Special Effects: Crawlspace Best Cinematography: American Mary Best Makeup: American Mary Best Musical Score: Crawlspace Best Actor: Pierre-Francois Legendre (Fear of Water) Best Actress: Katharine Isabelle (American Mary) Best Director: The Soska Sisters (American Mary) Best Picture: American Mary Career Achievement Award: John Carpenter October 8–17, 2013 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Luna by Antonio Perez Best Student Short: Aftermath by Jeremy Robbins Best Editing: Olivier Beguin for Chimeres Best Special Effects: JD Schwalm for Beneath Best Visual Effects: Jamison Goei for Beneath Best Cinematography: Timothy A. Burton for Beneath Best Makeup: Gary Tunnicliffe for Beneath Best Musical Score: Bruno Grife for Goldberg & Eisenberg Best Actor: Yahav Gal for Goldberg & Eisenberg Best Actress: Rosie Day for The Seasoning House Best Director: Ben Ketai for Beneath Best Picture: Beneath Screamfest Launchpad Award Sponsored by Matador Pictures: The Banishing by Erlingur Thoroddsen October 14–23, 2014 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: The Landing directed by Josh Tanner Best Horror Comedy Short: Dead Hearts directed by Stephen W. Martin Best Student Film: Slut directed by Chloe Okuno Best Editing: Sverrir Kristjánsson for Julia Best Musical Score: Frank Hall for Julia Best Makeup: Brian Spears for Julia Best Actress: Ashley C. Williams for Julia Best Actor: Matthew Gray Gubler for Suburban Gothic Best Special Effects: Dark Was the Night Best Visual Effects: Dark Was the Night Best Cinematography: James Swift for White Settlers Best Director: Alejandro Hidalgo for The House at the End of Time Best Picture: The House at the End of Time Best Screenplay: Asylum by Michael Strode and Eric Wostenberg October 13–22, 2015 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: Daddy's Little Girl Best Student Short: Massacre in San Jose by Edgar Nito Best Musical Score: James Gosling for The Hallow Best Editing: Patchwork Best Makeup: The Hallow Best Actress: Tory Stolper for Patchwork Best Actor: Neville Archambault for Slumlord Best Special Effects: The Hallow Best Cinematography: Martijn Van Broekhuizen for The Hallow Best Director: Corin Hardy for The Hallow Best Picture: Patchwork Best Screenplay: Blackvoid by Joseph J. Greenberg October 18–27, 2016 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Short: A Nearly Perfect Blue Sky Best Student Short: Pigskin by Jake Hammond Best Editing: My Father Die Best Actor: Johnny Galecki for The Master Cleanse Best Musical Score: Justin Small & Ohad Benchetrit for My Father Die Best Actress: Mimosa Willamo for Lake Bodom Best Makeup: The Master Cleanse Best Cinematography: Joe Dietsch for Happy Hunting Best Special FX: Nicholas Podbrey, Werner Pretorius & Creature FX Artists for The Master Cleanse Best Visual FX: George A. Loucas for The Master Cleanse Best Unproduced Screenplay: Plum Island Best Director: Sean Brosnan for My Father Die Best Picture: My Father Die October 10–19, 2017 TCL Chinese 6 TheatresHollywood, California Best Picture: Tigers Are Not Afraid Best Director: Issa López for Tigers Are Not Afraid Best Cinematography: Ferdinando D'Urbano for The Laplace's Demon Best Special FX: Giordano Giulivi for The Laplace's Demon Best Visual FX: Giordano Giulivi & Alessandro Zonfrilli for The Laplace's Demon Best Actor: Juan Ramón López for Tigers Are Not Afraid Best Actress: Paola Lara for Tigers Are Not Afraid Best Makeup/Creature Effects: Tragedy Girls Best Editing: Joaquim Marti for Tigers Are Not Afraid Best Musical Score: Duccio Giulivi for The Laplace's Demon Best Horror Comedy: Dead Ant Best Short: Please Love Me Forever by Holy Fatma