Romford Horror Film Festival ( HORRHIFFIC) is an independent horror film festival founded in 2020 by festival director Spencer Hawken. The festival takes place annually in Romford, United Kingdom and is hosted at Premiere Cinemas inside The Mercury Mall.
The festival celebrates the showcasing of the best horror independent British and International films. The festival provides a platform for established and emerging filmmakers in showcasing their work, discover new talent, and network with industry professionals. The festival also bring a variety of horror themed workshops, talks and stalls as well as giving the audience opportunities to engage with filmmakers through live Q&A's. The festival includes screenings from first-time filmmakers to some of the most established names on the independent horror film circuit with features and short films. The festival recognises the achievements of filmmakers through awards in multiple categories.
The festival has attracted a growing audience of filmmakers and industry professionals over the years including Eileen Dietz, Dani Thompson, Ayvianna Snow, Silvia Collatina, Giovanni Lombardo Radice.
History
In 2020 the Romford Horror Festival announced to be taking place in summer 2021 and was taking submissions prior to the event. The festival Is developed by the festival director Spencer Hawken who also developed the Romford Film Festival.
In 2021, the 1st festival was held from 5–6 June 2021 and hosted 60 independent horror feature and short films. The festival was one of the first physical festivals in the UK post COVID-19 outbreak. As part of the festival that year Guns Akimbo was screened which starred Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe. It also saw Eileen Dietz introduce the special guest video introduction to 'The Exorcist: Directors Cut'. The team behind the festival that year was invited to attend Tashkent Film Festival where they were the first UK film delegation to attend.
In 2022, the 2nd festival was held from 25 to 27 February 2022 and hosted 80 independent horror feature and short films. The short film Extraneous Matter which won best short film in 2022, was reimagined into a feature film by Kenichi Ugana. The festival recorded to have had over 400 audience members during the weekend event after restrictions was lifted as part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists Rick Melton and Noufaux was in attendance as part of the festivals meet and greet. As part of the 2021 festival season in the previous year Manos: The Hands of Fate was screened. As part of the 2022 festival season the sequel Manos Returns was screened at the festival. The festival screened "The Ogress" a 25-minute short film. The film is inspired by serial killer Amelia Dyer, who over a thirty-year period, is believed to have killed hundreds of babies through her work as a baby farmer.
In 2023, the 3rd festival was held from 23 to 26 February 2023 and hosted 101 independent horror feature and short films over two different screens. The festival was host to local talent with a screening of feature film Videoshop Tales of Terror, largely shot at the Mercury Mall where the festival takes place. Films included international Pou as South African film and the uncanny from United States. This also saw the director Clara Gabrielle and actress Marie Laurin fly in for the event. The festival also hosted a long unseen interview with acclaimed director Lucio Fulci which was recently uncovered. As part of this screening two Italian actors who worked with the director, Silvia Collatina and Giovanni Lombardo Radice, was at the festival throughout the weekend, both did exclusive interviews with Live Q&A along with public signings for festival pass holders. In an interview with Festival Director Spencer Hawken, Collatina revealed she didn't expect to still be going places and talking about The House by the Cemetery film 40 years later. Giovanni Lombardo Radice's last public appearance was at the 2023 festival alongside Silvia Collatina.
In 2024, the 4th festival was held 29 February – 3 March 2024.
In 2025, the 5th festival will be held 28 February – 2 March 2025.
Awards The Romford Horror Film Festival recognises the achievements of filmmakers in variety of the following awards.
Best Feature Film Best Short Film Best Director Best Screenplay Best Actor Best Actress Best Cinematography Best Score Best Visual Effects Best International Film Best Foreign Language Film Best Local Film Best Documentary Film Best Animated Film Best Anthology Film Best Comedy-Horror Film Best Film with a budget between £1,000 - £10,000 Best Film with a budget of between £10,000 - £100,000 Best Film Under 5 minutes Best Cheap Thrills Best Student Body Film Best Short Sharp Shock Jury Prize Award Alternative Awards Special Commendation
+ Key Award Nomination Award winner
2021 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Best Short Film Best Director Best Actor Best Actress Best Cinematography Alternate Awards
2022 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Best Short Film Best Director Best Screenplay Best Actor Best Actress Best Cinematography Best Score Best International Film Best Local Film Best Film Under 5 Minutes Best Cheap Thrill Film Jury Prize Award Alternate Awards
2023 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Best Short Film Best Director Best Screenplay Best Actor Best Actress Best Cinematography Best Score Best International Film Best Local Film Best Documentary Film Best Film Under 5 Minutes Best Cheap Thrill Film Jury Prize Award Alternate Awards
2024 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Best Short Film Best Director Best Screenplay Best Actor Best Actress Best Cinematography Best Score Best Visual Effects Best Foreign Language Film Best Local Film Best Animated Film Best Anthology Film Best Comedy-Horror Film Best Film with a budget between £1,000 - £10,000 Best Film with a budget of between £10,000 - £100,000 Best Cheap Thrills Film Best Student Body Film Short Sharp Shocks Jury Prize Award Special Commendation Horror Roulette 2025 Season Nominations & Award Winners Award Nominee / Award Winner Best Feature Film Best Short Film Best Director (Feature Film) Best Director (Short Film) Best Screenplay (Feature Film) Best Screenplay (Short Film) Best Actor Best Actress Best Cinematography Best Score Best Special Effects Best Foreign Film Best Local Film Best Animated Film Best Anthology Film Best Cheap Thrills Best Short Under 5 Minutes Best Low Budget (Feature Film) Best Low Budget (Short Film) Best Editing Best Ensemble Cast Jury Prize Award Peoples Choice Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Alternative Awards
Official selection
2021 Season (5–6 June 2021) Project Director(s) Runtime Type CountryBloodshedPaolo Mancin, Daniel Watchorn12:37Short From Somewhere ElseBruno Marín20:00Short Human TrashAitor Almuedo 16:38Short Polvotron 500Silvia Conesa 11:00Short SmilesJavier Chavanel 13:25Short Adam In AeternumPedro Jaen R. 14:55Short FraternalingsLiam Parry17:31Short SEEDSSkip Shea 01:30:00FeatureThe Boston ManiacJudson Vaughan 4:30Short BURNJudson Vaughan 15:00Short The SleeplessKami Sadraei 7:08Short Long PigRiccardo Suriano 8:30Short Cold CallerDarren J. Perry10:00Short VHS Forever? Once Upon A Time in CamdenMark Williams 01:44:06FeatureKid NapGurkan Yaman 1:00Short ChromophobiaMark Lediard, Gavin Williams 12:06Short The MimeMark Lediard, Gavin Williams 2:20Short The House at the EndNeil Harget5:09Short The Whooper ReturnsSamuel Krebs 01:11:42FeatureThe MagpieOliver Steele 8:33Short The Penny DroppedA D Cooper 5:47Short MalingeeFelix Lovell 6:42Short ElevaterrorLee Charlish 3:40Short For SaleFrancesco Gabriele 15:00Short Extraneous MatterKenichi Ugana 21:59Short Midnight Movie : Magnum Opus Myriam Khammassi 12:48Short Bliss BurgerAdam Wright20:11Short TestimonyJames Peaty 8:15Short Tangle M. Noe 14:11Short Smiling WomanAlex Magaña 2:44Short OutbreakAlex Magaña 3:25Short WormIlya Polyakov 9:12Short CassetteIlya Polyakov 8:09Short CutsteinHamidreza Khosh-Bazan 10:47Short SnakeskinWesley Clapp 18:24Short Bad Candy (2021)Scott Hansen, Desiree Connell01:42:00Feature Boris In The ForestRobert Hackett12:00ShortHonor Among ThievesJustin Eugene Evans 9:59ShortThe Tell-Tale Heart - a musicabreDanny Ashkenasi 37:42ShortLa SelfilleJérémy Brondoni 7:55ShortDream State John Aldridge 4:00ShortDarker, DarkestJerome Velinsky 14:30ShortA Piglet's TaleFabrizio Gammardella 12:30ShortShe Of The LandGary J Hewitt 15:00ShortNew WomanBenjamin Noah19:52ShortThe Case of Katelyn BurnsToyah Frantzen10:40ShortLove In Vein Phillip Brown14:47ShortParkaMarcella Cortland, Alrik Bursell 7:05ShortROOKIE BABYTony Báez Milán 10:17ShortWhat You Can't SeeChris Richardson14:18ShortHaunting the HauntedJohn Gigrich6:05ShortThe Self-SeersMatthew David Ridley10:00ShortWicca BookVahagn Karapetyan22:46ShortBogeyIolo Edwards 10:13ShortRueful WarriorMark Owen 14:51ShortGRACEKonstantin Egerndorfer40:00ShortDandelionsJason Cherot4:54ShortUnder the latherOllivier Briand 13:57ShortThe Witch of Kings CrossSonia Bible 01:15:13FeatureThe Cunning ManZoë Dobson 12:54ShortTHE BOXChristopher Cook 13:00ShortDaytime NightmareKatrina Grey 01:25:00FeatureUNREGISTERED Sophia Banks15:00ShortBlack MassScott Lyus 11:40ShortDefine DelphineFábio Brandão 29:36ShortBlack MoonRyan Graff8:10ShortThe AllotmentAlexander Churchyard, Michael Holiday5:15ShortLEASHJamie Thornham 7:53Short