FMASU’s HorrorFest International Film Festival Returns From September 16th thru 19th

2026 HORRORFEST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW!

If you’re a fan of horror films then brace yourself as The Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah (FMASU) celebrates the upcoming Halloween season early this year by way of the return of The HorrorFest International Film Festival. This 4-day celebration of independent horror films (shorts and features) from all over the world will take place at The Electric Theater from Wednesday, September 16th thru Saturday, September 19th with a special Preview Night slated for Tuesday, September 15th.

Each year, HorrorFest prides itself on its stellar curation and the 2026 edition promises to be no different. At the time of this writing, festival programmers were still knee deep in putting the final touches on what they promise to be (no pun intended) a killer lineup for fans of the horror genre. In addition to showcasing a mix of several current independent horror titles that are either making the rounds on the film festival circuit or are completely new to the scene, attendees can also expect a few noteworthy horror films of the past (including “Poltergeist” and “What Lies Beneath”), as this festival always sets out to pay tribute to recent voices in horror as well as the old guards that inspired them.

Beyond several unforgettable films, HorrorFest will feature special guests (including returning fan favorite Frank Dietz, a veteran screenwriter, director, animator, and writer), industry panels (including one presented by the creative team behind Universal Horror Unleashed), filmmaker Q&As, networking opportunities, after parties, horror trivia, an awards ceremony, and more.

You can purchase HorrorFest All-Access Fright Badges at a steal of an early bird price right now at fmasu.com/horrorfest. These passes grant you admittance into everything and also come with an exclusive swag bag. Day passes and individual film block tickets are expected to go on sale in mid-August. HorrorFest 2026 official selections will be announced soon with the full festival schedule set to drop shortly thereafter.

Finally, it should be noted that HorrorFest is but one component of the DNA that makes up The Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah.  This 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization hosts a handful of wildly different film-centric events and programs throughout the year including a free-for-the-community monthly movie showcase called The Electric Film Series, a hands on quick turnaround storytelling platform for all ages and all skill sets called The Guerilla Filmmaking Challenge, and the Desertscape International Film Festival which serves as a sort of miniature version of Sundance right here in our own backyard. This is to say that there’s a little something for everyone. Ultimately, the goal of this nonprofit is to champion, inspire, and educate filmmaking talent, to preserve film history, and to celebrate the theatrical experience. Most importantly, though, FMASU was designed to bring folks together through the culturally expansive nature of the transformative artform that is cinema. For more, log onto FMASU.com.