HORRORFEST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, SPECIAL GUESTS, RETRO SCREENINGS, AN AWARDS CEREMONY, AND MORE!
From September 16th to 19th, horror fans will discover that hauntings are reel as the HorrorFest International Film Festival returns to The Electric Theater. Presented by the 501(C)(3) nonprofit, The Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah, this 4 day celebration of horror films (shorts and features) from all around the globe, is the perfect event to usher in a quickly approaching Halloween season.
HFI 2026 will open with a special preview night get-together on Tuesday, September 15th. Proceedings will include an Electric Film Series screening of What Lies Beneath followed by a screening of a little 80s masterwork called Poltergeist. The festivities will truly begin, however, on Wednesday, September 16th. Attendees can expect over 60 works of horror (many of these films have currently been making the rounds on the festival circuit) over the course of 4 fright-filled days.
Feature films include the buzzed-about slice of home birth horror that is Goody Goody. Hot on the heels of a very successful festival run, Raymond Creamer’s Goody Goody will serve as HFI’s opening night feature just ahead of its big release on the beloved Shudder streaming service.
HorrorFest 2026 will close out with Dave Boyle’s Never After Dark from Magnolia Pictures. This expertly crafted Japanese import follows a travelling psychic with a gift for talking to ghosts as she comes face to face with a most unsavory spirit while working a job at an isolated house in the middle of nowhere. The perfect HorrorFest closer.
Other features include the righteously hilarious (and undeniably irreverent) 80s slasher parody, Friday the 69th, the ghost-hunting influencer romp Demonetize, the brutally twisted witchcraft tale Lily’s Ritual, and the emotional sucker punch to the gut that is the disturbing, provocative, and hard-hitting South Korean import, Debone.
The festival will also spotlight an impressive roster of unforgettable short films including the monster movie stylings of The Last Snow, the creepy haunter 99 Ghosts, the hilarious bromance with a twist that is The Sentry, the powerful and provocative tale of motherhood that is Night Feeds, the canine ghost story Obey!, the all-puppet noir comedy She Felt Like Murder!, the hilarious dark comedy Ethel, the effective and concise 3:03 AM, the Kubrickian burst of modern horror that is Dopamine-Box, the World Premiere of the unconventional doppelganger tale My Name is John, the YouTube tutorial/slasher comedy fusion My Severed Arm, the rock-centric horror fable The Deep Vessel, and a whole lot more.
Elsewhere, HorrorFest will host industry panels and special guests including screenwriter Chris Thomas Devlin, the man behind 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Cobweb, and 2027’s highly anticipated new take on Blair Witch. An insightful look at producing with Christian Armogida, an industry pro whose credits include The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Glorious, and We Summon the Darkness. A glimpse at a beloved year-round haunt with a few of the creative geniuses behind Universal Horror Unleashed on hand to give attendees a look behind the spook alley curtain. The World Premiere of the latest creepy episode of the Necro Radio broadcast with the team behind it on hand to share insight. And last but certainly not least, writer/animator/director/actor and returning fan fave, Frank Dietz, on hand once more to talk about his book, moderate a screening of the past, and share his infinite knowledge of horror in general.
Beyond that HorrorFest International 2026 will showcase a few films of the past, as well, including Cobweb, a Mystery Throwback 80s screening (you won’t know what it is until the lights go down), and 30th anniversary screenings of Peter Jackson’s high energy haunter, The Frighteners and Michael Dougherty’s gem of an animated short, Season’s Greetings, an awesome little Halloween-centric ditty that would go on to inspire the unforgettable horror anthology that is Trick ‘r Treat. Of course, HorrorFest will also offer after parties, horror trivia, networking opportunities, an awards ceremony, and more.
This is to say nothing of the fact that this annual celebration of horror cinema takes place in one of the most beautiful and hospitable cities in the U.S., one that just so happens to be surrounded by plenty of breathtaking scenic locales including Zion Canyon National Park. Come for the unforgettable horror films…Stay for the breathtaking sights.
All HorrorFest International Film Festival details–including full schedule, movie synopses, special guests, and ticket info– can be accessed by clicking here. Individual film block tickets, day passes, and 4-day Slasher Passes are also available but the All-Access Fright Badge offers you the most terrifying bang for your buck so get one before they’re gone.
Programmers certainly recognize that horror isn’t necessarily for everyone but if you’re a fan of all the various shades of horror out there (many of those shades will be well-represented at HIFF 26), then HorrorFest International is a not-to-be-missed cinematic experience that you’ll never forget.
For all 2026 HorrorFest International Film Festival details, CLICK HERE!
