ATLANTA HORROR FILM FESTIVAL – GEORGIA’S FIRST HORROR FEST
20th Annual Atlanta Horror Fest
Atlanta Horror Film Festival (ATL Horror or HorrorFest) turns 20 in 2026. The festival runs October 2 - 4 at Limelight Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, and marks two decades of screening horror films in front of real crowds who love horror.
As the first horror film festival in Georgia and one of the largest long-running horror festivals in the Southeast, the Atlanta Horror Film Festival has built a reputation for supporting real indie horror.
The lineup covers everything horror can be. Psychological films that get under your skin, supernatural stories, dark comedies, and the weird, hard-to-label genre pieces that horror fans love. Some films come in raw, some come polished, but they all bring something honest to the genre. That mix is what gives the festival its identity.
Filmmakers stay after the screenings to talk about how they made their work. Some are part of Atlanta’s growing film scene, others travel in from across the country, but everyone ends up in the same room. Conversations spill into the lobby, then into late-night hangouts, and the whole weekend feels like a real community of horror fans watching films they can’t get anywhere else.
The Atlanta Horror Film Festival keeps the focus simple. Show strong horror films, recognize the work, and give filmmakers an audience that cares. After twenty years, it remains the horror film festival people look for in Atlanta and one that continues to support independent genre filmmaking. Atlanta Horror Film Festival is part of the Atlanta Film Series
Film Entries
Enter your horror shorts and features and join us for the party in October!
Atlanta Horror celebrates indie filmmakers
Atlanta Horror Award Categories
Winners in each category will receive a crystal trophy to mark their achievement.
Best Feature Film
Presented to the standout feature-length horror film, recognized for storytelling, craft, and overall impact.
Best Short Film
Awarded to a short horror film that shows originality, tension, and the ability to scare, disturb, or surprise in a compact format.
Best Director – Feature
Recognizes outstanding direction in a feature film, with special attention to pacing, mood, and vision.
Best Director – Short
Recognizes outstanding direction in a short film, highlighting creativity, atmosphere, and storytelling within a limited runtime.
Best Local Feature
Celebrates a Georgia-made feature film or filmmaker, showcasing local talent and creativity.
Best Local Short
Celebrates a Georgia-made short film or filmmaker, honoring the strength of the local horror community.
Best Blood & Gore
Recognizes outstanding use of practical or digital effects to deliver unforgettable moments of carnage, horror makeup, and gruesome visuals that embody the spirit of horror.
Twisted Vision Award
Given to the film with a dark, unsettling, and wildly original idea that pushes horror into bold new territory.
Nightmare Fuel Award
For the film that gets under your skin and lingers long after the credits roll.
Best Horror Comedy
Presented to a film that masterfully blends horror and humor, delivering scares and laughs in equal measure.
Breakout Filmmaker
Recognizes an emerging filmmaker whose vision, creativity, and execution mark them as a rising force in horror.
Audience Choice - Feature
Chosen by festival audiences, this award highlights the feature film that connected most strongly with viewers.
Audience Choice - Short
Chosen by festival audiences, this award highlights the short film that connected most strongly with viewers.
Jury Award - Feature
Special recognition from the festival jury for a feature film that demonstrates exceptional quality or innovation.
Jury Award - Short
Special recognition from the festival jury for a short film that demonstrates exceptional quality or innovation.
