Q1 — January–March
Jan 22 – Feb 1, 2026
Sundance Film Festival
Park City, Utah
The launchpad for indie horror. Midnight section regularly surfaces breakout genre titles. Key for acquisitions and talent discovery.
Festival
Feb 12 – 22, 2026
Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin, Germany
European Film Market (EFM) runs alongside. Genre sidebar programming and co-production market for international horror deals.
Market
Mar 7 – 15, 2026
SXSW Film & TV Festival
Austin, Texas
Midnighters and genre-friendly programming with strong industry panels. Growing reputation for horror world premieres.
Premiere
Q2 — April–June
May 12 – 23, 2026
Cannes Film Festival
Cannes, France
Midnight screenings and Marché du Film. Where elevated horror meets prestige. Major international pre-sales happen here.
Market
Jun 4 – 15, 2026
Tribeca Film Festival
New York, New York
Genre spotlight section with growing horror programming. NYC industry access and distribution conversations.
Festival
Jun 9 – 14, 2026
Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Annecy, France
The premier animation event. Animated horror showcases and studio acquisitions in the MIFA market.
Market
Q3 — July–September
Jul 17 – Aug 6, 2026
Fantasia International Film Festival
Montreal, Canada
North America's premier genre festival. Three weeks of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. Industry market and Frontières co-production forum.
Festival
Aug 21 – 25, 2026
FrightFest
London, UK
The UK's largest dedicated horror festival. Five days of premieres, guest appearances, and genre community networking.
Premiere
Aug 27 – Sep 6, 2026
Venice Film Festival
Venice, Italy
Horizons and out-of-competition slots increasingly feature genre work. Awards momentum starts here.
Festival
Sep 4 – 14, 2026
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto, Canada
Midnight Madness is the premier genre sidebar at a major festival. Distribution deals and awards season launches.
Premiere
Sep 18 – 25, 2026
Fantastic Fest
Austin, Texas
The genre-only festival. World premieres, industry networking, and the most concentrated horror community event of the year.
Festival
Q4 — October–December
Oct 2 – 12, 2026
Sitges Film Festival
Sitges, Spain
Europe's top genre festival. Nearly 60 years of horror programming. Influential for European distribution and genre credibility.
Festival
Oct (Dates TBA), 2026
Beyond Fest
Los Angeles, California
LA's genre festival at the Egyptian and Aero theatres. Studio premieres, restorations, and industry screenings.
Premiere
Oct (Dates TBA), 2026
Screamfest Horror Film Festival
Los Angeles, California
Oscar-qualifying horror festival. Discovered Paranormal Activity. Short film competition feeds the feature pipeline.
Festival
Nov 4 – 9, 2026
American Film Market (AFM)
Las Vegas, Nevada
The world's largest film market. Pre-sales, distribution deals, and financing for genre content. Essential for producers and sales agents.
Market