# Screamfest Horror Film Festival

Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a horror film festival founded by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin in August 2001. It runs over ten days during the month of October and is hosted at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Los Angeles, California. In 2015, the festival celebrated its fifteenth anniversary and has been credited as being the largest and longest running horror film festival in the United States. The 2016 Screamfest was from October 18 through the 27.
Screamfest premieres and showcases new work from American and international independent horror filmmakers. Films that have premiered at the festival include Paranormal Activity, the series' final installment, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, 30 Days Of Night, Let The Right One In, The Grudge, and The Human Centipede.
Screamfest has received praise from AMC as being an "audience-friendly fest that celebrates indie and foreign horror and is run for the fans more than the industry". The festival was also featured in a 2012 episode of Cupcake Wars, where the winning team would create cupcakes for the festival's closing VIP event.

## Skull Awards

The Screamfest Skull Award is awarded at the festival in several categories, which can include the following:
* Best Feature
* Directing
* Cinematography
* Editing
* Special Effects
* Musical Score
* Best Animation
* Best Short
* Best Documentary
* Best Student Film
* Trailblazer Award
* Future Icon Award
Career achievement awards are also occasionally awarded at the festival.

## Convention history

| Dates | Location | Awards |
| October 24–25, 2001 | Vogue Theater Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, California | Most Creative Short: Earth Day, Best Student Short: The Appointment, Best Animation: Blood: The Last Vampire, Best Screenplay: Vampire's Hell, Best Short Screenplay: The Bloated Beetle, Honorable Mention Screenplays: Shadows of Life, Abductions, Best Special Effects: Cradle of Fear, Best Editing: Cradle of Fear, Best Cinematography: Deep in the Woods, Best Makeup: Night of the Headsman, Best Actor: Jeff Rector (Fatal Kiss), Best Actress: Jennifer De Martino (The Appointment), Audience Choice Award: Night of the Headsman, Best Director: Jeff Rector (Fatal Kiss), Best Foreign Film: Blood: The Last Vampire, Best Film: Y2K |
| October 17–20, 2002 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Repossessed, Best Student Short: Off, Best Animated Short: Puphedz, Best Horror Comedy Short: Bad Father, Best Screenplay: Bloodlines, Best Horror Comedy Screenplay: Ravenna, Best Short Screenplay: Reset, Best Special Effects: Curse of the Forty-Niner, Best Cinematography: R.S.V.P., Best Makeup: Kolobos, Best Actor: Rick Otto (R.S.V.P.), Best Actress: Marianne Hayden (Ghostwatcher), Best Documentary: ISPR Investigates: The Ghosts Of Belgrave Hall, Best Director: Todd Ocvirk and Daniel Liabtowitsch (Kolobos), Best Foreign Film: Ju-On: The Grudge, Best Picture: Kolobos, Career Achievement Award: William Friedkin |
| October 10–19, 2003 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Ice Cold, Best Student Short: 3AM, Best Animated Short: Deadtime Stories, Best Horror Comedy Short: R.I.P., Best Editing: A Tale of Two Sisters, Best Special Effects: Ghost System, Best Cinematography: A Tale Of Two Sisters, Best Makeup: Sangre Eterna, Best Musical Score: Ghost System, Best Actor: Juan Pablo Ogalde (Sangre Eterna), Best Actress: Im Soo-jung (A Tale Of Two Sisters), Best Short Screenplay: Souls, Best Screenplay: Desolate, Best Director: Kim Jee-woon (A Tale Of Two Sisters), Best Picture: A Tale Of Two Sisters, Career Achievement Award: Wes Craven |
| October 15–24, 2004 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: El Ciclo, Best Student Short: The Taking, Best Animated Short: Day Off The Dead, Best Documentary: H. H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer, Best Editing: The Invisible, Best Special Effects: Cube Zero, Best Cinematography: The Invisible, Best Makeup: Cube Zero, Best Musical Score: Drowning Ghost, Best Actor: Gustaf Skarsgård (The Invisible), Best Actress: Tuva Novotny (The Invisible), Best Short Screenplay: Lock Up, Best Screenplay: The Domain, Best Director: Mikael Håfström (Drowning Ghost), Best Picture: The Invisible, Career Achievement Award: Stan Winston |
| October 14–23, 2005 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Staring At The Sun, Best Student Short: Dead West, Best Animated Short: Little Dead Girl, Best Horror Comedy Short: Zombie Movie, Best Editing: Brasil, Best Special Effects: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Best Cinematography: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari, Best Makeup: Severed: Forest of the Dead, Best Musical Score: The Echo, Best Actor: Brad Hunt (Cookers), Best Actress: Cyia Batten (Cookers), Best Screenplay: Nightfall, Best Director: Dan Miintz (Cookers), Best Picture: Cookers, Audience Choice Award: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari, Career Achievement Award: Sean S. Cunningham |
| October 13–22, 2006 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Happy Birthday To You, Best Editing: The Beach Party At The Threshold Of Hell, Best Special Effects: Frostbite, Best Cinematography: The Marsh, Best Makeup: Frostbite, Best Musical Score: Frostbite, Best Actor: Marc Sentner, The Lost), Best Actress: Essie Davis (Isolation), Best Screenplay: Childish Things, Honorable Mention: The Tripper, The Beach Party At The Threshold Of Hell, Best Director: Billy O'Brien (Isolation), Best Picture: Isolation, Career Achievement Award: Clive Barker |
| October 12–21, 2007 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: In The Wall, Best Student Short: Angel, Best Editing: Alone, Best Special Effects: Storm Warning, Best Cinematography: Alone, Best Makeup: Inside, Best Musical Score: Storm Warning, Best Actor: Everon Jackson Hooi (Dead End), Best Actress: Katie Featherston (Paranormal Activity), Boost Mobile's Best of the Next in Horror: Stem, Honorable Mention: Oren Peli, Audience Choice Award: Wasting Away, Best Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom (Alone), Best Picture: Alone |
| October 10–19, 2008 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Detour, Best Student Short: Citizen, Best Editing: Splinter, Best Special Effects: Splinter, Best Cinematography: El rey de la montaña, Best Makeup: Splinter, Audience Choice Best Documentary: Spine Tingler!! The William Castle Story, Best Musical Score: Splinter, Best Actor: Leonardo Sbaraglia (El rey de la montaña), Best Actress: María Valverde (El rey de la montaña), Best Screenplay: Haunted High, Audience Choice Award: Trick 'r Treat, Honorable Mention: Dance of the Dead, Boost Mobile's Best of the Next in Horror: Clown |
| October 16–25, 2009 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Harry Doright's Prelude To Hell, Best Student Short: Else, Best Editing: Before The Fall, Best Special Effects: The Revenant, Best Cinematography: Before The Fall, Best Makeup: The Revenant, Best Musical Score: The House of the Devil, Best Actor: Victor Clavijo (Before The Fall), Best Actress: Jocelin Donahue (The House Of The Devil), Best Screenplay: Hate Night, Best Director: F. Javier Gutiérrez (Before The Fall), Best Picture: The Human Centipede |
| October 8–17, 2010 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: The Legend Of Beaver Dam, Best Editing: The Pack, Best Special Effects: The Pack, Best Cinematography: Black Death, Best Makeup: Needle, Best Musical Score: Black Death, Best Actor: Sean Bean (Black Death), Best Actress: Zoé Félix (Caged), Best Screenplay: Controlled, Best Director: Christopher Smith (Black Death), Best Picture: Caged |
| October 14–22, 2011 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: The Little Mermaid, Best Editing: Urban Explorer, Best Special Effects: The Tunnel, Best Cinematography: Crawl, Best Makeup: Urban Explorer, Best Musical Score: The Innkeepers, Best Actor: Klaus Stiglmeier (Urban Explorer), Best Actress: Georgina Haig (Crawl), Best Director: Paul China (Crawl), Best Picture: Urban Explorer |
| October 12–20, 2012 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Incident on Highway 73, Best Animated Short: PostHuman, Best Horror Comedy Short: Killer Kart, Best Student Short: Eaglewalk, Best Editing: On Air, Best Special Effects: Crawlspace, Best Cinematography : American Mary, Best Makeup: American Mary, Best Musical Score: Crawlspace, Best Actor: Pierre-Francois Legendre (Fear of Water), Best Actress: Katharine Isabelle (American Mary), Best Director: The Soska Sisters (American Mary), Best Picture: American Mary, Career Achievement Award: John Carpenter |
| October 8–17, 2013 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: Luna, Best Student Short: Aftermath, Best Editing: Chimeres, Best Special Effects: Beneath, Best Visual Effects: Beneath, Best Cinematography: Beneath, Best Makeup: Beneath, Best Musical Score: Goldberg & Eisenberg, Best Actor: Yahav Gal (Goldberg & Eisenberg), Best Actress: Rosie Day (The Seasoning House), Best Director: Ben Ketai (Beneath), Best Picture: Beneath, Screamfest Launchpad Award Sponsored by Matador Pictures: The Banishing |
| October 14–23, 2014 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | * Best Short: The Landing, Best Horror Comedy Short: Dead Hearts, Best Student Film: Slut, Best Editing: Julia, Best Makeup: Julia, Best Actress: Ashley C. Williams (Julia), Best Actor: Matthew Gray Gubler (Suburban Gothic), Best Special Effects: Dark Was the Night, Best Visual Effects: Dark Was the Night, Best Cinematography : White Settlers, Best Director: Alejandro Hidalgo (The House at the End of Time), Best Picture: The House at the End of Time, Best Screenplay: Asylum |
| October 13–22, 2015 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | * Best Short: Daddy’s Little Girl, Best Student Short: Massacre in San Jose, Best Musical Score: The Hallow, Best Editing: Patchwork, Best Makeup: The Hallow, Best Actress: Tory Stolper (Patchwork), Best Actor: Neville Archambault (Slumlord), Best Special Effects: The Hallow, Best Cinematography : The Hallow, Best Director: Corin Hardy (The Hallow), Best Picture: Patchwork, Best Screenplay: Blackvoid |
| October 18–27, 2016 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Short: A Nearly Perfect Blue Sky, Best Student Short: Pigskin, Best Editing: My Father, Die , Best Actor: Johnny Galecki (The Master Cleanse), Best Musical Score: My Father, Die , Best Actress: Mimosa Willamo (Lake Bodom), Best Makeup: The Master Cleanse, Best Cinematography: Happy Hunting, Best Special FX: The Master Cleanse, Best Visual FX: The Master Cleanse, Best Unproduced Screenplay: Plum Island , Best Director: Sean Brosnan (My Father, Die ), Best Picture: My Father, Die |
| October 10–19, 2017 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Picture: Tigers Are Not Afraid Best Director: Issa López (Tigers Are Not Afraid) Best Cinematography: Ferdinando D’Urbano (The Laplace’s Demon) Best Special FX: Giordano Giulivi (The Laplace’s Demon) Best Visual FX: Giordano Giulivi & Alessandro Zonfrilli (The Laplace’s Demon) Best Actor: Juan Ramón López (Tigers Are Not Afraid) Best Actress: Paola Lara (Tigers Are Not Afraid) Best Makeup/Creature Effects: Tragedy Girls Best Editing: Joaquim Marti (Tigers Are Not Afraid) Best Musical Score: Duccio Giulivi (The Laplace’s Demon) Best Horror Comedy: Dead Ant Best Short: Please Love Me Forever by Holy Fatma Best Unproduced Screenplay: U-666 by Jacqueline Perez Career Achievement Award: Marianne Maddalena |
| October 9–18, 2018 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Picture: Tumbbad Best Director: Daniel Robbins (Pledge) Best Cinematography: Davide Piazzolla (You Die) Best Special Effects: Crazy Pictures (The Unthinkable) Best Visual Effects: Gajjar Parth (Tumbbad) Best Actor: Thomas Hedengran (Draug) Best Actress: Suzanne Voss (Dementia II) Best Makeup: Josh & Sierra Russell (Open 24 Hours) Best Editing: Nik Voytas (Pledge) Best Musical Score: Klas Persson (Draug) Best Short: I Am The Doorway by Simon Pearce Best Animated Short: La Noria Best Screenplay: Dead Strays by Neil Chase |
| October 8–17, 2019 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Picture: Eat, Brains, Love Best Director: Gille Klabin (The Wave) Best Cinematography: Louise McLaughlin (Resin) Best Special Effects: Eric Thelander (The Wave) Best Visual Effects: Patrick Lawler (The Wave) Best Actor: Justin Long (The Wave) Best Actress: Sarah Bolger (A Good Woman is Hard to Find) Best Makeup: Kristal Shannon (Eat, Brains, Love) Best Editing: Lana Wolverton (The Wave) Best Musical Score: Tim Williams (We Summon the Darkness) Best Short: Bad Hair Best Student Short: Progeny Best Screenplay: Fang and Claw by Troy Sloan |
| October 6–15, 2020 | Regency Theater Plant Drive-In Van Nuys, California | Best Picture: A Ghost Waits Best Director: Adam Stovall (A Ghost Waits) Best Cinematography:Tim Tregoning (Sweet River) Best Special Effects Makeup: Geir Njarðarson (Thirst) Best Visual Effects: Atli Þór Einarsson (Thirst) Best Actor: MacLeod Andrews (A Ghost Waits) Best Actress: Lisa Kay (Sweet River) Best Editing: Baptiste Rouveure (Anonymous Animals) Best Musical Score: Damien Maurel (Anonymous Animals) Best Short: Vikaari Best Comedy Short: Kalley's Last Review Best Student Short: The Rule of Three Best Screenplay: Bloody Mary by Dan Ast and John C. Thursby |
| October 12–21, 2021 | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Hollywood, California | Best Picture: Nocturna: Side A - The Great Old Man’s Night Best Director: Gonzalo Calzada (Nocturna: Side A - The Great Old Man’s Night) Best Cinematography: Carlos Ritter (What Josiah Saw) Best Special Effects: What Josiah Saw Best Visual Effects: Let the Wrong One In Best Actor: Pepe Soriano (Nocturna: Side A - The Great Old Man’s Night) Best Actress: Libby Ewing (When I Consume You) Best Special Effects Makeup: Shannon Mulligan & KC Mussman (The Retaliators) Best Editing: Alejandro Narvaez (Nocturna: Side A - The Great Old Man’s Night) Best Musical Score: Leonardo Martinelli (The Returned (Los Que Vuelven)) Best Short: The Light by Iago de Soto Best Screenplay: Hangman by JC Doler and Paul Petersen |