Watch Halloween International Film Festival 2025 Filmmaker Q&A Panels [Video]
The Halloween International Film Festival returned from the grave in October 2025 to haunt the historic Outer Banks, North Carolina, with over 25 independent horror shorts and feature films from around the world and many special guest filmmakers in attendance that participated in Q&A panels, which are now available to watch online.
In addition to Q&A’s with the directors and producers of each night’s closing official selection feature film – Groupchat, Haunt Season, and Devour – the festival included themed panels featuring filmmakers, cast and representatives from multiple officially selected films.
The day one NC Fear in Film panel focused on making independent horror shorts and features in North Carolina, actor/writer/producer Tammy Mattox (The Ensuing) and producer Jacob Parris (Bobby Came Home).
On day two, the Horrors of Indie Filmmaking panel explored the challenges of completing an independent film, with directors Gage Zanghi (Breakthrough Filmmaker Award Winner for Grandma, May I), Edward Mizner (A Friendly Referral), Jesse Womack (The Litterbug), and Jake Jarvi (Best Feature Film Award Winner Haunt Season).
Day three included another NC Fear in Film panel with the cast and crew of the folk horror short Pretty Polly, featuring the film’s leads Savannah Ward and Mackenzie Jones, cinematographer/musician Justin Casey, and producer Jonathan Clayborne of Haunted Pamlico.
The Saturday night Halloween in Horror Q&A panel featured producer Elliot McMillan (Rough Cut) and writer/director Michael Ciminna (Jack’s Lantern) discussing their Halloween-set horror short films that screened earlier that night.
The Halloween International Film Festival took place October 2-4, 2025 at The Pioneer Theater in Manteo, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, presented by Halloween Daily News and sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Gallop Funeral Services, the Halloween & Costume Association, Haunted Pamlico, Let’s Talk Terror, Weird Darkness Podcast, Toxic Coffin, Fright-Rags, Lake Hickory Haunts, Halloween Island (which has events continuing every weekend through October in Manteo), and the 12th Annual Outer Banks Halloween Parade.
Watch the 2025 NC Fear in Film, Horrors of Indie Filmmaking, and Halloween in Horror filmmaker Q&A panels, moderated by Halloween Daily News’ Sue Artz, below.
Related: Watch Halloween Film Festival ‘Devour’ Filmmakers Q&A Panel [Video]
Related: Watch Halloween Film Festival ‘Haunt Season’ Director Q&A [Video]
Related: Watch Halloween Film Festival Screenlife Horror ‘Groupchat’ Q&A Panel [Video]
Related:Â Halloween Int. Film Festival 2025 Award Winners Announced
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