Follow HIFF on Facebook for updates!

HALLOWEEN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL RESURRECTED

Halloween Daily News is excited to announce the resurrection of the Halloween International Film Festival in 2025, showcasing shorts and feature works from around the world that celebrate the strange, the unusual, and the horror of the most hallowed of seasons, taking place on the historic and haunted Outer Banks, North Carolina, home of America’s first unsolved mystery, the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island, at a legendary theater that dates back over a century.

The festival features three days of independent horror and Halloween-themed films from around the world, as well as networking opportunities and extensive media exposure, all taking place as the kickoff event for the town of Manteo’s Halloween Island festivities, during which area restaurants, bars, and businesses transform into Halloween pop-ups for October.

Films selected for the festival are shown on the big screen at The Pioneer Theater in Manteo, NC, including Q&A sessions with attending filmmakers, nightly meet and greets, photo ops on our Orange Carpet, an outdoor Halloween vendor market, and numerous Halloween Island festivities happening each day in easy walking distance throughout Downtown Manteo. Our iconic host venue dates back to 1918, originally showing silent films in the earliest days of moviemaking, later opening its current location in 1934, and is a truly independent cinematic landmark in itself.

Known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, North Carolina’s Outer Banks is recognized as one of the most haunted places in America, with thousands of shipwrecks resting off the coast of these barrier islands. Roanoke Island, where the Pioneer Theater is located, is the site of the ill fated first English settlement in North America, and its more than 100 colonists that vanished without explanation in 1590, today referred to as The Lost Colony.

A portion of proceeds from this year’s festival will be donated to A Pathway Forward, a locally based nonprofit charity that supports veterans. A Pathway Forward is an organization dedicated to the tenuous and challenging transition that veterans make from “Active Duty” status, returning to “Civilian” life. Its mission is to generate awareness and resources to support this effort providing basic healthcare needs that are primarily centered around mental health.

Tickets are on sale now here.

The Halloween International Film Festival is happening 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, and the 12th Annual Outer Banks Halloween Parade.

RSVP on the official Facebook event page.

SCREENING SCHEDULE

THURSDAY 10/2

3:00 p.m. – Shorts Block #1 – Road Trip to Hell

• SCRATCH (dir. Michael Trainotti / U.S. / 24min) – From HIFF alum and two-time HIFF award winner Michael Trainotti. – A Father/Son weekend adventure becomes a terrifying fight for survival.
• COW (dir. Carlos R. Tkacz / U.S. / 23min) [N.C. PREMIERE] – On their dream adventure, Sam and Kyle are attacked by a mysterious killer wearing a cow skull mask and have to fight to survive.

4:00 p.m. – Shorts Block #2 – Twisted NC (Filmed in North Carolina)

• THE FIVE STAGES OF… (dir. Glenn L. Lissner / U.S. / 6min) – As a husband copes with loss, he soon realizes that things are rapidly going from tragic to worse.
• BOBBY CAME HOME (dir. Dave Harlequin / U.S. / 8min) with director in attendance – After being missing for several months, a woman’s husband suddenly returns home with no memory of where he’s been.
• THE ENSUING (dir. Daljit Kalsi / S. / 16min) with writer/actor/producer in attendance – A group of hikers are invited to go check out an urban legend at an abandoned tunnel by Terri, their guide. They agree to go check it out but along the way things go terribly wrong.
• THE TALK (dir. Cameron Voris / U.S. / 14min) – A young girl prepares for her “first time” and shares a heart to heart with her mother. Meanwhile, her father is left to attend to his daughter’s date for the evening. Needless to say, the night gets a little intense.

5:00 p.m. – NC Fear in Film Q&A Panel

6:00 p.m. – Meet & Greet, Orange Carpet Photo Ops

7:00 p.m. – GROUPCHAT (dir. Dan Brownlie / U.K. / 1hr 22min) [WORLD PREMIERE] with director Dan Brownlie and producer Mel Morley Q&A panel – A grieving game master’s new online role-playing adventure spirals into a deadly reality, trapping players in a supernatural fight for survival. Featuring Debbie Rochon.

9:00 p.m. – SHELL [Special Screening] (dir. Max Minghella / U.S. / 1hr 44min) – Desperate to reclaim her career, once-beloved actress Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss) is drawn into the glamorous world of wellness mogul Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson)—only to uncover a monstrous truth beneath its flawless surface. Starring Elisabeth Moss and Kate Hudson.

 

FRIDAY 10/3

3:00 p.m. – Shorts Block #3 – Scary Funny

• LOOKING FOR MICHAEL (dir. Walker MacDonald / Canada / 17min) [U.S. PREMIERE] – A Halloween super fan travels to Illinois in search of Haddonfield, the town where it all began.
• THE LITTERBUG (dir. Jesse Womack / U.S. / 9min) with director in attendance – Park Ranger Charlie and her young recruit Ranger Casey track down a serial litterer, the Litterbug.
• THE PARCEL (dir. Jared Tipton / U.S. / 9min) [N.C. PREMIERE] Chad’s first day on a new job takes a gut wrenching turn. Starring special FX legend Alec Gillis.
• HALLOWEEN HEADLINERS (dir. Chris Carter, John Simpson, Christopher Miniaci / U.S. / 14min) – At a remote campground, longtime drag rivals Elvirus and Betty Whitecastle face off as co-headliners of a Halloween show destined to be unforgettable. But when the lights go down, the night takes a deadly turn… and the battle for the spotlight becomes a fight for survival. Featuring Felissa Rose.

4:00 p.m. – HAUNTED HOUSE OF PANCAKES (dir. Nate Dalton / U.S. / 1hr 27min) with director Nate Dalton Q&A – On Halloween Night, a demonic possession takes over a diner, transforming the food into bloodthirsty creatures out for revenge.

6:00 p.m. – Meet & Greet, Orange Carpet Photo Ops

7:00 p.m. – Shorts Block #4 – Wicked World

• THE BLOOD WITCH (dir. Austin Torres / U.S. / 9min) – Trying to impress his new girlfriend, Aaron tells Kelly the “legend” of The Blood Witch, not realizing he may be summoning the wrath of a bloodthirsty being.
• A FRIENDLY REFERRAL (dir. Edward Mizner / U.S. / 13min) with director in attendance – A babysitter discovers an evil secret about the family she’s working for.
• GRANDMA, MAY I (dir. Gage Zanghi / U.S. / 14min) [N.C. PREMIERE] with director in attendance – An ancient, cunning spirit posing as a kindly grandmother offers solace and dark wishes to lonely children on Mischief Night. When a heartbroken boy stumbles into her grasp, she sees the perfect opportunity to fulfill his deepest desires—but at a chilling cost that will bind him to her forever.
• WHITCH (dir. Hoku Uchiyama / U.S. / 6min) – After putting her daughter to bed, Aura finds that an elderly woman has broken into her house. The intruder, who acts strangely familiar, begins a ritual, summoning something dark into the living room.

8:00 p.m. – Horrors of Indie Filmmaking Q&A Panel

9:00 p.m. – HAUNT SEASON (UNCENSORED) (dir. Jake Jarvi / U.S. / 1hr 21min) [EAST COAST PREMIERE] with writer/director Jake Jarvi Q&A – On Halloween Night, a masked killer unleashes a whirlwind of violence on anyone visiting a local haunt, bringing the terrifying sacrificial origins of All Hallows’ Eve into the modern-day.

 

SATURDAY 10/4

3:00 p.m. – Shorts Block #5 – Twisted NC Part 2 (Filmed in North Carolina)

• MOUSESHROOMS (dir. Shalia Fuentes-Matthews / U.S. / 9min) – A psychedelic experience in an abandoned warehouse is interrupted by a building inspector and a talking rat.
• PRETTY POLLY (dir. Roman Leary / U.S. / 29min) – A ghostly modern spin on a classic 18th-century murder ballad.

3:40 p.m. – NC Fear in Film Q&A Panel

4:00 p.m. – CURSE OF CROM 2 (dir. Rob York / U.S., Ireland / 1hr 42min) – When Irish demon Crom abducts Mary Eldritch during Halloween season, her stepdad teams with her deadbeat ex-boyfriend on a quest for Mary that will take them all the way to Ireland and the ancient tomb of Crom himself.

6:00 p.m. – Meet & Greet, Orange Carpet Photo Ops

7:00 p.m. – Shorts Block #6 – Hallowed Horror

• GRIN (dir. J.P. Hoffman / U.S. / 6min) – Beneath his mask, a haunters twisted smile turns deadly-tonight the screams are real.
• SLASH-O-LANTERN PART II (dir. Taylor McManus, Matthew McManus / U.S. / 9min) – Kevin and James deal with the aftermath of their brush with death on Halloween night. As Hazel Falls P.D. arrive on the scene, they quickly realize the nightmare isn’t over just yet.
• JACK’S LANTERN (dir. Michael R. Ciminna / U.S. / 25min) [N.C. PREMIERE] with director in attendance – A lonely boy, who believes his jack-o-lanterns come to life, is drawn to carve a pumpkin on Halloween night. While his mother tries to shield him from the scary truth.
• JUST STAY IN (dir. Noah J. Welter / U.S. / 15min) – It’s Halloween in 2003. All that Jeremy wants to do is go trick-or-treating but his overbearing parents won’t let him go. So, he decides to sneak out with his friends. Some nights, it’s better to just stay in.
• ROUGH CUT (dir. Mitchell Slan / U.S. / 8min) [N.C. PREMIERE] with director/producer in attendance – On Halloween Night, a video editor cuts a horror movie shot by Mr. Cackle… LIVE.
• HORROR SPELL (dir. Daniel Ziegler / U.S. / 22min) [N.C. PREMIERE] – One year after witnessing her roommate’s murder, college student Haven joins friends for a Halloween horror marathon. Still haunted by her past and desperate to move on, she unintentionally unleashes a reality-altering spell from a mysterious book that brings the movies to life.

8:30 p.m. – Halloween in Horror Q&A Panel

9:00 p.m. – DEVOUR (dir. Scott Hansen / U.S. / 1hr 55min) [N.C. PREMIERE] with director Scott Hansen, producer Desiree Hansen, and select cast Q&A panel, including J. Gaven Wilde (The Righteous Gemstones, The Black Phone, Halloween Kills) – A female metal band of vampires face a group of cannibals headed by an infamous warlock in this Halloween-set extreme gore-fest bleeding with insane practical monsters and visceral carnage.

 

NOTE: All films are unrated and uncensored, often featuring violence, blood, extreme gore, nudity, and disturbing themes, and should be considered for mature audiences only. Anyone under 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

*Schedule subject to change.

TICKETS

Tickets are on sale now! Click here to buy your tickets.

HOTELS

Hotel Manteo, located less than one mile from The Pioneer Theater and Downtown Manteo, is offering a special discounted room rate for attendees of the Halloween International Film Festival. (Please note: Dates are auto populated for Oct. 2-5, but can be changed around to any date within that time frame, and while it shows an “average” rate as $142.33, if you click “rate details”, it will show the actual nightly rate available.) Click here to book a room at Hotel Manteo now.

The Cavalier by the Sea Motel, located 24 miles from The Pioneer Theater but directly on the oceanfront in Kill Devil Hills for those that want a taste of the Outer Banks beach experience, is offering 25% off rooms for attendees of the Halloween International Film Festival. Call 252-441-5585 or email [email protected] and ask for the Halloween Film Festival discount.

SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES

SUBMIT YOUR FILM

(No fan films. No AI.)

Early Deadline – March 31

Spring Deadline – May 31

Final Deadline – July 31

OUR 2025 SPONSORS

FOUR SEA-SONS BEACH COTTAGE VACATION RENTAL

HALLOWEEN & COSTUME ASSOCIATION

HAUNTED PAMLICO

LET’S TALK TERROR

WEIRD DARKNESS

TRAVELER’S MOON

LAKE HICKORY HAUNTS

FRIGHT-RAGS

OUTER BANKS HALLOWEEN PARADE

CONTACT US ABOUT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

HIFF 2025 OFFICIAL POSTER!

NEW 2025 HIFF SHIRTS AVAILABLE!

Support the Halloween International Film Festival by owning t-shirts from throughout our history, each featuring that year’s official poster on the front and all of the selected films listed on the back, and we just launched our 2025 t-shirt!

Order HIFF 2016 (inaugural) shirt here.

Order HIFF 2017 shirt here.

Order HIFF 2018 shirt here.

Order HIFF 2019 shirt here.

Order HIFF 2020 shirt here.

NEW! Order HIFF 2025 shirt here.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Held on North Carolina’s historic and haunted Outer Banks, home of America’s first unsolved mystery, the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island, and the nearby site of the Wright Brothers’ first flight, this destination event features three days of independent genre films from around the world, as well as networking opportunities and extensive media exposure.

Founded in 2016 by Matt and Sue Artz, the Halloween International Film Festival is a Gold-ranked festival on the world’s top film festival submission platform, FilmFreeway.

Previous Official Selections include The Barn (2016 Best Halloween Film and Best Feature Film Award Winner), 3 Dead Trick or Treaters, 10/31, The Haunt (2017 Best Halloween Film Award Winner), Haunters: The Art of the Scare (2018 Best Halloween Film Award Winner), Epic Home Haunts (2019 Breakthrough Filmmaker Award Winner), They Live Inside Us (2020 Best Halloween Film), and Mass Hysteria (2020 Best Feature Film).

Special invitational Showcase Selections from previous years include Honeyspider, The Houses October Built 2, Candy Corn, and the world premieres of 10/31 Part II and Sharp Candy.

Follow the Halloween Film Festival official Facebook page HERE!

_______________________________