Festival start: 18 September 2025
Festival end: 28 September 2025
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Rock Horror Film Festival is more than a film festival, it’s an event that unites the best of the horror, thriller, and fantasy films with rock & roll in a big party for moviegoers who love music, and cinema. Prepare your heart for scaring and exciting nights filled with the best of the national and international thrillers, and a lot of rock & roll.
ROCK HORROR LABS
The festival will also have a team of international professionals in pannels, workshops and round tables about cinema in different areas such as: production, photography, directing, acting, makeup, soundtrack, among others.
ROUND TABLES
The festival organize round tables with the participation od the directors, actors and professionals.
FESTIVAL MAIN PRIZES PER CATEGORY
Best SINISTER FEATURE
Best BIZARRE SHORT
Best MACABRE SHORT
Best STRANGE DOCUMENTARY
Best HAIR-RAISING ANIMATION
Best PILL OF FEAR
Audience Vote
The Scariest Film in the Festival
The Funiest Horror Movie That Cannot Be Taken Seriously
THE JURY MAY SUGGEST ADDITIONAL PRIZES OR MENTIONS
FEATURE FILMS MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO THE ROCK HORROR DISTRIBUTION PRIZE
FIRST AND FOREMOST: THIS IS A BRAZILIAN FESTIVAL AND WE ONLY ACCEPT FILMS THAT CAN PROVIDE PROFESSIONALLY DONE PORTUGUESE subtitleS. WE DO NOT ACCEPT AUTOMATIC TRANSLATIONS. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE subtitleS, DO NOT SUBMIT, PLEASE. WE DO NOT PROVIDE FREE TRANSLATION. IF YOU STILL WANT TO SUBMIT INQUIRE ABOUT THE TRANSLATIONS PACKAGES.
SECOND: WE ARE NOT A PUBLICLY/GOVERNMENT FUNDED FESTIVAL, THEREFORE WE CANNOT OFFER FREE SUBMISSION WAIVERS, BUT WE OFFER DISCCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS AND PRO MEMBERS.
The Rock Horror Film Festival only accepts the following genres: Horror, thriller, fantasy, sci-fi, and animation in the formats features, featurettes, shorts, and microshorts in the categories: FEATURES and DOCS (above 70 min.), FFEATURETTES (Between 30 and 69 min. ), SHORTS AND ANIMATIONS (Between 10 and 29 min.), MICRO-SHORTS (bellow 10 min.)
WE DO NOT ACCEPT FILMS WITHOUT THESE REQUIREMENTS.
EXHIBITION IN CINEMAS: The Rock Horror Film Festival films are screened in cinemas and to ensure the quality, organization and homogeneity of the projections, we only use DCPs (2k OR 4K, interop, scope or flat). Films that do not respect these rules will be disqualified.
SubtitleS - All foreign language films must have Brazilian Portuguese subtitles already inserted in the projection file submitted for the DCP production. Obs: All subtitles will be reviewed, if they do not follow the mandatory quality requirements of the festival, they will be rejected. We do not accept subtitles translated by automatic services online. Send us the SRT file to verification before sending the actual screening file. Films that do not respect these rules will be disqualified.
SELECTION - Entry does not guarantee acceptance into the festival. All films will be reviewed by the festival and selected according to the closest characteristics matching the categories. Screenings are scheduled during the Festival at the discretion of the Rock Horror Film Festival.
WITHDRAWING: Submissions fees WILL NOT be returned.
We accept submissions that have premiered elsewhere and that may have distribution agreements already in place, except if they have been released commercially.
MATERIAL - Incomplete projects are not accepted. The filmmaker accepts to send us, additionally, the trailer of he film to be feature in the official teaser of the festival and a director's video up to 1 minute inviting the public to see his/her film in the festival.
MULTIPLE ENTRIES - Multiple entries are allowed, however a separate entry form must be submitted for each.
SUBMISSIONS - For logistical reasons, we only accept submissions through one of the platforms that the festival is already setup.
PROGRAMMING
The screenings during the festival will be scheduled according to the program defined by the festival organization. The festival guarantees at least one screening of the selected film.
Additional screenings are an exclusive decision of the festival organization for organization, public and cinema profile and/or other reasons that are entirely up to the organization.
The festival reserves the right to make changes at any time for any reason. The Rock Horror Film Festival will not be liable for any costs claimed as a result of a change in scheduling.
No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after its selection.
Filmmakers will be solely responsible for all costs resulting from the submission of the film to the Festival including but not limited to postage or insurance of the film, trophy and expenses of your staff or any representatives of the film.
Producer will indemnify the organisers of the Festival against all claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses (including legal fees), proceedings and losses resulting from the screening of the film at the Festival or from claims by any third parties.
LOSS OR DAMAGE
Although every precaution will be taken to prevent loss or damage to materials while in the possession of the festival, Rock Horror Film Festival is not responsible should any materials be damaged while in transit to or from, or while in the possession of the festival.
ENTRY LIABILITY
The filmmaker holds the Rock Horror Film Festival, its management, juries, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates, and etc. harmless from any and all claims of liability resulting from entry. The filmmaker certifies to have full rights. Producer will indemnify the organisers of the Festival against all claims, demands, costs, damages, expenses (including legal fees), proceedings and losses resulting from the screening of the film at the Festival or from claims by any third parties.
PILL OF FEAR
Short Films 9'< (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early10$9.2$
7.7$
15 Feb 25
Standard15$13.8$
11.55$
15 Apr 25
Late20$18.4$
15.4$
15 May 25
Extended25$23$
19.25$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
4.6$
Submit
Only Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Animation. Up to 9 min Obs: We only accept films that can provide subtitles in portuguese, please read guidelines
MACABRE SHORT
Short Films >10' 29'< (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early25$23$
19.25$
15 Feb 25
Standard35$32.2$
26.95$
15 Apr 25
Late45$41.4$
34.65$
15 May 25
Extended55$50.6$
42.35$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
10.35$
Submit
Only Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Animation. Between 10 and 29 min Obs: We only accept films that can provide subtitles in portuguese, please read guidelines
BIZARRE FEATURETTE
Feature Films >30' 69'< (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early35$32.2$
26.95$
15 Feb 25
Standard45$41.4$
34.65$
15 Apr 25
Late55$50.6$
42.35$
15 May 25
Extended65$59.8$
50.05$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
12.65$
Submit
Only Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Animation. Between 29 and 69 min Obs: We only accept films that can provide subtitles in portuguese, please read guidelines
SINISTER FEATURE
Feature Films >70' (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early45$41.4$
34.65$
15 Feb 25
Standard55$50.6$
42.35$
15 Apr 25
Late65$59.8$
50.05$
15 May 25
Extended75$69$
57.75$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
14.95$
Submit
Only Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Animation. Minimum lenght 70 min Obs: We only accept films that can provide subtitles in portuguese, please read guidelines
STRANGE DOC
Feature Films >70' 200'< (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early45$41.4$
34.65$
15 Feb 25
Standard55$50.6$
42.35$
15 Apr 25
Late65$59.8$
50.05$
15 May 25
Extended75$69$
57.75$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
14.95$
Submit
Only docs with themes related to Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Animation or metal or rock music. Minimum lenght 70 min Obs: We only accept films that can provide subtitles in portuguese, please read guidelines
FREAKING ANIMATION
Short Films >1' 29'< (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early25$23$
19.25$
15 Feb 25
Standard35$32.2$
26.95$
15 Apr 25
Late45$41.4$
34.65$
15 May 25
Extended55$50.6$
42.35$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
10.35$
Submit
Animations up to 29 min any theme.
Obs: We only accept films that can provide subtitles in portuguese, please read guidelines
HAUNTED BRAZIL
Short Films >1' 29'< (2023+)
Fee-8%
PRO 23%
Early5$4.6$
3.85$
15 Feb 25
Standard10$9.2$
7.7$
15 Apr 25
Late20$18.4$
15.4$
15 May 25
Extended30$27.6$
23.1$
15 Jun 25
Get an Annual Pass and get the maximum discount on festival and submission fees
Submissions deadline
15 Jun 25
Save up
4.6$
Submit
ONLY BRAZILIAN SHORTS ANY LENGHT BELLOW 29 MINUTES, FOR ABOVE SEE OTHER CATEGORIES
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