Reel Horrors Film Festival Event Schedule
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Day 02
Sept 13, 2025
Shorts Block 1: All By Myself
The delusions - and dangers - we inflict upon ourselves.
From laundry gone wrong to beauty rituals that consume the body, these shorts spotlight characters unraveling when no one else is there to stop them. A lost hiker stalked by a masked killer, a self-proclaimed “doctor” with sinister advice, and a fame-chaser spinning her own downfall, each story proves that sometimes the scariestcompany is yourself.
Featuring In-Person Filmmaker Introductions!
Indie Horror Film School: Blood, Sweat, & Budgets
Making your first horror film doesn't require a Hollywood bankroll—just guts, ingenuity, and PASSION. In this candid panel, seasoned indie filmmakers pull back the curtain on the pain and rewards of micro-budget moviemaking, sharing practical tips, survival hacks, and lessons learned in the trenches. This crash course is a must for any aspiring filmmaker ready to make their first film.
Shorts Block 2:'Till Death
Passion, obsession, and desire…twisted into terror.
A first date spirals into a voyeuristic nightmare; an estranged couple confronts their broken relationship in the woods; a teacher returns home to a shocking scene of betrayal and violence; and in a stylish, reanimation satire, the “perfect women” are resurrected, only to unleash hell on their creators. Whether tender, toxic, or grotesque, these stories prove that intimacy is a dangerous game.
Featuring In-Person Filmmaker Introductions!
Shorts Block 3: Home is Where The Harm Is
When the comforts of home turn into battlegrounds of terror.
From basements to bedrooms, Christmas lights to family secrets, these shorts prove that home is where horror hits hardest. Adult children are shipped off to dystopian summer camp, a demon becomes an unlikely friend, and a Hallmark holiday romance is slashed apart by a killer. Break-ins and family inspections reveal just how fragile safety can be, reminding us the scariest place might be the one we know best.
Featuring In-Person Filmmaker Introductions!
Beyond the Final Girl: Female Representation in Horror
The horror genre has always thrived on reinvention—and the most thrilling voices currently reshaping its future are women and non-binary creators. In this panel, filmmakers, writers, and actors share how they navigate the industry, carve space for new stories, and subvert tired tropes. With insight into both challenges and triumphs, Beyond the Final Girl is a rallying cry for those determined to make horror truly inclusive..
Shorts Block 4: Fatal Error
When technology opens the door to something darker.
A late-night security gig turns sinister, a cursed television channels horrors from beyond, and a mother discovers her home invaded by something far stranger than it seems. In these stories, screens, signals, and systems prove that modern life’s conveniences can become conduits for terror.
Featuring In-Person Filmmaker Introductions!
Shorts Block 5: Exquisite Corpses
Tortured artists, killer muses, and creations that bite back.
A sculptor’s work takes on a terrifying life of its own, a screenwriter’s pill-fueled inspiration spirals into nightmare, and a waxwork commission hides sinister intentions. Meanwhile, a true-crime podcaster turns family secrets into dangerous content, and a washed-up boy band learns the hard way what it costs to sell your soul. In this block, the pursuit of art, fame, and legacy leads only to obsession, torment, and horror.
Featuring In-Person Filmmaker Introductions!
So You Wanna Make a Horror Movie?: Lessons from the Trenches
Behind every great horror film is a host of hard-earned lessons. In this panel, seasoned filmmakers pull back the curtain on the craft, sharing mentorship on story development, script refinement, casting, budgeting, and the evolving world of crowdfunding. Equal parts practical guide and creative inspiration, So You Wanna Make a Horror Movie? offers insider wisdom for filmmakers determined to sharpen their skills and leave their mark on the genre.
Shorts Block 6: Monster Mash Up
Ghosts, ghouls, and flies - oh my!
This eclectic collection of creature features takes audiences on a wild ride through the supernatural, the grotesque, and the downright absurd. From amateur ghost hunters who unleash horrors they can’t control, to a photo contest gone paranormally wrong, to a spectral holiday tale narrated by Paul Giamatti; add in a revenge-fueled fly massacre on the streets of New York, and you’ve got a mash-up that proves terror comes in all shapes, sizes, and species.
Featuring In-Person Filmmaker Introductions!
Closing Night Awards Ceremony
Join us as we celebrate our filmmakers with our live awards ceremony! Featuring filmmakers, special guests, fan interviews, photo ops on the step-and-repeat, and plenty of blood-red carpet energy, this closing night event is both a tribute and a celebratory toast to the voices redefining the genre.
A COFOH Special Television Presentation: The Reel Weird Horror Awards Spectacular!
Step into the gloriously low-fi, DIY world of The Reel Weird Horror Awards, a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the Best Films, Moments, and Performances in horror that WAS 2024. Equal parts camp, chaos, and earnest nerd-love, this scrappy homemade TV special features charming guest appearances from both horror legends and rising scream-makers alike. Imagine Fangoria’s Chainsaw Awards performed by a bunch of giddy, VHS-era misfits—half Muppet-show madness, half devotion to the genre we all adore. ONE NIGHT ONLY- best experienced with drinks!
Do You Like Scary Movies? Live from the Reel Horrors Film Festival
Get ready for chaos on the airwaves as horror hosts Bryan Bonner and Bob Lewis take the Do You Like Scary Movies Podcast LIVE from the Reel Horrors Film Fest! From behind-the-scenes revelations with filmmakers and festival staff to surprise special guests, this rowdy, unscripted celebration lets anything happen—and probably will. Equal parts insider access, irreverent humor, and horror-nerd revelry, it’s THE podcast event you won’t want to miss.
Reel Horrors Film Fest accepted shorts
Reel Horrors Film Festival was founded on the belief that we ALL have the capacity to fall in love with horror. As a one-day celebration of short-form terror, we aim to make the horror genre accessible to everyone— satisfying the diehard fans who have sustained the genre for decades, welcoming newcomers with fresh voices and diverse perspectives, and attracting cinema lovers who appreciate films that push stylistic and thematic boundaries.
Join us for our first program from this grassroots film festival with a lot of heart (and a little blood) Saturday September 13! From monsters to mind-benders, we have a killer line up showcasing filmmakers with creativity, craft, and chills - check it out below!
Arson
Synopsis: Aging boy band, Actual Size can’t seem to reach the level of stardom they think they deserve. After biding their time playing run down pizza joints and dive bars, they decide to do what many bands of legend had done to achieve fame. They decided to sell their souls. Unfortunately for them, not reading the fine print could prove disastrous.
- Director:Erin Broussard
- Screenwriter:Erin and Donny Broussard
- Producer:Donny Broussard
- Cast: Jerik Thibodeaux, Jeff Pearson, Jai Benoit, Thomas Johnston, Olivia Peck, Jack Snyder
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Better Anything
Synopsis: Following one bloody night, estranged couple Alice and Tommy venture deep into the woods. There, Alice watches Tommy dig as they bicker over the horrors of their relationship. Harsh truths and heart-breaking revelations lead to a violent conclusion that will change both their lives forever.
- Director:Jonjo Lyons
- Screenwriter:Jonjo Lyons
- Producer:Maximilian Day
- Cast: Abigail Hardingham & Benjamin O'Mahony
- Language:English
- Country:United Kingdom
Camp Crash
Synopsis: After an economic collapse, thirty-year-old kids move into their parents' basement. Not knowing what to do with their kids, the parents enroll them into summer camp - dystopian summer camp. Everyone will fight and die for the chance to be Camp Director!
- Director:Daniel Crosier
- Screenwriter:Daniel Crosier
- Producer:Stephen Stormer
- Cast: Allan Elijah Cutler Ashleigh Frary Kelly Shortandqueer Bonnie Finley Pepper DeLuca
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Cookies for Christmas
Synopsis: In this "Hallmark Story" turned Horror Film, Lacey is returning home for Christmas from her busy life as a professional in New York. When she runs into well-natured Matthew, she considers if her business life should take priority over the happiness of others. All plans are halted when a killer breaks out of the local psych hospital and turns up to spoil the holiday and any chance Lacey has to make things right.
- Director:Adam Raynes
- Screenwriter:Adam Raynes
- Producer:Adam Raynes
- Cast: Lacey, Ashlynn Hideman Matthew, Jason Potter Tayler, Kesa Raynes
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Doctor Tenn
Synopsis: You’re welcome! My name is Doctor Tenn and I bestow upon your fine Medical Practice and/or University and/or Back-Alley BBL Pop-Up Shop my professional tips and tricks to health and success. For I am a professional medical doctor with a very active Medical License in [INSERT STATES AT A LATER DATE]. You could look it up, but just take my word for it. And no, there is no return address to this package. I insist you keep this video and share it with everyone you know. Ev-er-y-one. The world needs me now more than ever.
- Director:Jake Allgeier
- Screenwriter:Jake Allgeier
- Producer:Jake Allgeier
- Cast: Jake Allgeier
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Eeek!
Synopsis: Following The Legend of Gourdface, Jesse, Nicole, Paul, and Felix hatch a plan to capture proof of the paranormal for a town-wide photo contest. While rumors of poltergeists and long forgotten cults haunt the hallways of the once-grand “Mourning Manor,” what really lurks inside is something sure to place first.
- Director:Hunter Hoskins, Alyssa Couri
- Screenwriter:Hunter Hoskins, Alyssa Couri
- Producer:Stephan Carpenter
- Cast: Jeremiah Stephens, Eliza Smith, Braeden Berry, Evan Magee, Alyssa Couri
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave!
Synopsis: Frankenscience and religious ideology reanimate a cohort of recently deceased fetishists to create the perfectly subservient woman only to unleash hell on the patriarchy.
- Director:Andrew Bowser
- Screenwriter:Andrew Bowser
- Producer:Kate Meyers & Johnny Wickham
- Cast: Jimmi Simpson, Dana Ashbrook, Penny Barber, Little Puck, Bunni Black, Cheyenne Wise, Stephanie Michelle, Savannah Solo, Melissa Drew, Hex Hypoxia
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Ghost Masters
Synopsis: Bored friends decide to copycat ghost hunting shows only to start their adventure in the worst possible pick of a location. Watch in terror and confusion as they embark on a journey that will rip their realities apart forever. Sometimes fun ideas turn into nightmare situations, and this band of newly appointed ghost hunters find that out the hard way.
- Director:Ryan Policky
- Screenwriter:Ryan Policky / Julianna Beckert
- Producer:Bloodshed Deathbath Productions
- Cast: Julianna Beckert, Faron Nuff, Alissa Ahlberg
- Language:English
- Country:United States
hEar
Synopsis: A screen writer struggling with writer's block takes a focus pill with intense side effects.
- Director:Faffs Jackalinski
- Screenwriter:Faffs Jackalinski
- Producer:Toto Piccillo, Lauren DeJolie, Faffs Jackalinski
- Cast: Paul Fisher III
- Language:English
- Country:United States
LATHER RINSE REPEAT
Synopsis: A woman’s obsession with a daily beauty routine spirals out of control, finding herself trapped in a nightmare of her own making.
- Director:Melanie McCoy
- Screenwriter:Melanie McCoy
- Producer:Melanie McCoy
- Cast: Lainey Martin
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Nepotism, Baby!
Synopsis: A fame obsessed young woman fabricates a conspiracy to jump-start her career.
- Director:Tij D'oyen
- Screenwriter:Tij D'oyen
- Producer:Cameron Morton, Rachel Walden
- Cast: Betsey Brown
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Party Demon
Synopsis: A novice exorcist encounters a demon who just wants to hang out and make a friend.
- Director:Preston Tompkins & Zach Reiner
- Screenwriter:Preston Tompkins & Zach Reinert
- Producer:Manuel Contreras
- Cast: Stephen Agyei, Ben Bryant, Sam Sisson, Mitch Jones
- Language:English
- Country:United States
PLAYBACK<<
Synopsis: What begins as a flirtatious nightcap unravels into an eerie descent through static, silence, and something lurking off screen.
- Director:Rebecca Daugherty
- Screenwriter:Rebecca Daugherty
- Producer:Rebecca Daugherty
- Cast: Bailey Bolton Karsen Schovajsa
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Roger is a Serial Killer
Synopsis: A podcaster implicates her step-father in a series of unsolved murders, which makes for a compelling show but an awkward family reunion.
- Director:Don Swaynos
- Screenwriter:Don Swaynos
- Producer:Thomas Fernandes, Christopher Shea, Amanda Fox, Mark Reeb
- Cast:Sara Paxton, Mark Reeb, Chris Doubek, Barbara Crampton
- Language:English
- Country:United States
Silent Generation
Synopsis: Silent Generation is a horror short film that explores the dark side of aging and isolation. An elderly man faces a terrifying turn of events while performing a mundane chore - laundry. As he navigates the challenges of getting older, a seemingly ordinary task takes a sinister turn, revealing a hidden horror within the confines of his own home.
- Director:Francisco Solorzano
- Screenwriter:Laura Patterson
- Producer:Laura Patterson, Kenny Neal Shults
- Cast:Leo Smith, Kenny Neal Shults, Anna Wendt, Naomi Rae Wendt, Roger Keeler
- Language:English
- Country:United States
The Bloody Family
Synopsis: A welfare officer inspects a family’s home after hearing rumors about their reclusive daughter.
- Director:Amir Karami
- Screenwriter:BAmir Karami
- Producer:Mohammad Poorbozorg
- Cast:Shahrzad Khanzadeh, Elahe Afshari
- Language:Persian
- Country:Iran, Islamic Republic of
The Blue Room
Synopsis: "It's like Lynch, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Lovecraft had a hideous lovechild." —Roberto Martinez David Chen is head of security in a mysterious research facility. His only respite from the long nights of crushing boredom are his conversations with Isaiah Kellar, a scientist who claims he can do magic. The two converse over an intercom, amusing each other with bad jokes until more sinister developments occur. Can Chen solve the mystery before the trap closes?
- Director:Jesse Livingston
- Screenwriter:Jesse Livingston
- Producer:Michael William Prince
- Cast:Michael Chen— "David Chen" Nick Ellingson — "Isaiah Kellar" Eryn McGarry — Laura Chen Lauren Funk — The Assistant / creature in box / voice on radio Jesse Livingston — The Magician
- Language:English
- Country:United States
The Clayman
Synopsis: The Clayman follows a troubled young artist who pours his frustrations and insecurities into a clay sculpture, only to discover that his creation has taken on a terrifying life of its own. What begins as an outlet for self-expression quickly turns into a nightmare as the monster embodies the artist’s darkest fears and flaws. As the creature grows stronger, the artist must confront not only the horror he’s unleashed but also the uncomfortable truths about himself that the Clayman reflects back at him. At its heart, the film is a chilling exploration of control, self-doubt, and the haunting gap between artistic intention and reality, where the pursuit of perfection can become a monster in its own right.
- Director:Bryan Lewandowski
- Screenwriter:Bryan Lewandowski
- Producer:Brittany Lewandowski, Jeffrey Allard, Jim Clemente
- Cast:Travis Casey, Shane Lewandowski
- Language:English
- Country:United States
The Commission
Synopsis: Friday the 13th actress Adrienne King has been invited to a quaint village in England to have a waxwork made of her by a famous sculptor. On her arrival at the cottage all seems well but who is the mysterious man that has commissioned the work.
- Director:Jason Read
- Screenwriter:Jason Read
- Producer:Stuart Morriss
- Cast:Adrienne King, David Barry, Stuart Morriss
- Language:English
- Country:United Kingdom
The Fly Squatter
Synopsis: When a sneaky house fly pretends to be checking out a room for rent just to access some garbage, the man he double crossed goes on a murderous rampage of every fly in New York City.
- Director:Vincent Viñas
- Screenwriter:Vincent Viñas
- Producer:Vincent Viñas
- Cast:Brian McKenna, John Burgos, Brian W. Smith, Ray Hoomanawanui, Jason Torres, Vincent Viñas, Megan Carrillo, Wendy Matos, Shayna Robinson, Frank Capgras, Victor Viñas, Jr., Eric Currao, Ray Currao, John-August Currao, Rowyn Currao
- Language:English
- Country:United States
The Last Thing She Saw
Synopsis: During a botched home invasion, a woman has a real eye for survival.
- Director:Rebecca Daugherty & Anthony Cousins
- Screenwriter:Brady Richards
- Producer:Brady Richards and Anthony Cousins
- Cast:Bailey Bolton, Nathan Tymoshuk, and Agatha Pokrzywinski. Voice actors: Rebecca Daugherty (Emmy's bestie) and Ed Dougherty (Safe Cracking Scientist)
- Language:English
- Country:United States
The Specter of Christmas
Synopsis: Official selection of Fantasia 2025 and voted Best Short FIlm at IFS/LA FilmFest 2025 The Specter of Christmas marks the fourth film in the “Old Time Radio” short film series. This time, a holiday adventure loosely based on “T’was the Night Before Christmas” narrated by Paul Giamatti
- Director:Joel Harlow
- Screenwriter:Joel Harlow
- Producer:Joel Harlow-Jonathan Martin
- Cast:Marti Matulis, Rod Maxwel, Ashley Tancharoen, Rick Baker, Paul Giamatti, Scott Ian, Kevin Smith, Joel Harlow
- Language:English
- Country:United States
The tempers
Synopsis: A literature teacher goes home and find his husband sitting on the floor, a bloody hammer in his hands, next to a girl half dead…
- Director:Kané Beignet
- Screenwriter:Kané Beignet
- Producer:Kino Montréal
- Cast:Jérémie Desbiens, Marc Tannous, Annabelle Dubois
- Language:French
- Country:Canada
WHITCH
Synopsis: After putting her daughter to bed, Aura discovers an intruder in her house: an elderly lady who acts strangely familiar, and is hell-bent on performing a bloody ritual before midnight.
- Director:Hoku Uchiyama
- Screenwriter:Hoku Uchiyama
- Producer:Kelly King
- Cast:ROSEMARY HOCHSCHILD, ALICIA BLASINGAME, NORA HARRIET
- Language:English
- Country:United States
You Wake to Find Yourself Alone in the Woods
Synopsis: A lost Hiker wakes up alone in the woods. Unsure of where he is and guided by an omnipresent and generally annoying narrator, he must find his way home before a masked Serial Killer finds him first.
- Director:Brad McHargue
- Screenwriter:Brad McHargue
- Producer:Becky Sayers
- Cast:Hiker: Travis Ketelsleger Serial Killer: Jason deLeeuw Hiker's Narrator: Jason Jewett Serial Killer Narrator: Tom Fry
- Language:English
- Country:United States
- Best Short Film
- Best International Short
- Best Colorado Short
- Best Debut Short
- Special Jury Awards - TBA
The Colorado Festival of Horror (COFOH) is brought to you by COFOH Entertainment and will be a highlight for the horror genre and all that it bleeds. COFOH is a platform for the community to unite over the love of horror and everything that creeps in the night!
Where & When?
at Park Meadows Lone Tree