Once your film has been successfully submitted to Fear Screen Horror Film Festival, it enters our multi-stage selection and review process. Understanding this process helps you know what to expect and provides transparency into how our selection committee evaluates submissions. Timeline Overview The selection process follows a structured timeline from submission close through to final notifications. The specific dates vary each year according to our festival schedule; however, the process generally follows this sequence: Submission Period: Typically three to four months, with early bird, regular, and late submission windows Initial Review Phase: One to two weeks following submission closure Committee Evaluation: Four to six weeks whilst our selection committee reviews all submissions Final Selection Meeting: One week for determining selected and alternate films Notification Period: Selected filmmakers are notified approximately four weeks before the festival date; rejected filmmakers receive notifications on or shortly after the same date Festival Screening: Films are scheduled and screened according to the published festival programme Exact timeline dates are published on the Fear Screen website and communicated via email upon submission. Submission Confirmation Your submission is considered received once you have completed payment on Film Freeway and received an email confirmation from the platform. This confirmation includes your unique submission ID, submission date and time, and details of the film submitted. Keep this confirmation email for your records. Your submission ID may be referenced if you need to contact our team with questions about your submission status. Initial Processing Upon submission closure, our team conducts an initial processing review to verify that all submissions meet our technical and eligibility requirements. What We Check During Initial Processing Film File Integrity: We verify that your uploaded film file or provided streaming link is accessible and plays correctly without technical errors. Metadata Completeness: We confirm that all required information fields have been completed, including film title, runtime, director name, and synopsis. Technical Compliance: We verify that your submission meets our specified file format, resolution, and audio requirements outlined in our Submission Requirements guidelines. Eligibility Verification: We confirm that your film meets our eligibility criteria, including being a completed film, not previously screened at Fear Screen, and falling within acceptable duration parameters for its category. Submissions that fail initial processing are immediately flagged and you will be contacted via email. You will be given an opportunity to correct the issue (such as re-uploading a corrupted file or completing missing information) within a specified timeframe, typically five to seven working days. Selection Committee Evaluation Following successful initial processing, all approved submissions are distributed to our selection committee for detailed evaluation. Who Reviews Your Submission Fear Screen's selection committee comprises experienced film professionals with expertise across multiple disciplines, including: Experienced festival programmers and curators Independent film directors and producers Horror genre specialists and critics Industry professionals with distribution and exhibition experience Committee members are selected based on their passion for horror cinema, their commitment to supporting independent filmmakers, and their ability to identify compelling, original work. Evaluation Criteria Our selection committee evaluates each submission using the following criteria: Artistic Merit and Originality: Does the film demonstrate creative vision, technical skill, and a fresh or compelling approach to storytelling within the horror genre? Genre Alignment: How effectively does the film work within horror conventions, whether it respects, subverts, or reimagines them? Narrative Strength: Does the film tell a coherent, engaging story with compelling characters and dramatic tension? Technical Quality: What is the overall quality of cinematography, editing, sound design, colour grading, and visual composition? Emotional Impact: Does the film evoke a genuine emotional response, whether fear, unease, fascination, or catharsis? Unique Perspective: Does the film offer a distinctive voice, cultural perspective, or thematic insight that distinguishes it from conventional horror films? Audience Engagement: Will the film resonate with our festival audience and contribute meaningfully to our programme? Committee members score each film on a standardised rubric and provide written feedback on strengths and notable qualities. Submission Anonymity To ensure fair evaluation, submissions are reviewed anonymously when possible. Committee members evaluate films based on the work itself rather than the filmmaker's reputation, previous accolades, or production background. However, some information such as film title and synopsis cannot be hidden, so complete anonymity is not always possible. Selection and Rejection Outcomes Following committee evaluation, submissions are categorised into three primary outcomes: Selected Films Selected films are those the committee has voted to include in the official Fear Screen programme. Selected films will be scheduled for public screening at designated festival venues and times. Selection notifications include: Your film's screening date and time (if finalised) Venue location and technical specifications Instructions for media pass or festival credential access Information about premiere status (world premiere, international premiere, or festival premiere) Details about awards consideration (if applicable) Confirmation of screening format (digital projection, aspect ratio, audio configuration) Alternate Films A limited number of submissions are selected as "alternates." These films are not included in the primary programme but remain candidates for screening if scheduling adjustments occur or if selected films become unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances. Alternate notifications are sent alongside primary selections. Alternates may be promoted to official selections at any point up until the festival begins. Rejected Films Films not selected for screening are categorised as rejected. Rejections reflect the selective nature of festival curation rather than an assessment of overall quality. Fear Screen receives far more submissions than available screening slots, and selection decisions are inevitably competitive. Rejection notifications do not include detailed feedback. However, rejected filmmakers may contact our team to request general feedback on their submission if they wish to understand the committee's perspective. Feedback and Communication For Selected Filmmakers Selected filmmakers receive comprehensive communication from our programming team, including: Confirmation of selection status Screening details and technical specifications Premiere status and category placement Instructions for festival credentials and complimentary passes Guidance on filmmaker attendance options and participation opportunities Information about awards consideration and eligibility Selected filmmakers are assigned a primary contact within our team who serves as their liaison throughout the festival period. For Rejected Filmmakers Rejected filmmakers receive notification of rejection via email. This notification confirms your film's submission status and thanks you for your participation. Rejected filmmakers may request brief feedback by contacting our team via the Fear Screen website. Our team endeavours to provide constructive insight into why your film was not selected, though responses may be general rather than detailed due to the volume of submissions. Rejection does not preclude future submissions. We encourage filmmakers to submit again in subsequent years and appreciate repeated engagement from the independent film community. Award Consideration and Recognition Selected films are automatically considered for various awards based on category and content. Tracking Your Submission Status Film Freeway Tracking You can track your submission status at any time by logging into your Film Freeway account and navigating to your submission page. Film Freeway displays: Submission confirmation and date Current status (under review, selected, rejected, or pending notification) Any communications from Fear Screen regarding your submission Email Notifications Fear Screen communicates all major milestones via email to the address associated with your Film Freeway account. Ensure this email address remains current and check your spam folder regularly for notifications, as festival emails may occasionally be filtered. Contacting Our Team If you have not received notification by the published decision date, or if you have questions about your submission status, contact Fear Screen via our website contact form. Our team will investigate and provide you with an update on your submission's status. After the Festival For Selected Films Selected films are screened publicly during the festival and become part of Fear Screen's permanent archive and programming history. You may promote your selection in marketing materials and festival databases (such as IMDb and FilmFreeway). Your film may be considered for post-festival exhibition opportunities, including screening packages for other festivals or venues, subject to your festival selection agreement. For Rejected Films Rejected films retain full rights and may be submitted to other festivals immediately. Rejection from Fear Screen does not restrict future exhibition or festival participation. Questions About the Selection Process If you have questions about our evaluation criteria, timeline, or status of your submission, contact our team via the Fear Screen website. Our submissions team is happy to clarify any aspect of our selection process and provide general guidance on improving future submissions.
