Sci-Fi, Horror & Action International Film Festival

A genre-driven hybrid festival showcasing visionary sci-fi, nerve-shredding horror, and high-octane action from around the world—live on the big screen and virtually on WRPN.tv.

Hybrid: Live screenings & WRPN.tv virtual showcase

Best of Festival films only are screened

Best of Festival and Best of Show films are selected by category and region. Not all categories will have a Best of Festival winner.

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Greed & Gore

Best of Festival — Fall 2023 | Short Horror | Canada

Directed by Adam Kirkey

Excellence: Cinematography (sub-category)
Excellence: Original Score (sub-category)
Outstanding Excellence: SFX — Visual (sub-category), Viewer Impact — Inspirational (sub-category)

Occupants

Best of Festival — Fall 2023 | Feature Horror | USA

Directed by Russ Emanuel

Friday the 13th Vengeance 2: Bloodlines

Best of Festival — Winter 2023 | Horror | USA

Directed by Jason Brooks

Friday the 13th Vengeance 2: Bloodlines poster

Festival highlights reel

Genre showcase

Sci-Fi, Horror & Action sampler

Accidental Truth — UFO Revelations

Best of Festival — Winter 2023 | Sci-Fi | USA

Directed by Ron James
Narrated and produced by Matthew Modine

Accidental Truth - UFO Revelations poster

Renegades Ominara

Best of Festival — Fall 2022

Directed by Tim Russ (Tuvok, Star Trek: Voyager)
Featuring the final on-screen performance of Nichelle Nichols (Uhura, Star Trek)

Why submit

Distributor review and market reach

Distributor review by Worldwide Motion Pictures Corporation (WWMPC.com) for features, Adler & Associates for features and shorts, and Polaris Pictures for screenplays, for our chosen "Best of Festival" winners (based on enough qualified submissions).

The opportunity to be included in an international film market distributor's buyer's packet, giving your work a life beyond a one-time festival showing.

A hybrid festival model with live screenings and virtual screenings on WRPN.tv, focused on getting distributor recognition for quality films.

How judging works

Stage one – Selection judges

Film submissions go through two stages. Stage one is handled by the Acceptance Judges, who review your submission and determine whether it has the production values to be Officially Selected to compete for awards. Official Selection does not guarantee a screening.

When you receive an Official Selection notification, it means your film, screenplay, or novel passed the stringent acceptance process and is ready to go in front of the Awarding Judges.

Stage two – Awarding judges

Stage two is the Awarding Judges round. Officially selected submissions are sent to the Awarding Judges, who choose the awards. Not all selected works receive an award.

SFHAFF will screen the Best of Festival award winners only. More than one Best of Festival may be awarded (for example, foreign and domestic), based on enough qualified submissions. Audience feedback is collected from live screenings.

Personal feedback and resubmission

Any film that is rejected receives a personal letter explaining why.

Rejected submissions can correct the issues and resubmit for free, even in the following season.

While most festivals never explain a rejection, SFHAFF focuses on helping filmmakers improve their acceptance rates and marketability.