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Popcorn Frights Unleashes 74 Short Films in a Genre-Defying Lineup
By. Professor Horror
Popcorn Frights Film Festival is dialing up the dread for its 11th edition, unleashing a staggering 74 short films as part of its newly announced Third Wave lineup. Running August 7–17, 2025, the hybrid festival offers both in-theater and virtual access, making it easier than ever to get your horror fix wherever (and however) you prefer to scream.
Headlining the slate is the U.S. premiere of Bullet Time, a mind-bending animated short from Eddie Alcazar, the visionary behind Divinity. But that’s just the beginning. The festival’s short film program is more ambitious than ever, featuring seven uniquely curated blocks and entries from over 20 countries. Whether you’re into haunted Instagram rituals, stop-motion body horror, or psychological thrillers that get under your skin, there’s something sinister for everyone.
Fifteen of the shorts are world premieres, including titles like Tokyo Isn’t Home, Séance for the ’Gram, and Affirmation...the latter from filmmaker Emily Bennett, who’s pulling double duty with her feature Blood Shine also screening at the fest. Other standouts include Andrew Bowser’s Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave and Joel Harlow’s The Specter of Christmas, starring Paul Giamatti.
Festival alumni are also returning with a vengeance. Bryan M. Ferguson (Pumpkin Guts), Chris McInroy (Skeeter), and Tony Morales (The Visitor) are among the repeat offenders bringing fresh nightmare fuel. Florida’s horror scene gets a spotlight of its own with the “Homegrown” program, showcasing world premieres like That Ass, Dark Water Rising, and Neuropsychosis from local filmmakers.
Altogether, the 2025 edition of Popcorn Frights features a record-breaking 134 premieres (60 features and 74 shorts) cementing its place as one of the boldest genre showcases in North America. With horror styles ranging from camp to cosmic, the short film program alone is a whirlwind tour through the weird, the wild, and the wonderfully wicked.
To order an In-Theater All-Access VIP Badge: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/popcorn-frights-in-theater-all-access-badges-tickets-1406619228979
To order a Virtual All-Access Pass: https://popcornfrights.eventive.org/passes/buy
About Professor Horror
At Professor Horror, we don't just watch horror: we live it, study it, and celebrate it. Run by writers, critics, and scholars who've made horror both a passion and a career, our mission is to explore the genre in all its bloody brillance. From big-budget slashers to underground gems, foreign nightmares to literary terrors, we dig into what makes horror tick (and why it sticks with us). We believe horror is more than just entertainment; it's a mirror, a confession, and a survival story. And we care deeply about the people who make it, love it, and keep it alive.