Since 2009, Pittsburgh’s Horror Realm Convention has been a mecca for genre enthusiasts, which is really saying something when you’re in the zombie capital of the country. But what is a horror convention without independent films? Nothing, that’s what! Organizers have officially opened up entries for film submissions for the 2027 festival!
This year, Horror Realm is emphasising shorter works by only showing two feature films. All feature submissions should have run times under 2 hours, an 18×24 ratio movie poster in .jpg/.png format, and a synopsis under 300 characters.
For filmmakers looking to submit shorts, they can range from 5 to 30 minutes. Each short submission must be accompanied by a still image/poster image/logo and a synopsis under 100 characters.
To further emphasize 2027’s focus on short films, for the first time, Horror Realm is opening up submissions for Reels! “We are emphasizing YouTube channels and podcasters to participate in this category,” the event explains. This content should be in a vertical format, under 5 minutes in length,
All submissions, regardless of category, should be in .mp4 or .mkv format. Content in HD and UHD is also feasible but cannot be over 4 GB. Submissions must be either horror or a documentary about the genre and made in the last 5 years. Absolutely no AI-generated submissions will be accepted. All entries are due by December 1, 2026, and there is no fee to submit.
To learn more about submitting your work, please visit Horror Realm’s website.
Horror Realm takes place from February 26-28, 2027, in Pittsburgh at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Green Tree. In addition to the film screenings, there will be books, games, celebrities, vendors, panels, workshops, and so much more.
