2025 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

A movie poster for 'Camp Evergreen' showing a dark, foggy forest with a wooden cabin labeled 'Bud Boulton Cabin.' Two girls with flashlights are standing in front of the cabin, and the title is written in large, red, spooky font with the tagline 'Whe
Silhouettes of two people with backpacks and hiking gear walking through a forest at night, with a large bloodstained axe suspended above them, and the movie title 'LUMBERJACK' in red at the bottom.
A promotional poster for a performance called 'Program,' featuring a person wearing a white mask resembling a grinning face with exaggerated features, with the tagline 'A Gaping Wound A Gritting Mouth' and additional text 'A Performance for the Ages.
Movie poster for 'The Ghost in the Road' showing a ghostly figure covered with a white sheet holding a pumpkin-shaped bucket, standing on a dark, deserted street at night with streetlights, promoting a Halloween horror theme.
Movie poster for "Anechoic," presented by Bad Still Films, with the tagline "Some things should stay hidden." Features a woman with wavy brown hair wearing a brown shirt, facing away from the camera against a dark background.
A person in a hazmat suit walking away in a field next to a trailer and communication towers with a mountainous background, under a greenish sky.
A single black clog on a brown carpet in a cozy room with a vacuum cleaner and furniture in the background, with the word 'SUCTION' overlaid.
Movie poster for "The Millcreek Strangler" featuring a split image of a woman and a masked man, with stars and night sky overlay, and text showing actors Amber Jo Pratt and Jesse Bailer.
A black-and-white horror-style poster featuring a woman's face with dark hair and dramatic makeup. Her mouth is open in a scream, with stitched accents drawn on her face to resemble a horror mask. The text at the top reads, 'She'll steal your heart -
Poster for the film 'Be Not Afraid' with three actors' names at the top, red background with cracked and peeling paint, and film credits at the bottom.

THE FILMMAKER’S CRYPT

Join us for presentations from three local filmmakers as they share their craft and explore horror-themed filmmaking topics — each drawn from their own films, which will also screen later that evening. For filmmakers and future filmmakers alike, it’s an evening to learn, connect, and spark the dark ideas that will haunt your next creation.

  • Black and white portrait of a man with glasses, a mustache, wearing a dark sweater, standing with arms crossed against a plain background.

    DAXON GELDMACHER

    FILM: A GAPING WOUND, A GRINNING MOUTH

    LECTURE TOPIC: EXPLORING AND UTILIZING THE UNCANNY IN FILM

    Daxon Geldmacher is a Utah-based filmmaker who combines his love of B-Horror and Art House cinema to explore themes of obsession and faith within a dread and goo-filled package.

  • A man with a beard wearing a baseball cap, looking at the camera in a dimly lit room with blue and purple lighting, with a poster or painting in the background.

    SPENCER SCHWENDIMAN

    FILM: ANECHOIC

    LECTURE TOPIC: SOUND DESIGN IN HORROR

    Spencer is a jack of all trades filmmaker who got his start with editing and then moved behind the camera. He loves playing with twists and turns and asking the question: What if? He's currently in production on a few short films, including a found footage horror film as well as a Dead by Daylight inspired short, and  and working to get his first feature off the ground. He loves everything about film making and is grateful for a patient wife and children who continue to encourage his pursuits.

  • A man with dark hair, a goatee, and a mustache, smiling, wearing a white shirt with embroidered designs, standing in front of colorful murals.

    KODIE ROMERO

    FILM: SUCTION

    LECTURE TOPIC: PRACTICAL EFFECTS AND CINEMATIC STYLE IN HORROR

    KoDie Romero and Tanner Padbury met while attending UVU’s digital cinema program, and quickly became friends as well as coworkers in the film industry. Both have a passion for storytelling and filmmaking, as well as just watching great movies. Horror cinema is just one of the things they happen to both love, and made that clear with their short film SUCTION. 

  • Man with red hair and beard making a funny face, wearing a white T-shirt with black text, standing in front of a wooden wall.

    TANNER PADBURY

    FILM: SUSCTION

    LECTURE TOPIC: PRACTICAL EFFECTS AND CINEMATIC STYLE IN HORROR

    KoDie Romero and Tanner Padbury met while attending UVU’s digital cinema program, and quickly became friends as well as coworkers in the film industry. Both have a passion for storytelling and filmmaking, as well as just watching great movies. Horror cinema is just one of the things they happen to both love, and made that clear with their short film SUCTION. 

SCENES FROM THE DARKNESS

A group of people, with one person in the foreground holding their head in surprise, watching a performance on stage featuring a Costumed character with a skull face and horn, with a person behind them smiling and a woman in red smiling behind them.
Panel of six people on stage during a Filmmaker Q&A event, with a large screen behind them displaying event details and a QR code.
A man with a beard and glasses, wearing a hat and khaki clothing, is seated on a chair reading a book or script. Behind him, a tall, creepy puppet or sculpture of a humanoid creature with long limbs and dark features stands. The scene is dark and atm
A silhouette of a person raising their hand at a conference or event with a stage and four people on it in the background.
A man with glasses, a beard, and a brown sweater, holding a coffee cup, standing next to a large, creepy scarecrow-like figure with glowing green eyes and green lights on its body, in a dimly lit indoor space with dark blue walls and decorations.
A movie theater with a large screen showing a black and white image of a man at a table, surrounded by an audience seated in rows of chairs.
Night view of the Ritz Theater marquee with neon lights, displaying events like Dark Cinema on October 5 and Film Festival at 5:00, with people standing outside
Two people standing on a stage, one holding a microphone, with a large screen behind them displaying the words 'Practical Effects and Cinematic Style in Horror'.
A sheet of temporary tattoo designs featuring images of bats, a ghost, a heart, a spider, a dagger, a face, a skull, a ghost face, a doll face, and a clock, with the text 'Tattoos from Mars' at the bottom. In the background, a person is lying face do
A colorful outdoor advertisement board for 'Tattoos from Mars,' featuring a cartoon green alien with sharp teeth and big eyes, reaching out over a person walking with a backpack, set against a dark purple background with a spooky, alien landscape. Th
Three people posing with a large, menacing tree monster at a film event. The monster has a grotesque face with yellow eyes, a wide open mouth with sharp teeth and a tongue, long dreadlocked hair, and a mossy body. The background features a white bann
Audience seated in a dark auditorium watching a movie on a large screen with the title 'Dark Cinema 2024', decorated with fairy lights.
Crowd of people inside a movie theater or auditorium, with some standing, talking, and seated. The walls are decorated with space-themed murals.
A projection screen displaying a poster for the Dark Cinema Film Festival, featuring a skull with thorns, two skeletal hands, and QR codes on either side.
Five people posing for a photo at a movie event, with some sitting and others standing, against a backdrop with logos for "Dark Cinema" and "Connor Blake Media."
Two silhouetted people standing in front of a large screen displaying a close-up image of a person's face showing tears and distress.
Two men sitting on director's chairs on a red carpet in front of a backdrop outside a theater. Signs indicate a Dark Cinema Film Festival event on October 5 at 5:00 PM.
A man in glasses and a suit sitting on a brown armchair, reading a newspaper, beside a table with a lamp, a vintage rotary phone, and holiday decorations, in a dimly lit room with a large screen showing a blue background and a partial letter 'D'.
Three people standing together at a dark cinema event with a large screen in the background displaying 'Dark Cinema,' a forest scene, and a black forest backdrop. The person on the left is laughing and covering their mouth, the person in the middle i
A colorful food truck with a sign that says 'Authentic Street Cuisine' and an illuminated 'Open' sign parked on a side street, with people lining up to order, and other trucks visible in the background on a sunny day.
Smiling man with long wavy hair and a beard, wearing a black jacket with 'Powder River' logo, standing in front of a backdrop with logos and text, including 'Dark Omen' and 'Connor Blake Media'.
Skelton figure on stilts dressed in black coat with a skeleton mask standing outside a theater marquee advertising the Dark Cinema Film Festival on October 5 at 5:00 PM.
Two women dressed as horror movie ghosts with long black hair, pale face makeup, black lips, and white nightgown costumes, standing in front of a step-and-repeat backdrop with event logos at an outdoor venue.
Four people sitting in an auditorium, smiling at the camera. The group includes two women and two men, with other audience members visible in the background.
A man sitting in a vintage armchair, reading a newspaper in a dimly lit room. Next to him is a table with a retro telephone and a lamp. Behind him, a large screen displays "Dark Cinema 2024" in stylized text.
People sitting in a movie theater watching a film with a space-themed scene on the screen.
A vintage black car parked on the street with a crowd of people and a food truck in the background.
A man with long, curly hair and a beard is on stage holding a microphone in his right hand and pointing to the right with his left hand. He is wearing a white graphic T-shirt, dark jeans, and sneakers. There is a woman in the background holding a bev
Two young adults sitting in a theater or auditorium, smiling at the camera. The woman on the left has dark hair with red highlights, face makeup, and is making a peace sign. The man on the right has curly hair, glasses, and a beard.
A man with a goatee and mustache wearing a baseball cap, plaid shirt, and jeans holds a microphone and speaks on stage at an event.
Audience seated in a dark theater watching a presentation or film, some with water bottles and popcorn, illuminated by dim stage lighting.
A young man with short hair, wearing a denim jacket and patterned shirt, holding a microphone and speaking on stage with a background featuring the word 'AFTER' and the words 'GRO', 'UTH', indicating possibly a presentation or event.
Group of four people on stage holding an oversized check for $1,500 made out to Best Film, with one person holding a puppet and another with a microphone, celebrating an award at the film festival.
A man with long hair and a beard, wearing a black hat and a purple blazer, standing on stage holding a microphone, with a dark background featuring green lights and screens.