Founded by filmmakers Megan Wynd and Stephanie Salales, the nonprofit festival was created around a shared enthusiasm for filmmaking, storytelling and the eerie. Five years later, the festival is marking the milestone with an expanded weekend of programming in New York City.
The main NYC Halloween Film Festival event takes place Friday, October 16 at Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan. The evening is scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. and will showcase work from emerging filmmakers as the festival celebrates five years of independent horror programming.
The anniversary continues Saturday, October 17 with a special screening of the new independent horror feature LIGHTS! CAMERA!! SCREAM!!! at Stuart Cinema & Cafe in Queens.
The screening will be followed by a live Q&A with director Nick Noyes and members of the cast and crew.
The Saturday event also brings the festival's mission full circle. The filmmakers behind LIGHTS! CAMERA!! SCREAM!!! previously screened a short film at the NYC Halloween Film Festival before making the move into feature filmmaking. The festival is highlighting that progression as part of its fifth-anniversary celebration and its continuing effort to support independent filmmakers.
The NYC Halloween Film Festival describes itself as a space for both filmmakers and film lovers, with programming centered on horror, thriller, experimental, suspense, supernatural, psychological, science-fiction and horror-comedy work.
Its 2026 call for entries welcomed projects of varying lengths and formats, including narratives, documentaries, animation, music videos and web series.
Beyond simply screening films, the nonprofit festival says its goal is to cultivate collaboration and inspiration between filmmakers, creatives and audiences — building a community around people who share an enthusiasm for independent filmmaking and Halloween.
For Ghost Signal Radio, that's a signal worth following.
The fifth annual NYC Halloween Film Festival takes place October 16–17, 2026 in New York City.