Here are the competition films for the 2026 International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival.
This line up is sure to thrill!
For the complete film schedule of both the Phoenix Film Festival AND International Horror and Sci-Fi Festival click below.
HORROR FEATURES
The TreeHouse
Run Time: 80 minutes
Screening Time(s):
Saturday, April 11 at 9:45pm
Friday, April 17 at 3:50pm
Saturday, April 18 at 1:40pm
Directed by: Luis Calderón
Cast: Sandra Escacena, Claudio Portalo, Mala Rodriguez, Kandido Uranga
Synopsis: After witnessing her boyfriend’s fatal fall from a treehouse, Ale returns to the forest one year later, convinced his death was not an accident. As she confronts the place where it happened, an unsettling presence resurfaces, forcing her to face the truth behind that night.
Friday the 69th
Run Time: 95 minutes
Screening Time(s):
Friday, April 10 at 8:40pm
Friday, April 17 at 8:25pm
Sunday, April 19 at 4:00pm
Directed by: Alex Montilla
Cast: Amy Letcher, Rob Zoppo, Bud Galloway, Amber Kellehan, David Arnold Rubin, Anna Bess, Chris Offerman, Austen Jaye, Alex Montilla
Synopsis: Porn filmmakers in 1981 seek to cash in on the slasher craze by making their own independent ripoff that follows a group of spring breaking college coeds as they are stalked by a mysterious killer beekeeper at a camp with a tragic past.
Babybacks
Run Time: 95 minutes
Screening Time(s):
Thursday, April 16 at 9:00pm
Friday, April 17 at 1:40pm
Sunday, April 19 at 11:05am
Directed by: Geno Marx
Cast: Melissa Chambers, Viridiana Marquez, Ryan Rathbun, Peter Lucas, Ray Acevedo, Alfred Gonzales
Synopsis: After crossing into the U.S., a young woman finds shelter in the remote home of an elderly couple. When her injured partner is brought inside, kindness twists into control. Cut off from help and unable to escape, she must survive a night where hospitality masks something far more predatory.
SCI-FI FEATURES
After Us, The Flood
Run Time: 100 minutes
Screening Time(s):
Monday, April 13 at 9:05pm
Friday, April 17 at 9:15am
Sunday, April 19 at 1:40pm
Directed by: Arto Halonen
Cast: Elias Westerberg, Linnea Leino, Tuomas Nilsson, Kasperi Kola, Petteri Summanen
Synopsis: A physicist gets sent back in time with his memories to prevent a climate catastrophe caused by his fusion reactor invention. However, the time travel goes wrong, complicating his mission to save Earth's future. Thus begins a race against time—and against himself.
Personhood
Run Time: 100 minutes
Screening Time(s):
Tuesday, April 14 at 9:05pm
Friday, April 17 at 6:05pm
Saturday, April 18 at 9:10am
Directed by: Richard Jordan
Cast: Elliot Harris, Agathe Levi, Alan Emrys, Ryan Lee Scott
Synopsis: In a near-future world, a lonely, physically challenged man purchases a companion robot to escape his isolation, but his own insecurities and a jealous brother threaten his chances of ever finding love.
Radio Sky
Run Time: 90 minutes
Screening Time(s):
Wednesday, April 15 at 9:05pm
Friday, April 17 at 11:40am
Saturday, April 18 at 7:35pm
Directed by: Carlitos Do Souto
Cast: Dennis Haysbert, Carlitos Do Souto, Desiree Ross, Circus-Szalewski
Synopsis: When NASA loses contact with U.S. astronauts, a hacker under house arrest hacks the International Space Station from his rundown apartment, uncovering a lone survivor and a deadly hostage crisis. Now he must guide her home undetected without violating his probation.
IHSFF SHORTS PROGRAMS
HORROR SHORTS A
Scissor Sleepover Directed by: Nee Kirschman Synopsis: The perfect sleepover turns into a nightmare when a prank-gone-wrong hurts more than the pretty hairs on Brittany's head.
Last Call Directed by: Christopher Smith, Peter Sawyer
Synopsis: A shady Hollywood producer gets trapped in a dive bar while out for a casual night on the town.
Round the Corner Directed by: Russ Emanuel Synopsis: A humorous take dealing with a zombie pandemic: 2 competing homeowners play tit-for-tat in an exclusive television interview, involving “cats”.
The Companions Directed by: José María Flores Synopsis: A young couple walks down the street, they have left the children at home and are going out to dinner.
Penelope Directed by: Fiona Rene
Synopsis: Undead misfit, Penelope, wakes up late with one job: build an army of the undead to make her father proud.
Praying Mantis Directed by: Joe Hsieh
Synopsis: A praying mantis mutant seduces and preys on men out of desperation to save her child.
These Colors Don't Run Directed by: Chris Ethridge
Synopsis: A camp counselor struggles to escape from a masked killer whose emotions are on display for all to see.
SCI-FI SHORTS A
The Gun Directed by: Randall Christoper
Synopsis: Based on the short story by Philip K. Dick.
Hyperburn Directed by: Travis DuBridge
Synopsis: A reluctant hero teams up with his A.I. companion. Together, they embark on a quest across the unforgiving desert.
Battle Of LA Directed by: Patrick Pizzolorusso Synopsis: In 1942 a 'something' was spotted over the LA and found by two scientist filling them with hope and wonder.
Pocket Change Directed by: Tanner Mobley and Heston Roewe
Synopsis: When a remote diner loses power, a drifter and his seemingly worthless quarter become key to stopping a deadly threat.
The Visor Directed by: Bhairav Valera
Synopsis: A woman joins a VR headset's beta test and becomes haunted by its side effects and ghosts of her past.
The One-Minute Problem Directed by: Nicolás Delgado de la Cámara
Synopsis: When a Spanish immigrant’s homemade teleportation device drains the power grid, a city inspector threatens his invention and family.
HORROR SHORTS B
Vowels Directed by: Rafael De Leon Jr.
Synopsis: Ava needs to record a self-tape but her speech impediment keeps getting in the way.
Worst Thing You've Ever Done Directed by: PJ Germain
Synopsis: When two friends set out to crash a graduation party, they find themselves playing a simple game with deadly consequences.
The Tahquitz Myth
Directed by: Harrison Pierce
Synopsis: A Palm Springs college student sets out to disprove an ancient local myth... only to discover a terrifying truth.
Damsel in geekstress Directed by: Renaud Parra
Synopsis: Obsessed geek Eva chases a dream collector figurine, ignoring her loyal gerbil Koki, until obsession spirals violently out of control.
The Cauldron Directed by: Thomas Pierce
Synopsis: In 1918, during the Spanish flu pandemic, a young boy must protect his family from an unknown threat.
Over the River and Through the Woods Directed by: Graham Burrell
Synopsis: A woman meets her grandmother’s new boyfriend–who is a very young man with questionable motives and a cryptic backstory.
SCI-FI SHORTS B
The Hiring Protocol Directed by: Francois Choquene
Synopsis: In the near future, Agathe faces a job assessment and uncovers disturbing recruitment methods that will permanently reshape her life.
Animalia
Directed by: Marius Rolfsvåg
Synopsis: In a nature-reclaimed future, humans devolve into animals; sent to rescue newborns, Alm discovers humanity in beasts and animal within-herself.
Thera-P
Directed by: Ted Box
Synopsis: Simon Ball, is optimised by Thera-P: an AI-marriage-counselling-therapy-android™ who threatens to expose his romantic shortcomings... and take his partner.
Don't Watch This Directed by: Daniel Pineros
Synopsis: A woman realizes she’s a character in a movie. Dismissed as delusional, she’s the only one who knows we’re watching.
Rent-A-Fr13nd Directed by: Avery Daman
Synopsis: An incident sparks a clerk to pursue his crush and seek out love in a world of rented robotic companions.
Lost in 2044 Directed by: Alimjan Abdusalam
Synopsis: Terminally ill Alken plays with digital Abula, finding loneliness persists in any choice he makes.
