FrightFest returns to the Glasgow Film Festival for its 21st year with three days of horror, fantasy and genre cinema, running from Thursday 5 March to Saturday 7 March 2026. Once again the event will take over the Glasgow Film Theatre, continuing its long-standing place within the festival calendar.
The UK’s leading horror and fantasy showcase promises a packed programme of global discoveries. Across the three days there will be eight feature films, five of them world premieres, alongside a short film showcase dedicated entirely to filmmakers from the UK and Ireland. The event continues its reputation as the country’s most enthusiastic celebration of genre cinema, built around shared gasps, laughs and screams.
FrightFest co-director Alan Jones said the festival has spent more than two decades programming films designed for a collective audience experience at Glasgow Film Festival. He added that this year’s selection aims to innovate and challenge while showcasing both feature films and shorts from some of the most imaginative voices working in the genre.
The event opens on Thursday night with the world premiere of JAILBROKEN, a high-pressure action thriller directed by Vasily Chuprina and set entirely within a single prison cell. The film is rooted in Scottish production talent and features a cast led by David Hayman, Bryan Larkin, Shauna MacDonald and Armin Karima. Chuprina, along with members of the cast and crew, will attend the screening.
The two-day FrightFest pass programme begins on Friday 6 March with the UK premiere of BURY THE DEVIL, a fast-moving and twist-heavy mystery that offers a fresh take on the exorcism genre. This is followed by the world premiere of Howard J. Ford’s creature feature BONE KEEPER, a survival story set deep inside a remote cave system. Ford will return to Glasgow to introduce the film alongside cast members.
Later on Friday comes the UK premiere of BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL, a documentary directed by David Kittredge examining the troubled production and lasting legacy of Exorcist II: The Heretic. The film features interviews with John Boorman, Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher and others connected to the infamous sequel.
The main Friday evening presentation is the UK premiere of Glenn McQuaid’s sci-fi horror comedy THE RESTORATION AT GRAYSON MANOR. Blending camp horror with classic monster movie influences, the film will be introduced by McQuaid alongside stars Alice Krige and Chris Colfer. The night concludes with the UK premiere of Kenichi Ugana’s THE CURSE, a sharp satire that updates the idea of cursed media for the age of addictive internet algorithms.
Saturday opens with the international premiere of Connor Marsden’s VIOLENCE, a visceral and fast-moving love story powered by punk energy and action-horror intensity. FrightFest then presents its second SHORT FILM SHOWCASE, continuing a strand launched last year that highlights emerging directors from the UK and Ireland. All participating filmmakers and several cast members will attend, marking a celebration of new talent.
The afternoon continues with the UK premiere of THE CONVENIENCE STORE, directed by Jiro Nagae and adapted from the Chilla’s Art game. Kotona Minami stars as a night-shift worker confronted by terrifying events in a seemingly ordinary Japanese convenience store.
Saturday evening begins with the world premiere of RED RIDING, Craig Conway’s directorial debut which reimagines the Little Red Riding Hood story in a contemporary horror-thriller setting. Conway will attend alongside executive producer Neil Marshall and members of the cast. This is followed by the UK premiere of KARMADONNA, a dark dystopian fable directed by Aleksander Radivojević that blends extreme violence with social commentary on religion, greed and modern life.
The festival closes with DEATHKEEPER, an Australian fantasy horror film directed by Tristan Barr and adapted from the novella series by Vasilios Bouzas. The film promises an unsettling and mysterious atmosphere to bring FrightFest 2026 to a close.
FrightFest passes are priced at £88 and go on sale at 10am on Friday 16 January 2026. Passes will be exchanged for wristbands before the first screening on Friday 6 March and are valid for films on Friday and Saturday only. Tickets for the Thursday night film JAILBROKEN, along with individual tickets for Friday and Saturday screenings, go on sale to CineCard and CineCard+ members from 10am on Friday 23 January, with general sale starting at 10am on Monday 26 January 2026. Individual tickets are priced at £12, or £9.60 for concessions. The Thursday night screening is not included in the FrightFest pass and requires a separate ticket.
