BROOKLYN HORROR FILM FESTIVAL UNLEASHES 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS — PANELS, PODCASTS, AND PARTIES GALORE

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival celebrates 10 years of scares with parties, panels, and live chaos at Nitehawk Williamsburg.

The East Coast’s premier genre celebration is back and bigger than ever. The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (BHFF) returns October 16–25, 2025, for its landmark 10th anniversary, filling Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg with ten straight days of horror screenings, panels, live podcasts, tutorials, and unforgettable parties that embody the spirit of Brooklyn’s thriving horror community.

This year, BHFF promises more than just movies—it’s a full-blown cultural takeover. The festivities kick off with the Opening Night Zombie Bash presented by IFC/Shudder, featuring DJ Sara Jabarri, followed by a weekend of chaos soundtracked by DJ Nuclear Volcano at Lo-Res. The season of screams will wrap up in true macabre fashion with the Closing Night Halloween Party presented by Dark Sky Films, where costumes are more than encouraged—they’re expected.

Outside the theater, BHFF continues to deliver experiences for fans and filmmakers alike. The NYBC Busmobile Blood Drive will once again park out front of Nitehawk on October 18, offering attendees the chance to give blood and give back. That same weekend, horror fans can browse the BHFF Artists and Artisans Market, a two-day showcase celebrating local creators and brands that have been integral to the festival’s decade-long legacy.

For horror diehards and trivia fiends, Final Exam Horror Trivia, hosted by Ted Geoghegan (We Are Still Here, Brooklyn 45) and journalist Michael Gingold (Fangoria, Rue Morgue), promises killer prizes and tougher questions. Meanwhile, fans of horror podcasts can catch live recordings of Certified Forgotten (featuring guest Tina Romero) and Blerdy Massacre (with guest Ernest Dickerson), both celebrating the genre through their unique lenses.

Hands-on horror arrives with a Live Zombie SFX Makeup Tutorial by Terrifier artist Jackie Hughes, while Alison Foreman brings the cult energy with The Rocky Horror Personality Test, an interactive floor show exploring individuality, queerness, and midnight movie magic.

This year also dives into horror academia with Raising and Praising the Dead, a literary panel featuring authors Lowell Greenblatt, Mary Beth McAndrews, Michael Gingold, and Payton McCarty-Simas, exploring how forgotten genre films find new life through reexamination and critical appreciation.

Finally, expect mayhem and surprises at Motion Picture Pop Quiz: Brooklyn Horror Edition, a live anti-trivia experience where anyone can walk in cold and leave a champion.

With sponsors including Arrow Video, Dark Sky Films, Shudder, Vinegar Syndrome, and Gushers, BHFF continues to champion independent genre voices while throwing the kind of parties only Brooklyn could host.

For a full schedule of screenings, panels, and special events, visit brooklynhorrorfest.com.