2026 Chattanooga Film Festival Unveils Final Lineup

The Chattanooga Film Festival (CFF), affectionately dubbed “summer camp for cinephiles,” has officially pulled back the curtain on its final and most ambitious wave of programming for its 13th annual event. Scheduled to run from June 18–21 in person at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, with a massive virtual extension spanning June 19–27, the 2026 edition—humorously labeled the “Unlucky 13th”—promises to be the festival’s most eclectic and star-studded yet.

A Heavyweight Lineup of Special Guests

The final wave is anchored by an impressive roster of genre luminaries. One of the major highlights includes an appearance by director Mark Pellington. Known for the cult classic The Mothman Prophecies and his groundbreaking work in music videos, Pellington will be in attendance to present a retrospective screening of his seminal cryptid epic. He will also showcase his new documentary, This is Buzz, which dives into the history and influence of his iconic MTV show.

Joining the guest list is the legendary Barry Bostwick, star of the cult action-comedy Megaforce. Bostwick will be part of a high-profile interview conducted by C. Robert Cargill, the acclaimed screenwriter behind Sinister, The Black Phone, and Marvel’s Doctor Strange. The duo will discuss the new documentary Megaforce: Making Megaforce, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most unique productions in action cinema history.

Fans of Trick ‘r Treat and Krampus also have plenty to look forward to, as Michael Dougherty joins the fray. The festival will screen Dougherty’s original short film Maniac Woman, the piece that famously introduced the world to the beloved pumpkin-headed spirit, Sam. This inclusion serves as a love letter to horror fans who have followed Dougherty’s career from his early DIY roots to major studio success.

Premieres and Cinematic Discoveries

The film lineup for this final wave is as dense as it is diverse. Among the most anticipated features is Night After Night, the sophomore effort from director Josh Lobo (I Trapped the Devil). Known for his ability to build suffocating atmosphere and psychological tension, Lobo’s latest is expected to be a major talking point for attendees.

The festival also continues its tradition of championing indie voices with several high-profile premieres:

• The King of Black Goo: A World Premiere from Andrew Zappin that boasts one of the most memorable titles in the lineup.

• Bunny: Directed by James Branson, this atmospheric post-apocalyptic tale explores survival and human connection in a dying world.

• Organonym: Graham Skipper, a favorite of the festival circuit, will offer fans an exclusive sneak peek of his latest project.

• Pitfall (Restoration): A stunning new restoration of this cult classic will be screened, ensuring its surreal visuals and haunting narrative are experienced by a new generation.

• Frankie: Directed by Pierre Tsigaridis, this film promises to push boundaries in contemporary genre filmmaking.

The Short Film Extravaganza

CFF has long been praised for its commitment to short-form storytelling, and 2026 marks a record-breaking year. The festival has assembled the largest collection of shorts in its 13-year history, featuring over 130 films from more than 40 countries. This year’s “Short Film Blocks” are a playground for discovery, featuring works from returning CFF alums like Dave Willis (co-creator of Aqua Teen Hunger Force), Chris McInroy, and Chloë Levine. Whether it’s the “Dangerous Visions” block or the “WTF (Watch These Films)” midnight screenings, the sheer volume of creativity on display is unparalleled.

A Commitment to Community and Accessibility

Under the leadership of Festival Director Chris Dortch II, the Chattanooga Film Festival remains a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to inclusivity and the “punk rock” spirit of cinema. In an era dominated by corporate mergers and AI-generated content, CFF has taken a firm stand by implementing a ban on GenAI and launching its “Analog Idiocy” filmmaking challenge to celebrate human creativity.

The virtual component remains a cornerstone of the CFF experience. Recognizing that not every fan can make it to Tennessee, the festival offers a robust digital platform. This includes the return of the “Redeye” nightly secret screening series, guest-programmed this year by Fangoria’s Amber T, and a dedicated Discord server where filmmakers and fans can interact in real-time.

With its mix of world premieres, restored classics, and a unapologetic love for the strange, the 2026 Chattanooga Film Festival is shaping up to be an essential destination for anyone who believes that film is more than just “content”—it’s a community. Badges for both the in-person and virtual experiences are currently available, inviting everyone to join the most beautiful island of misfit cinema.

Presented by Antenna Releasing
A “canceled” theater director summons a troupe of conservative actors to an abandoned cabin in rural Georgia to plot revenge on the Atlanta theater community with a musical retelling of the 1692 Salem witch trials.

ASSETS & LIABILITIES (d. Zach Weintraub)
Zach is a burnt-out suburban father haunted by the impending arrival of middle age. When his family heads out of town for the weekend, he seizes the opportunity to live out a day as his younger, less responsible self. A spontaneous encounter with a fellow skater feels like a victory until an unsettling connection between the two emerges. The result is a forcible confrontation with his own bourgeois standing that shatters the illusion of Zach’s carefree day and sends it spiraling into dark territory.

BLOOD & GUTS (d. Carlye Rubin & Katie Green)
The lines between real life and reel life are muddied in the story of the Adams, an unconventional family who makes independent horror films. While they may vomit blood onto one another, lack boundaries and make frequent use of the f-word, they also face what every family must: change.

BUNNY (d. James Branson)
U.S. Premiere
In the aftermath of a climate collapse, a young woman roams the ruins of a world she never got to grow up in.Raised on old books and b-movies, she lives alone in the shack she once shared with her father.Supplies are scarce and food is running out. There’s nothing left to hunt…  …nothing except other people.

DEAD MEDIA (d. Joseph Scrimshaw)
A troubled young woman wants to relax by streaming an old horror movie. Her lonely Gen X uncle demands they watch it on DVD. But the disc is haunted, plunging them into a movie night that won’t die.

DEMONETIZE (d. Alexander Watson)
Out-of-work television ghost hunters discover the key to getting their jobs back – and proving ghosts are real – is by working with the last group of people anyone would expect: Social Media Stars.

The Chattanooga Film Festival is back with its lucky 13th edition this year, and today brings the announcement of their massive, final wave of programming.

Badges are now on sale for the festival that’s being held in person at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre from June 18-21 and virtually June 19-27, 2026.

“For fans of genre cinema 13 is an iconic number. This year we turn 13, and we’d be fools not to properly commemorate such a macabre milestone,” said CFF’s Director and Lead Film Programmer Chris Dortch II. “That’s why this year we’ve built a beast for our fans and for everyone that has helped carry us through to our teenage years. Movies have a way of lightening even the darkest of times and every one of us could all use a bit more of that right now. Maybe some cheaper gas and a few less AI data centers too.”

The final wave brings more than  20 additional features and dozens of short films available to both hybrid and virtual festival attendees, including survivalist slasher Pitfall, festival darling Sender, the world premiere of Night After Night and so much more.

Read on for the final wave:

FEATURES

Night After Night

AMERICAN THEATER (d. Nicholas Clark & Dylan Frederick)
Presented by Antenna Releasing
A “canceled” theater director summons a troupe of conservative actors to an abandoned cabin in rural Georgia to plot revenge on the Atlanta theater community with a musical retelling of the 1692 Salem witch trials.

ASSETS & LIABILITIES (d. Zach Weintraub)
Zach is a burnt-out suburban father haunted by the impending arrival of middle age. When his family heads out of town for the weekend, he seizes the opportunity to live out a day as his younger, less responsible self. A spontaneous encounter with a fellow skater feels like a victory until an unsettling connection between the two emerges. The result is a forcible confrontation with his own bourgeois standing that shatters the illusion of Zach’s carefree day and sends it spiraling into dark territory.

BLOOD & GUTS (d. Carlye Rubin & Katie Green)
The lines between real life and reel life are muddied in the story of the Adams, an unconventional family who makes independent horror films. While they may vomit blood onto one another, lack boundaries and make frequent use of the f-word, they also face what every family must: change.

BUNNY (d. James Branson)
U.S. Premiere
In the aftermath of a climate collapse, a young woman roams the ruins of a world she never got to grow up in.Raised on old books and b-movies, she lives alone in the shack she once shared with her father.Supplies are scarce and food is running out. There’s nothing left to hunt…  …nothing except other people.

DEAD MEDIA (d. Joseph Scrimshaw)
A troubled young woman wants to relax by streaming an old horror movie. Her lonely Gen X uncle demands they watch it on DVD. But the disc is haunted, plunging them into a movie night that won’t die.

DEMONETIZE (d. Alexander Watson)
Out-of-work television ghost hunters discover the key to getting their jobs back – and proving ghosts are real – is by working with the last group of people anyone would expect: Social Media Stars.

Frankie, Maniac Woman

FRANKIE, MANIAC WOMAN (d. Pierre Tsigaridis)
After years of wanting to look like those who grace the covers of magazines, Frances Ramirez ends up making headlines in a different way. She is soon to be known as the Maniac Woman.

GLORIOUS SUMMER (d. Helena Ganjalyan, Bartosz Szpak)
In a serene, sun-drenched world, three young girls spend their days in carefree play, mindfulness exercises, and idle contentment. Their every need is meticulously cared for by an all-encompassing, nurturing system that keeps their lives perfectly stable and predictable. For years, they’ve lived in this blissful, responsibility-free bubble, where summer never ends. But cracks soon begin to appear in this idyllic picture.

LENORE (d. David Ward)
In the squalid basement of a suburban home, unemployed filmmaker Max Wren (Nicholas Jaquinot) spends his days and nights hunting for footage of the controversial online performance artist Lenore (Ruby Duncan)—piecing together a distorted tribute to her in the wake of her sudden disappearance. But before he can complete his magnum opus, Max must face a domineering antagoniser from his past, two nosy police officers tipped off about his antisocial behaviour, and most concerning of all: a violent and vengeful spirit that seems to live within his grotesque editing Suite.

MAKING MEGAFORCE (d. Bob Lindenmayer)
The original Megaforce (1982), is widely regarded as one of the worst movies of the Eighties and filmmaker Bob Lindenmayer made a documentary about how awesome it is. Starring Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror Picture Show), 1982’s Megaforce is packed with futuristic vehicles, spandex jumpsuits, insane stunts, and corny dialogue. It’s an adolescent adventure that time has forgotten. But one man remembers: director Bob Lindenmayer, and he’s on a quest to convince the rest of the world just how amazing this under-appreciated stunt-filled spectacle is. The world’s biggest Megaforce fan, Bob owns a fleet of fully operational dune buggies and motorcycles from the film. At first, Bob’s mission is pretty straightforward – chronicle the making of this box-office flop through cast and crew interviews. But when he meets his hero, Barry Bostwick, the film takes a left turn and becomes something more than a documentary – it becomes a hilarious and touching tribute to the power of fandom, friendship, and flying motorcycles.

MEGAFORCE (d. Hal Needham)
Whenever freedom is threatened only the rapid deployment defense unit MEGAFORCE (with a little help from their flying motorcycles) can save the day. On its release in 1982 stuntman turned filmmaker Hal Needham’s MEGAFORCE died an unceremonious death and has since carried with it a reputation as one of the worst films of its era. At CFF we think it’s high time MEGAFORCE had a reappraisal. It’s fun, it’s got martial arts and we know we already mentioned flying motorcycles but c’monnnn! If that doesn’t stir your nethers we’re afraid you might be at the wrong film festival. For the rest of you be sure to catch this as a double feature with Bob Lindenmayer’s doc MAKING MEGAFORCE and make sure to check out our extended discussion with Bob and Megaforce star Barry Bostwick moderated by C. Robert Cargill.

NARCISA’S WILL (d. Clarissa Appelt, Daniel Dias)
Haunted by the memories of her recently deceased mother, the once known Brazilian star Narcisa, Ana wants to sell her childhood home and split the money with her younger brother, Diego. But when her mother’s ghost starts giving signs of her presence in the dressing room, it becomes clear that Narcisa’s will is still stronger than her own, even after death.

PITFALL (d. James Kondelik)
After a young man gets separated from his friends in the woods, he falls in to a 10 foot deep pit of spikes, impaling him through his leg and leaving him trapped. He quickly learns that his fall was not an accident but the beginning of a deadly hunt.

ON GALLOWS HILL (d. Ed Shimborske)
After college screw-up Matt Bishop is bitten by a vampire, he discovers he can only survive on one thing: his own rare blood type. As his thirst grows, Matt descends into a coven underworld, rekindles an old flame, and uncovers the dark secrets of the blood business- forcing him to confront his own morality (and mortality) to stay alive.

JUMP SCARE (d. Donnie Hobbie)
The female metal band ‘JUMP SCARE’ retreat to a remote cabin to write their next album only to be terrorized by the family of cannibals next door.

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (d. Josh Lobo)
World Premiere
The lives of two overnight security guards at a private university begin to unravel after the discovery of a mysterious individual who returns on a nightly basis.

NOCLIP 3: THE CHATTANOOGA SYNDROME (d. Alex Conn & Gavin Charles)
Special Screening/World Premiere
In their self described “meta-found-footage / documentary escapade”, Gavin and Alex head to Tennessee to document the premiere of their previous film, and to follow a tip that will lead them to the most liminal spaces in Chattanooga…

SENDER (d. Russell Goldman)
After receiving a series of unnervingly personal packages she never ordered, a woman, newly sober and starting over, spirals into paranoia, convinced someone is watching her. As the online retailer denies responsibility, her search for the anonymous sender sends her down a dangerous rabbit hole, forcing her to confront her past and the fragile reality she’s trying to rebuild. A tense psychological descent into surveillance, recovery, and self-doubt.

SUNSHINE GIRLS (d. Madeleine Hicks)
This is the story of Elaine Hamilton, a timid woman nearing her 30th birthday who must make the difficult choice between motherhood and medically induced photosynthesis. In a world that is quite literally suffocating, society has become dependent on the oxygen-producing Sunshine Girls to sustain life. Within the confines of this organization (part new-age adult summer camp, part dystopian prison) Elaine learns that falling in love can take your breath away.

THE KING OF BLACK GOO (d. Andrew Zappin)
World Premiere
A genre-bending fairy tale about a bitter, lonely man who undergoes a personality-altering medical procedure in hopes that it will make them worthy of love.

THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER (d. Alex Cherney)
When a young girl summons a driver using a seemingly innocent ritual, she must fulfill his demands if she ever wants to get back home in 1992 Long Island

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES (d. Mark Pellington)
A reporter investigates strange phenomena in a small town in Mark Pellington’s classic of cryptid cinema.

THE OBSESSED (d. Wataru Takahashi)
Inspired by Shinji Ishii’s short story, this whimsical musical follows Giuseppe, a man powered by fleeting obsessions. One day, he’s singing arias, and the next, he’s collecting insects or mastering embroidery with feverish focus. Every new fascination feels like everything—until the next one comes along.

THE THING IN THE FOG (d. Chedey Reyes)
A veteran airplane pilot and his atypical co-pilot in training will find themselves involved in a series of unprecedented interdimensional events, which will turn them into the only hope to save all humanity from the imminent invasion of the Audryes.

THIS IS BUZZ (d. Mark Pellington)
Follows the radical impact and lasting relevance of Buzz, an influential MTV series from the 1990s that featured notable contributors including William S. Burroughs and RuPaul as hosts.

2026 SHORT FILM PROGRAM

HYBRID SHORT FILM BLOCKS

CFF SALUTES YOUR SHORTS – STUDENT AND TENNESSEE FILMMAKER SHORTS
BLACKOUT Director: Logan Nipper
BOOTSTRAPPED Director: Joe Heath
CAROUSEL  Director: Christopher Kosakowski
CAST & BREW Director: Priscilla Zanni
CLOSING SHIFT Director: M-Alain Bertoni
COTTON CANDY RANDY Director: Matt Eslinger
DON’T LEAVE ME Director: Jennifer Saura
FINN F. FINCH & THE CLOCK CONTRAPTION: THE LUNAR LOVERS Director: Toby Darling
SLEEPING PRINCESS Director: Callie Bacon
THE GILDED MIRROR Director: Jack Dudley Gewant
THE JUDGEMENT Director: Harry Corney
THE RECLUSE Director: Matt Webb
VEIL OF THE VANISHING Director: Mason James Ulery

DANGEROUS VISIONS – GENRE SHORTS
EVELYN’S HERE Directors: Sean Temple, Sarah Wisner
HEADPHONES Director: Steven Arriagada
KNITTING CLUB Directors: Diogo Abrantes, João Rito
LITTLE DEATHS Director: Derek Bensonhaver
LONG DISTANCE Directors: Max Kane, Mike Overton, Joey Krulock
NANOCELL Director: Gavin Hignight
NEARSIGHTED Director: Ryan Eatherton
REDNECK Director: Alexandria Basso
SCISSORS Director: Hannah Alline
SEASON’S GREETINGS Director: Michael Dougherty
SIREN Director: Andrew Todd
SLEEP TIGHT Director: Grace Presse
THE BOUND PRINCE Directors: Christian Gridelli, Hunter Norris

WTF (WATCH THESE FILMS!) – STRANGE AND EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
BEWARE C*CKBLOCKING GHOSTS Director: Alys Murray
BIG FOOTPRINTS Directors: Jonathan Maxwell Shander
CHÄIR Director: Chris McInroy
FOREVER HOME Director: Ashley Wong
MIDNIGHT CITY Director: Bill Watterson
MY LEFT HAND IS A PART OF ME Director: Natasha Halevi
OPEN MIC Director: Jano Pita
PACKAGES Director: Nick Barat
PIMPLE Director: Fernando Alle
RED LIGHT GREEN LIGHT Director: Corey Grispo
TACO NIGHT Director: John Raymond Roche III
TASTY BONES Director: Ronald Short
THE CANDLE Director: Ren Ariel Sano
THE MRS. WOLF SHOW Director: Drew Highlands
WALL UDDER Director: Alexandra Hayden
WOLF PUPPY Director: Sam Osborn