Chattanooga Film Festival 2025 Final Wave Unleashes David Dastmalchian, Freaky World Premieres, and 130+ Short Films

Horror fans, genre fiends, and indie film obsessives—Chattanooga Film Festival (CFF) 2025 is kicking down the door with its third and final wave of programming, and it’s the weirdest, wildest lineup yet.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — In its 12th year of bringing the best in horror and genre cinema to Tennessee and beyond, Chattanooga Film Festival has just dropped its final programming announcement for 2025—and it’s a monster. With a world premiere, a secret screening curated by horror favorite David Dastmalchian, and the largest short film slate in the fest’s history, CFF 2025 promises to be a deliriously stacked summer of scares.

David Dastmalchian Joins the Party with a Secret Screening

In a move sure to excite genre purists and indie film junkies alike, actor and horror evangelist David Dastmalchian will join the CFF team to curate a special installment of their beloved REDEYE secret screening series. Teaming up with cult distribution heroes Arrow Video, Dastmalchian will present a mystery film and offer fans a peek inside his feverish genre brain. Expect the unexpected—if you dare.

Two Standout Premieres: ‘Alan at Night’ and ‘Abigail Before Beatrice’

Leading the charge of new features is the world premiere of Alan at Night, a freaky found-footage-style horror-comedy from Jesse Swenson. The film follows a wannabe podcaster who unwittingly moves in with a roommate hiding monstrous nocturnal tendencies. Think Creep meets Paranormal Activity, with a TikTok filter of Gen Z dread.

Also turning heads is Cassie Keet’s Abigail Before Beatrice, a chilling cult survivor thriller starring Olivia Taylor Dudley (The Magicians) and Riley Dandy (Christmas Bloody Christmas). When a former cult leader is released early from prison, the past claws its way back in—making this a can’t-miss psychological horror steeped in trauma, love, and toxic control.

Sneak Previews, Deep Cuts, and Indie Nightmares

CFF 2025 will also feature a sneak peek of a “fantastically funny” mystery film and a slew of underground indies and cinematic oddities. Titles like Dark My Light, ITCH!, and Solvent explore everything from seaside serial killers to parasitic outbreaks and Nazi occult secrets. Other highlights include:

• Old Wounds: A meta horror road-trip doc that turns the camera back on itself.
• They Were Witches: A folk horror nightmare where death is the ticket to resurrection.
• Universe 25: Angelic missions gone off the rails in a psychedelic fever dream.

Short Films Take Center Stage with Over 130 Titles

In a historic move, CFF 2025 will feature a whopping 130+ short films across nine blocks—the biggest in the festival’s history. Expect returning favorites like Chris McInroy (We Summoned a Demon), Megan Duffy (Banshee), and Andrew Bowser (Onyx the Fortuitous), as well as bold new voices from across the horror and genre landscape.

Don’t miss future classics like:

• Pumpkin Guts by Bryan M. Ferguson
• Open Wide by Sam Fox
• C.U.N.T. (See You Next Tuesday) by Gabriela Perez Figuereo
• Blubber by Chloë Levine

From grotesque gore to arthouse chills, these shorts embody the best of boundary-pushing genre cinema.

Live Podcasts, Booze Battles, and Tattoo Flash

It wouldn’t be CFF without the party. The fest will host live podcast tapings from Horror Queers, Video Monsters, The Hip Pocket, and Dread Central. On the ground in Chattanooga, expect free tattoos courtesy of Mainline Tattoo, boozy cocktail competitions from the Choo Choo Cocktail Collective, and a weekend full of blood-soaked fun.

Help Keep the Weird Alive with CFF’s Digital Bake Sale

As a nonprofit, volunteer-run 501(c)(3), CFF is calling on its fanbase to help keep the torch of strange cinema burning through its “Digital Bake Sale.” Donors can unlock perks like access to the Double Secret Cinema Society—a monthly virtual secret screening and film club for genre diehards. If you’re a horror lover with a few bucks to spare, it’s time to give back to one of the most passionate fests in the game.

In-Person and Virtual Access for the Brave

Can’t make it to Tennessee? No worries—CFF 2025 offers virtual passes so you can experience the madness from your haunted couch. Whether you’re after indie creature features, boundary-breaking shorts, or deep-dive discussions with genre icons, this year’s Chattanooga Film Festival is an essential destination for horror fans.

🎟️ Grab your badge. Charge your camera. Trust no one.

Visit chattfilmfest.org to buy tickets, make a donation, and see the full lineup.