Seattle Worldcon is proud to host the Seattle Worldcon 2025 Film Festival, celebrating science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative films from around the globe. The Film Festival will take place August 13–17, 2025, at a screening room inside the Worldcon, and is free to all attending members of the Worldcon.
The Film Festival room will screen films from 9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily, offering 10 hours per day of diverse independent speculative fiction. We invite attendees to enjoy a film or two, or immerse themselves in five days of cinematic exploration.
Recognizing the vibrant speculative film scene in the Seattle area, we will also feature “Best Of” selections from local festivals.
We received over 180 entries from 33 countries. We intentionally embrace and foster new voices in speculative fiction, including those of BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ film creators. We are proud to offer waived submission fees for BIPOC and women directors, with over 50% of our submissions benefiting from this initiative.
See you at the movies!
The Films
Films from creators in the Pacific Northwest are marked with 🌲.
A young wanna-be actor sells his soul to Mephistopheles, a punk demon, in order to become famous. However, movie characters invade his real life and his dream turns into a nightmare.
Country: Brazil
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Comedy
Director: Lucas Martins
Writer: Lucas Martins
Time:
Princess Circe awaits in her tower when Vince Davenport, crown prince of a rich kingdom, comes to claim her as his wife. But with the beast left unslain and the princess left unimpressed, Vince’s quest takes a dark and unexpected turn.
Country: United States
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Brooke Thornton, Madison Hubler
Writer: Madison Hubler
Time:
On what seems to be a beautiful, sunny afternoon, Haco’s journey to find the most delectably delicious snack is quickly thwarted by a conniving caterpillar and unending obstacles.
Country: United States
Genre: Fantasy
Director: JP Georgia Powell
Writer: JP Georgia Powell
Time:
A sentient piñata embarks on a journey to discover its purpose.
Country: United States
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Christopher A. Brown
Writer: Christopher A. Brown
Time:
“Always Forever” follows Robin, a young law student struggling to afford her tuition through multiple part-time jobs. Overwhelmed financially, she applies for a bank loan but is rejected due to a low karmic score, a result of fraud crimes committed by a previous incarnation named Judith. Now, Robin faces a critical decision: travel back to her past life to amend her karmic score or return to her current life, unable to fund her law school dream.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Tibet Karayazgan
Writer: Tibet Karayazgan
Time:
An imaginary friend (Jason Faunt) finds out his sole purpose is to bring happiness to his child, only to discover his child is a 90 year old man (Tom Skerritt) on his death bed
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Nuk Suwanchote
Writer: Nuk Suwanchote, Dan Martin
Time:
A young woman experiences what she believes to be attacks by a poltergeist or demonic presence, only to discover something darker.
Country: United States
Genre: Horror
Director: Jaclyn Fleming
Writer: Jaclyn Fleming
Time:
A whistleblowing bioengineer attempts to flee with her family as the CEO of her company sends a tactical squad to neutralize her and recover the stolen evidence of a biological weapon.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Jeff McGuire
Writer: Jeff McGuire
Time:
In 2100, the empire of Mortemonde colonized almost all the nations of the Earth and reduced their populations to slavery. Syanna, a young martinican slave, refuses to keep living in this condition and decides to fight for her freedom…
Country: Martinique
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Alan Bidard
Writer: Alan Bidard
Time:
Black Sanga: The Prototype is an animated fantasy short film set in the magical world of Gaea. The titular protagonist, Black Sanga, and her companion, the talking sword Sphinx, will travel through a misty forest and encounter some friendly and not so friendly creatures along the way.
Country: Spain
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Carlos Berenguer Carrión
Writer: Carlos Berenguer Carrión
Time:
Payback’s a pitchfork.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Jacob Greer
Writer: Daniel Hickey
Time:
Breaking Infinity is a time-bending thriller about a research scientist, who has become unstuck in time.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Marianna Dean
Writer: David Trotti
Time:
Bete lives happily with her mother and her 50 cats, but a visit from a distant cousin is bound to reveal dark secrets…
Country: Brazil
Genre: Horror
Director: Mariel Haickel
Writer: Mariel Haickel
Time:
Vernon Parrish, a retired mayor of a large suburb just outside of Chicago, had moved to the small town of Livingston, Montana, for peace and solitude and to get out of the public eye. After six years, Verne’s past returns to haunt him, driving him into a self-imposed exile at his cabin in the woods, hoping to ride out the media storm. While he is away, a storm of a different form rolls in, drastically changing the world as he knew it, culminating in a tale of a man who is both a victim and a beneficiary of circumstance.
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Caitlin Presberg
Writer: Dan Burns
Time:
A man fights off an alien invader while camping.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: London Homer-Wambeam
Writer: London Homer-Wambeam, Henry Rudolph
Time:
Can you imagine what your life would be like without your best friends? One night, José, Edu, and Santi get into an argument and wish they had never been together—and without realizing it, their wish comes true. Lost between dimensions and versions of themselves, they discover their friendship is more valuable than they thought. Now, they must find each other and return home… if there’s still time.
Country: Spain
Genre: Fantasy
Director: José Miguel Santacreu Cortés
Writer: José Miguel Santacreu Cortés
Time:
Merald and Shaylyn, two skilled engineers, are part of a pioneering mission to the outer reaches of Earth’s solar system. When Shaylyn declines Merald’s invitation to dinner with his family, it seems like a trivial decision—until everything changes.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Mayed Al Qasimi
Writer: Andrew Pallett
Time:
Two farm workers are tasked with moving a cryptic scarecrow one day, which unbeknownst to them, has been afflicted with a powerful curse.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Markham Samuels
Writer: Markham Samuels
Time:
Two women meet connect on their taboo interests, but end up biting off more than they can chew.
Country: United States
Genre: Horror
Director: Hogan Hiatt
Writer: Hogan Hiatt
Time:
Boy has girl. Boy loses girl. Boy wins girl back, but girl is a werewolf
Country: United States
Genre: Horror
Director: John R. Dilworth
Writer: John R. Dilworth
Time:
Lu, a little girl who tells her dreams to her turtle, finds the possibility of finally feeling company when she meets Aini, an entity with head of a cloud. For this, the two will go through Lu’s everyday life, with all kinds of people coming in and out of her house without a trace, such as a woman in a hat, a man plant and a young girl who can only sleep in her house.
Country: Mexico
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Elias Barreto
Writer: Elias Barreto
Time:
Seven years after the mysterious death of her mother, an isolated botanist meets an enigmatic, teenage runaway in a creek. Forming an unexpected bond, the two embark on a harrowing journey to confront their respective pasts, all while slowly realizing that they may not have to face their uncertain futures alone.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Shea Formanes
Writer: Shea Formanes
Time:
A young man resorts to trickery while trying to hit on a young woman, but she handles it in an unexpected way.
Country: Germany
Genre: Fan Film
Director: Thomas Bauer
Writer: Tal Almog
Time:
Illuminagents is a comedic web series that deconstructs conspiracy theories and examines people’s belief systems. In this episode, Agent Nara Mason is left on her own when an emergency strikes.
Country: Canada
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Herman Wang
Writer: Herman Wang
Time:
A day in the life of Horace, an outback isolationist who holds within him a dark and violent secret.
Country: Australia
Genre: Horror
Director: Shannon Glover
Writer: Shannon Glover
Time:
Jaslene is a young woman happily living with her older sister, Maya, a ghost who is tethered to their childhood home.
Country: United States
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Ayessa Sotelo
Writer: Ayessa Sotelo
Time:
A story of an ordinary night in an extraordinary household. The Weiss’s, a well-respected, high-ranking family, value their blood bond above all else. When an unexpected phone call during dinner triggers the mother’s sudden announcement of her departure, a web of mysterious relationships begins to unravel. Are the Weiss’s truly a picture-perfect family, or is it all just an illusion?
Country: Slovakia
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Director: Lukas Vizner, Miriam Fulmekova
Writer: Lukas Vizner, Miriam Fulmekova
Time:
A man-eating alien crashes a suburban cocktail party.
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Time:
In the depths of a volcano, Ira, consumed by seething rage, triggers a spectacular eruption. In this boiling world, she meets a giantess who helps her release her inner power. Now a giant herself, Ira leads the volcano’s inhabitants in a liberating dance, transforming their world into an endless sea of lava.
Country: France
Genre: Fantastic, Surrealism
Director: Rozenn Busson
Time:
In a magician’s private stand-off, two practitioners must brave tricky challenges to demonstrate a hidden ability. They conjure animal illusions, devour light bulbs, and face the choice between antagonism and friendship.
Country: Germany
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Dave Lojek
Writer: John Alexander Fraser
Time:
A young couple have a horrifying encounter with a yellow Volkswagen Beetle while driving home on a deserted highway in the middle of the night.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Ian Tan
Writer: Ian Tan
Time:
In a mysterious world, a synthetic being lives in isolation. While tending to a garden of bonsai trees, it evolves, learns, and strives to fathom its own purpose.
Country: Croatia
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Igor Neljak
Writer: Igor Neljak, Hannah Pearson
Time:
In an alternative timeline in the near future an alien virus is unleashed as the world burns in chaos. Set to the music of Sci-Fi Republik.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: D.A. Sebasstian
Writer: D.A. Sebasstian
Time:
When Lavenza, a 19th-century noblewoman, overhears her husband complaining about her looks, she turns herself into his ideal wife by thrifting the body parts from all the women he desires.
Country: Canada
Genre: Horror
Director: Lauren Eden
Writer: Lauren Eden
Time:
A young woman takes an Uber late at night, but the driver starts acting strange and threatening. What was supposed to be a regular ride turns into a nightmare, with tension rising with every mile driven.
Country: Brazil
Genre: Horror
Director: Henrique Pinsdorf, Catarina Gonçalves
Time:
Having made a life for themselves following a global apocalypse, a group of disparate strangers living together in a bunker have their fragile fantasy shattered when an equipment failure forces them to make a difficult decision about who lives.
Country: Australia
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Nick Payne
Writer: Nick Payne
Time:
Aliens. Punk Rock. Corn Cakes. In space, only grandma’s latin cooking will save you.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Javier Badillo
Writers: Javier Badillo, Nat Marshik
Time:
Blue gets transported to an alternate universe through her TV and meets Red, an alien-like woman who she has an immediate connection with.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Maddy Ginn
Writers: Maddy Ginn
Time:
When a unknown nemisis threatens the Mandalorian Empire Jobba Fett summons his follows Mando Mercs to come together and do battle.
Country: United States
Genre: Fan Film
Director: John “Keoni” Maemori
Writers: John “Keoni” Maemori
Time:
On a restless night in the cyberpunk city “Megaville” a disillusioned ranger encounters a washed up chef called Jack. They reach an agreement and a culinary duel to the death follows. A lethal supper that only one of them will survive.
Country: Germany
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Tim Cürlis, Christian Skibinski
Writers: Tim Cürlis, Christian Skibinski
Time:
Two friends quickly realize the gorgeous necklace they got for free may have come with a cost far more than they were ever expecting…
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Esabella Anna Karena Strickland
Writers: Esabella Anna Karena Strickland
Time:
Mintrix, an enigmatic and savvy adventurer, joins a young elf on a quest to reclaim an ancient elven artifact before a murderous cult can steal it, while a night spent at an inn ignites a deeper bond…
Country: United States
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Andrew Jordan
Writers: Andrew Jordan
Time:
Taylor and Simon are stuck in the office on a weekend trying to finish a project. But overtime was never like this!
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Trent Duncan
Writers: TL Westgate, Christa Luzynski
Time:
A young boy and a mysterious science project bring a family together again.
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Haley Jacobsen
Writers: Kyle Thornton
Time:
In an aseptic food research laboratory, Mario and Karla are two scientists dealing with a series of increasingly strict environmental regulations. When these reach absurd levels, Mario decides to turn to his boss for a solution.
Country: Spain
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Eneko Muruzabal Elezcano
Writers: Eneko Muruzabal Elezcano
Time:
We’ve finally heard back from our deep-space outpost on Proxima Centauri B, but there’s something odd about their message…
Country: Canada
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Grigory Lukin
Writers: Grigory Lukin
Time:
A mythical creature poacher must re-cage his latest catch before becoming its deadly meal.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Nico Hall
Writers: Chris McAllister
Time:
In 2089, after the launch of the ‘Robot Only Programme’, Alpha, a second-generation robot that has long been dedicated to end-of-life care, can’t escape the fate of being eliminated by humans.
Country: China
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Kunlin Wang
Writers: Kunlin Wang, Ziran Hou
Time:
Time is a weapon and a curse for Cole Webb, a skilled thief with the power to rewind time, faces his greatest adversary: himself.
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Morgan Szymanski
Writers: Morgan Szymanski
Time:
A man opens his eyes and discovers that he is a guest in the land of salamanders. A story inspired by the “Kappa” by R. Akutagawa and K. Chapek’s “War with Newts”.
Country: Russian Federation
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Ekaterina Ulyanova
Writers: Екатерина Ульянова
Time:
Prospero, a betrayed spaceship captain is marooned on a desert planet with his daughter Miranda. Prospero uses his mastery of magic and science to create a stellar storm that shipwrecks the very crew that betrayed him. Prospero’s enemies are trapped on the planet and Prospero orchestrates a series of events to confront them.
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Garret Nicholas Replogle
Writers: William Shakespeare, Garret Nicholas Replogle
Time:
The Forest of Melkysjar, home to life and harmony, is invaded by the Kingdom of Ironhold, determined to seize its resources. The Mother Goddess, guardian of this land, fights fiercely to defend it, but the assault unleashes chaos that jeopardizes the forest’s future and the survival of nature itself.
Country: Chile
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Melissa Valentina Ahumada
Time:
During breakfast, a grown-up Alice tries to convince the Mad Hatter to share his emotions so that Wonderland won’t collapse along with his mental stability.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Nicole Pouchet
Writer: Nicole Pouchet
Time:
Ayana gets ready for a night out while ignoring alerts of bad weather from the AI device, Veda. When her plans are cancelled she finds herself unprepared for the storm…or for Veda.
Country: United States
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Cellina Munro
Writer: Cellina Munro
Time:
Superior Subject centers on DAWN, a brave student who decides to fight against the bizarre and increasingly oppressive tests she and her friends are forced to undertake.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: J.D. Henning
Writer: J.D. Henning
Time:
Enjoy the latest installment of the “Surge of Power” indie superhero movie franchise known for having lots of celebrities from the sci-fi and superhero genres!
Country: United States
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Vincent J. Roth, Jeff Rector, Mario DeAngelis
Writer: Vincent J. Roth, Blake Casselman, Enoch Scott
Time:
Victor is an exemplary kid, while Sid is quite the opposite: a rebel. Victor wants to help Sid become more well-behaved. But perhaps things aren’t as they seem…
Country: Spain
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Albert Aymar
Writer: Aymar Aymar
Time:
Plagued rock star, Devin Crane, struggles to navigate her deadly affliction on tour.
Country: United States
Genre: Horror
Director: Matthew Packman
Writer: Matthew Packman
Time:
In the twilight of his life, an aging Alaskan fisherman and father, grieving his late wife, considers a mysterious procedure promising a fresh start. As close friends undergo the transformation, he grapples with his longing for a second chance and the cost of letting go of the life he’s known.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Emilio Miguel Torres
Writer: Emilio Miguel Torres
Time:
After an unexpected zombie encounter, a hardened man surviving in the post-apocalyptic wilderness grapples with his past and discovers how to live again.
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Ellie Nishino
Writer: Ellie Nishino
Time:
In a haunted forest of a forgotten Portuguese village, an evil force emerges. Unafraid of God or Man, it roams the valleys, claiming the souls of those lost in temporary pleasures. The only thing standing between this evil and humanity’s doom is a retired construction worker, a bottle of wine, a 50cc Zündapp motorcycle, and a sword possessed by a mysterious demon.
Country: Portugal
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Fábio Powers
Writer: Fábio Powers
Time:
Melissa, a young artist, longs for the perfect partner. She uses paint as an outlet to express her loneliness and defeat until it one day turns to lust…
Country: Canada
Genre: Horror
Director: Jayde Sobota
Writer: Jayde Sobota
Time:
An representative of actors arrives at the cocktail bar “The Pretty” whose waitress demands payment of a coin from all the clients who go too far with her.
Country: Spain
Genre: Horror
Director: Miguel Córcoles
Writer: Miguel Córcoles, Alba Fontecha
Time:
A mad doctor transforms into a monstrous killer and creates mayhem in a medical institute. (The Scalpel is a 1936 never-released film by then 19-year-old filmmaker, Richard Lyford with a score by Ed Hartman.)
Country: United States 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Richard H Lyford
Writer: Richard H Lyford
Time:
When a tech journalist uncovers the deadly truth behind a revolutionary smartphone, she must confront the powerful heiress behind the company while navigating the perilous consequences of her actions, ultimately leading to a shocking revelation that changes the course of both their lives.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Mikey Altoft
Writer: Bibi Lucille
Time:
In an alternate reality, a team of scientists provoke an ancient inter-dimensional deity known as THE TETRAHEDRON. What started as a scientific exploration turns into a fight for survival as several team members find themselves hopping through various dimensions.
Country: Not Specified 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Jonah Barrett
Time:
A family is diverted from their destination route, by road, until they end up in an abandoned and ruined town. Their terrifying legends soon come to life, trapping them in an unprecedented hell.
Country: Spain
Genre: Horror
Director: GERARD Bertomeu
Writer: Gerard Bertomeu
Time:
Inventor Donald Voltmann, down on his luck and estranged from his young daughter, builds a Time Helmet to turn his life around.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Science Fiction
Director: Mike Jackson
Writer: Mike Jackson
Time:
One rainy night, two young girls are packing things on a moving when they discover some old drawings. This will awaken something that has been dormant for years, something they will wish they had never awakened.
Country: Spain
Genre: Horror
Director: Pablo Pastor
Writer: Pablo Pastor
Time:
A woman wakes up in a dark, unlit and desolate space and must execute a survival before a predacious entity eliminates all hope.
Country: United States
Genre: Horror
Director: Carlos J. Benitez
Writer: Carlos J. Benitez
Time:
Vera experiences supernatural encounters in the wake of her husband’s untimely death.
Country: Canada 🌲
Genre: Horror
Director: Ian Tan
Writer: Ian Tan
Time:
When a shy, socially anxious night janitor, cleaning up after Barcelona’s affluent party crowd, discovers a mysterious drug that lets her shed the boundaries of her physical self, she breaks out of her isolation and opens herself up to the people she desires… but her newfound freedom comes at a heavy cost.
Country: Spain
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Pablo Pagán
Writer: Pablo Pagán
Time:
Terrible heat, lack of clean water and the misfortune of a couple who suddenly lose their facial expressions. The lack of a solution and the woman’s great desire to go to the ball prompts her to fix her smile with tape. As it turns out, the wonderful ball will be, above all, a time of trial.
Country: Poland
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Olga Hajnosz
Writer: Olga Hajnosz
Time:
A young boy and his mother move into a new house and hear strange noises from within.
Country: Not Specified
Genre: Horror
Director: Benjamin Swicker
Writer: Benjamin Swicker
Time:
The Schedule
In each block, the short films will be shown first, with the feature film as the last item on the program.
Wednesday
Noon: Science fiction meets Shakespeare
If the Bard wrote science fiction you might just get the feature film Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Shorts: The Tetrahedron, Overtime. Followed by Q&A from filmmakers.
6 p.m.: An evening of science fiction
Join us for a night of synthetic dreams and visions. Feature film: The Ladder. Shorts: Invasion ’53, Planetagatik, The Silver Lining. Followed by Q&A from filmmakers.
Thursday
Noon: Science fiction that makes you think
These films will expand your mind. Feature film: Rewind. Shorts: Eximo, Project Alpha: Terminal Embrace, Please Don’t Send Help, Stream of Consciousness.
3 p.m.: Science fiction with some laughs
Join us for an afternoon of temporal shenanigans and quantum laughter. Feature film: Time Helmet. Shorts: Doughnuts, Illuminagents: Happy Chemtrails, Kiseru.
6 p.m.: An evening of otherworldly horror
A night of cosmic horror films. Feature film: The Village of the Six. Shorts: Firecrow, The Ghost That Wouldn’t Die, Unlit.
Friday
9 a.m.: A morning of fantasy short films
Mythic quests and whimsical films. Feature Film: I Watched Her Grow. Shorts: A Princess’s Plea, Alejandro!, An Old Friend, Magenta, Mintrix and the Elven Figurine, Sticky Buns, Ravioli, and White Cake, The A to Z of Being an Excellent Kid, Wherever You Are, I Know You Are Dancing.
Noon: Special Presentation – Films of 1930s Seattle filmmaker, Richard Lyford
Saturday
9 a.m.: A morning of science fiction films
Start your morning with some science fiction and superheroes. Feature film: Surge of Power: Where There’s Smoke. Shorts: Always Forever, Kontaminate You (Variant), Lifeboat, Megaville – After Hours, Paprika, Voyager.
Noon: An afternoon of SciFi and fantasy
Enjoy an afternoon of science fiction and fantasy films. Feature film: Breaking Infinity. Shorts: Afternoon Snack, Come Out, Wherever You Are, In Lieu of Longing, Superior Subject, The Last Fairy Tea Party. Followed by Q&A from filmmakers.
3 p.m.: Special Presentation – Short Films of Howard Waldrop
6 p.m.: Campy, zany, and a demon Sword
An evening of strange, bizarre, and very funny films. Feature Film: The Old Man and the Demon Sword. Shorts: A Necessary Evil, Bad Specimen, Dark Forest, I Dream of a Day, Icebreaker, Insanely Perfect, Lupe Q and the Galactic Corn Cake, Mando Mercs Five-0 Clan Celebration.
Sunday
9 a.m.: A morning of animated films
Start your morning off with some animated shenanigans. Feature film: Battledream Chronicle. Shorts: Black Sanga: The Prototype, Howl if You Love Me, Ira, Salamander’s Land, Sinag, the Last Ray of Light.
3 p.m.: A whole bunch of very short horror films
Bite-sized films of horror. Shorts: Are You There, Blighted, Catty Bete, Girl Dinner, In A Place Like This, Julienne of Light Bulbs, Karak, Lavenza, Let Me Know When You Arrive, Mine, Poached, The Perfect Picture, The Pretty, Tulpa, Urn, Within the Walls.
