Grimmfest Delivers a Killer Christmas with Online Premieres and Festive Frights

Grimmfest is closing out the year with a full sleigh’s worth of horror treats, unveiling Christmas screenings, an online festival, and the first wave of discounted passes for its 2026 edition. The Manchester-based genre event, now in its seventeenth year, has carved out a loyal following for its mix of independent horror, cult cinema and new voices, and this year’s winter programme aims to cultivate that community through both in-person and at-home events.

The festival has launched its Black Friday passes for Grimmfest 2026, offering fans early access to the October event at the lowest price the festival will offer. The passes cover the full weekend, running 8 to 11 October, and continue the organisers’ tradition of rewarding early supporters with significant savings long before the line-up is unveiled.

Before the festival turns its attention to next year, Grimmfest is giving audiences a December preview through Grimmfest 2025: Part Two, an online edition running from 5 to 8 December. The digital slate includes fifteen feature film premieres and a dedicated block of short films, expanding on titles that festival programmers were unable to fit into October’s physical programme. Viewers can buy individual tickets or an all-access digital pass, with the films available to stream all weekend.

Titles range from isolated cabin psychodrama Shadows of Willow Cabin to the AI horror Golem.AI, by way of the Argentinian zombie feature Portraits of the Apocalypse and the surreal coming-of-age nightmare It Needs Eyes. The programme mixes international debuts with microbudget discoveries, continuing Grimmfest’s mission of showcasing distinctive voices across the genre spectrum.

For audiences looking to celebrate the season in person, the festival is also hosting a preview screening of Silent Night Deadly Night on 11 December at Manchester’s Odeon Great Northern. The film, a reimagining of the cult Christmas slasher, screens a day before its official release, with the evening followed by Grimmfest Christmas drinks at Lion’s Den bar, where attendees will receive a discount on all beverages.

In a lighter counterpoint to the December chills, the festival is offering Werewolf Santa free to watch on its YouTube channel. Described as a playful festive horror that leans into its own absurdity, it has already generated word-of-mouth buzz, with some reviewers calling it a welcome addition to seasonal genre viewing.

Beyond its events, Grimmfest continues to grow its footprint within the festival landscape. Earlier this year, it officially joined the Méliès International Festivals Federation, becoming only the second British member and the first in England. The organisation also recently launched Grimmvision, a distribution arm aimed at bringing genre films to audiences in the UK and abroad, broadening the festival’s ability to champion new talent long after their premiere dates.

With Christmas programming, a robust online line-up and the next festival cycle already underway, Grimmfest shows no sign of slowing as it expands its year-round presence. For fans of horror looking to finish 2025 with a jolt of festive terror, Manchester’s genre institution is offering more than enough to fill the stocking.

For more information on all this festive fun and for tickets, visit: grimmfest.com/