Screams By The Sea Crowns Winners After Packed Horror Weekend

Independent horror cinema took centre stage in Bournemouth this weekend as the third annual Screams By The Sea film festival welcomed audiences for two days of screenings, discussions and live events celebrating the genre.

Held on Friday 13 March and Saturday 14 March in the town centre, the festival continued its growth with an expanded programme featuring feature films, short film showcases, industry talks and a screenplay competition. Fans travelled from across the UK to attend the event, which has quickly established itself as a platform for emerging genre filmmakers.

This year’s festival included two regional film premieres alongside a selection of independent features and a curated programme of short films running for approximately 90 minutes. Across the weekend audiences were able to watch five feature-length titles as well as take part in a range of live discussions exploring filmmaking, writing and production.

Among the feature films screened were MAG MAG directed by Yuriyan Retriever, Matt Stuertz’s Human, documentary Alien on Stage from directors Danielle Kummer and Lucy Harvey, Dawid Torrone’s Dead by Dawn, and The Other People, directed by Chad McClarnon.

Festivalgoers also had the opportunity to attend a series of talks and panels designed to give insight into the filmmaking process. Sessions included discussions on making a first feature film, navigating the Hollywood studio system and developing projects from short films into feature-length productions.

A key highlight of the weekend was the festival’s screenplay competition, which gave three shortlisted writers the opportunity to present their projects directly to a jury panel. The Best Screenplay award was ultimately presented to Brock LaBrode. As part of the prize, the writer will enter discussions with festival partner SilentD Pictures regarding the potential production of the project.

Audience participation also played a role in the awards selection. Festival attendees voted for their favourite films from the programme, with Wyn Wallace’s The Complete Package receiving the Best Short Film award. The Best Feature Film prize went to Chad McClarnon’s The Other People.

Beyond film screenings, Screams By The Sea also expanded its activities this year with additional live entertainment and community-focused events. Highlights included a live recording of the Script2Scream podcast, a book reading from author Rob Ulitsky for Dead Awake: Collapse, and a horror-themed cabaret performance from Screamship Circus. A newly introduced makers market also gave visitors the chance to explore genre-inspired artwork and merchandise.

Winners

The festival’s awards highlighted several standout entries from across the programme. The Best Screenplay prize went to Brock LaBrode, who was one of three writers shortlisted to pitch their projects live to a jury during the event. As part of the award, LaBrode will now enter discussions with festival partner SilentD Pictures regarding the potential development of the script.

Audience members also played a key role in selecting two of the festival’s top honours. Wyn Wallace’s short film The Complete Package was voted Best Short Film by attendees, while the Best Feature Film award went to Chad McClarnon’s The Other People, a suspense-driven story about a troubled young girl whose friendship with a mysterious boy living in the shadows reveals why some things that dwell in darkness prefer to remain unseen. The audience-voted awards reflected the strong response to the weekend’s line-up, which also included Yuriyan Retriever’s Mag Mag, Matt Stuertz’s chaotic midnight-set thriller Human, documentary Alien on Stage by Lucy Harvey and Danielle Kummer, and Dawid Torrone’s theatrical slasher Dead by Dawn.

Festival director Radi Nikolov described the expanded programme as a reflection of the growing audience interest in genre cinema. The event aims to strengthen connections between filmmakers and horror fans while creating opportunities for emerging voices in independent film.

Screams By The Sea is supported by the BFI FAN Network and received additional backing this year from Bournemouth Town Centre BID, Ouija Escape Rooms and The Brass Haus. Organisers have confirmed that submissions for the 2027 edition will open soon as the festival prepares to continue its development in the coming year.