Love Horror Heads to York as Dead Northern’s Official Media Partner

Love Horror is heading north this September, and this time we will be doing rather more than settling into a cinema seat. We are delighted to confirm that Love Horror has been named the Official Media Partner of the 2026 Dead Northern Horror Film Festival, putting our team on the ground in York for three days of independent horror, filmmaker conversations and whatever strange diversions the festival weekend happens to throw our way.

Running from 25 to 27 September at City Screen Picturehouse York, Dead Northern has built its programme around independent filmmakers, emerging talent and cult cinema, bringing audiences and creators together through screenings, premieres, talks and live events. For 2026, Love Horror founders Tom Atkinson and Alex Humphrey will lead our coverage from the festival throughout the weekend.

It is a partnership we are genuinely excited about. Love Horror has spent years covering horror through news, reviews, interviews, features and competitions, with independent filmmaking remaining an important part of what we do. Being present for an entire festival rather than dropping in for individual screenings gives us the chance to get closer to the people making the films, as well as those turning up to watch them.

Our plans include interviews with filmmakers and festival guests, coverage from across the weekend and conversations with audience members. So yes, anyone attending Dead Northern should probably be prepared to encounter Tom, Alex or another member of the team with a camera or microphone at some point. Exactly what will happen over those three days remains slightly unpredictable, which is part of the attraction.

Dead Northern Festival Director Josh Lawson said the partnership was about capturing more than the films themselves.

‘We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Love Horror as our Official Media Partner for 2026. Tom, Alex and the team have been part of the horror community for a long time and they genuinely understand the genre and the people behind it.

‘What we’re particularly excited about is having them here for the whole weekend. Dead Northern isn’t just about the films on the screen, it’s about the filmmakers, the fans, the conversations, the atmosphere and all the weird and wonderful things that happen around the festival. Love Horror will be there to capture all of that.’

Lawson also pointed to the additional exposure the partnership can provide for filmmakers, particularly those working independently and looking for opportunities to discuss both their finished work and the process behind getting it made.

Love Horror co-founder Tom Atkinson said the festival’s support for independent horror was central to the decision to become involved.

‘We’re incredibly excited to be joining Dead Northern as its Official Media Partner. What Josh, Gareth and the team have built in York feels exactly like the kind of festival Love Horror wants to support: passionate about independent horror, welcoming to filmmakers and fans, and clearly driven by people who absolutely love the genre.

‘Love Horror has always been about celebrating horror in all its forms, particularly the people putting everything into making and championing independent genre cinema, so this partnership feels like a really natural fit. We can’t wait to get to York in September and see what Dead Northern has in store.’

There is something particularly appealing about being able to follow a festival from the first arrivals through to the final day rather than seeing only fragments of it. The films matter, obviously, but festivals have a habit of developing their own life in the corridors, bars, Q&As and conversations between screenings. Some of those moments will make it into our coverage. Others, will most likely become stories told afterwards.

We will be sharing more about our Dead Northern coverage as September draws closer. If you are a filmmaker attending the festival, or simply coming along to spend the weekend immersed in horror, keep an eye out for the Love Horror team and come and say hello.

Dead Northern Horror Film Festival takes place from 25 to 27 September 2026 at City Screen Picturehouse York. Follow Love Horror over the festival weekend for interviews, reports and coverage direct from York.

For more information and tickets, visit: deadnorthern.co.uk/