All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival
Austin, United States
79
Tier BScreenings
Festival dossier
Knoxville Horror Film Fest
Knoxville, United States · Est. 2009 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
Tier ATrusted
Knoxville, United States
98
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
Strong legitimacy signals
Tier A score for legitimacy and industry clout. Still confirm deadlines, fees, and categories on the festival site before paying.
- 17 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Central Cinema
- 4 verified pro signals
Overview
The Knoxville Horror Film Fest is East Tennessee’s longest-running film festival and one of the Southeast’s premier annual genre events. Founded in 2009, it showcases horror and broader genre cinema, including features, short films, cult classics, and special programming such as live podcasts, trivia, silent-film presentations, and its annual Grindhouse Grind-out filmmaking competition. Its significance in the festival circuit comes from its growth from a single-night local showcase into a multi-night event with regional and touring films, drawing horror audiences from across the region.
Last updated Aug 27, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+48 pts)
- 17 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Central Cinema
- 4 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
- Legitimacy signals outweigh concerns (4 vs 0)
Red Flags (-0 pts)
No red flags found
Trust Signals
Positive Signals
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
- Has FilmFreeway community ratings
- Documented history with archived programs
- Named venues with external verification
Festival Details
Founded
2009
Venue
Central Cinema
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
4.2/ 5
Reviews
49
Synced 4 days ago
Rating synced from FilmFreeway; individual review text not pulled yet for this festival.
View on FilmFreewayFilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.
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At a glance
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
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