Festival dossier
Southampton, United Kingdom · Est. 2021 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
Strong legitimacy signals
Tier A score for legitimacy and industry clout. Still confirm deadlines, fees, and categories on the festival site before paying.
Purgatory Film Festival is an independent film festival based in Southampton, United Kingdom, run by Purgatory Pictures Ltd. It is notable for its horror-oriented timing near Halloween, its move to monthly online awards, and its annual in-person event in Eastleigh that screens the year’s winning shorts alongside feature films, making it a practical platform for independent filmmakers seeking festival laurels and audience exposure. [1]
Last updated Sep 18, 2026
No red flags found
Founded
2021
Venue
Showcase Cinema de Lux Southampton
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
Avg. rating
4.1/ 5
Reviews
95
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.
Live web research is off to control API cost. This shows cached scheduled research when available, plus analysis from our database.
Hard research (cheap model + thorough prompt) runs on a cron for suspicious festivals; a biweekly job refreshes others. No live API calls from the site.
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
No community reviews yet. If you submitted here, your experience helps others avoid award mills.
Write a reviewOr report a problem →Get notified when Purgatory Film Festival's tier changes or new reports are filed.
Filmmakers and festival teams can propose listing corrections or submit verified evidence. Verified evidence can change a tier, but it is weighed alongside every other flag on this listing.
Request a correction