All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival
Austin, United States
79
Tier BScreenings
Festival dossier
San Francisco Another Hole in the Head Film Festival
San Francisco, United States · Est. 2003 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
Tier ATrusted
San Francisco, United States
100
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.
- 23 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Balboa Theater
- Press/industry coverage
Overview
San Francisco’s Another Hole in the Head Film Festival is a long-running genre festival presented by SF IndieFest that screens science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other unusual independent films. It is notable for its broad, inclusive programming that goes beyond traditional genre fare to include cult, experimental, animation, and low-budget work, making it a distinctive stop on the U.S. indie festival circuit.
Last updated Oct 1, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+63 pts)
- 23 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Balboa Theater
- Press/industry coverage
- Wikipedia-verified (89 refs, 1 languages)
- 5 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
- Legitimacy signals outweigh concerns (6 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
- PRESS_COVERAGE
Festival Details
Founded
2003
Venue
Balboa Theater
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
4.7/ 5
Reviews
173
Synced 4 days ago
- Josh ParkJan 2024
Fantastic. They were enthusiastic about the film, and had a wonderful experience at the screening and Q&A. If you have a genre film ready to screen, would highly recommend "Another Hole in the Head." And thank you for the "Best Student Film" award!
- Kenny FooFeb 2024
Honoured to have my short “Slash” selected for this festival! I couldn’t attend the live screening in person but they were great with communications and even held a live Zoom broadcast with Q&A. Hope to make it in person one day!
- Jerzain OrtegaMar 2024
Very honored to had won Best Crime Feature for my film Telephone. Really cool festival, I know one day I'll be able to attend and connect. I knew a lot of filmmakers and their films that were in the official selection 2023 and I felt very proud to be in that list with them. I'll definitely submit again!
- Allan PiperApr 2024
This is one of my favorite film festivals. The films selected are all delightfully strange, dark, and beautiful. The program team are film lovers, and their passion is clear in how the festival is programmed and run. The venues are wonderful. I'm thrilled to have been part of it.
- A.J. SerranoJan 2025
A warm and welcoming festival run by people who love movies and filmmakers. Would return!
FilmFreeway 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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