The Romford Horror Film Festival, which ran from 19 to 22 February 2026 in Romford, showcased a wide variety of horror feature films and shorts, alongside international premieres including StudioCanal’s Cold Storage starring Liam Neeson. Independent premieres included the highly anticipated Spoiling You from the British Horror Studio, the folk horror Hang by Johnny Finnis, and the UK premiere of We Put the World to Sleep by auteur Adrian Tofei.
The festival welcomed large audiences over the course of the four-day event and brought together many artists working in the horror genre. Among those present were Megan Tremethick, Ayvianna Snow and Gwyneth Evans. Guests included Laurence R. Harvey of The Human Centipede films and Barbie Wilde, known for her work as a Cenobite in the Hellraiser series and as an acclaimed horror writer. Other guests included Caroline Munro and Pauline Peart of Hammer fame, Eileen Daly of Razor Blade Smile, and producers Lawrie Brewster of the British Horror Studio and Sergei Subotsky of Amicus Productions.
The British Horror Studio screened three feature films at the event: Spoiling You, Black Chariot and Mr Whispers. Hang by Johnny Finnis and Spoiling You by Megan Tremethick attracted particularly strong attendance across the festival weekend.
Megan Tremethick presented an award to rising horror star Ayvianna Snow, who was named British Indie Horror Artist of the Year by the British Horror Studio.
One of the most talked-about films at the festival was We Put the World to Sleep, following the Tofei’s earlier film Be My Cat: A Film for Anna.
Other films that attracted substantial audiences included Charlie Shaw’s Revenge and Dracula in Space, while the short film showcases also received strong attendance.
During the festival awards ceremony, the British Horror Studio received nominations for several cast members, including Dorian Todd for Black Chariot, Laurence R. Harvey and Stephen Kerr for Spoiling You, and Megan Tremethick for Best Actress. Spoiling You won Best Score, and Megan Tremethick won Best Directorial Debut.
Award winners included:
The Grindhouse Award – Evil for Dinner
Best Feature Film (shared) – House of Abraham and Hang
Best Cheap Thrill (shared) – Rock Paper Scissors Death and Sweet Tooth
Best Short – The Quackening
Best Screenplay – I Know Exactly How You Die
Best Foreign Language Film (shared) – Chinghia and Debone
Best Short Sharp Shock – Chicken Feed
Best Directorial Debut – Megan Tremethick (Spoiling You)
Best Visual Effects (joint winners) – The Pearl Comb and Charlie Shaw’s Revenge
Best Director – Ali Cook (The Pearl Comb)
Best Actor – Simin Armstrong (The Pearl Comb)
Best Actress – Lin Shaye (House of Abraham)
Best Score (joint winners) – Shutterghost and Spoiling You
Best Cinematography (joint winners) – Very Prosperous Men and Marion’s Lilies
Best Student Film – The Second Coming
The festival, founded in 2020 by Spencer Hawken, continues to grow in profile and scale each year, providing a platform for emerging and established filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with audiences. With increasing attendance, high-profile premieres and a strong focus on British independent horror, the Romford Horror Film Festival continues to establish itself as an important event on the UK genre film calendar.
The Romford Horror Film Festival is clearly on the rise and remains one to watch.
Credit Cover Image – Jacklyn Calvard