Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival to arrive in Canberra in 2024
Across 5 days in the lead up to Halloween 2024, Canberra will host a brand new festival of international and local horror and genre films
Yeh! Nah!
Say it in an Aussie accent and it will all make sense!
Hello! A heads up! We're still working on the graphics, content and finer details of this film festival.
Entries open from January 1st 2024.
So until then, expect this page and others to change significantly as we work on our design, content and everything else.
Though, we'd be more than happy to hear you thoughts and feedback, so feel free to share with us!
The Yeh! Nah! Horror Film Festival is an Australian based festival of International and Local Horror, Thriller and Genre films, made by exclusively, up and coming, emerging and independent filmmakers. The festival screenings will take place in Canberra, Australia in the lead up to Halloween 2024 and will include feature films, short films, filmmaking Q&A discusion panels, and social events including an awards event.
The Festival Director is award winning filmmaker Dan Sanguineti, producer of Australian zombie features, 'Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse' and 'Theatre of the Dead' and was a Production Coordinator and EPK Producer on AACTA nominated Best Film 'Sissy'.
Dan is currently a filmmaking trainer for the AIE Film School.
His focus for the festival is about nurturing and supporting filmmakers inclusively who are passionate about filmmaking and love the horror genre!
Dan Sanguineti in 2012, on set of Theatre of the Dead (2013)
SISSY (2022)
Official Selections will recieve laurel and digital certificate.
Nominations for the awards will be announced on release of the festival program. Laurels will be awarded for all nominations.
Local Canberra Awards will be announced on Day 2 of the Festival, with winners to join National and International entrants for Silver and Gold Awards. These will be announced on the 5th and final day of the festival.
GOLD AWARDS
- Best Short Film - Yeh! Nah! Overall Winner
- Best Feature Film
SILVER AWARDS
- Best Short Film - Made for Us
- Best Short Film - Canberra
- Best Student Production
- Best Feature Screenplay
- Best Short Screenplay
- Best Horror Kill
- Best Scare
- Best Practical Effects
- Best Animation film or use of VFX
- Best Performance by a Leading Performer
- Best Performance by a Supporting Performer
CANBERRA AWARDS
- Best Short Screenplay
- Best Horror Kill
- Best Scare
- Best Practical Effects
- Best Animation film or use of VFX
- Best Performance by a Leading Performer
- Best Performance by a Supporting Performer
Yeh! Nah! AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE! - Feature Film Category
Australian Premiere Only! We are looking to include in our program feature length genre films that have not been screened previously in Australia, so, we want our festival to show your film, FIRST in Australia. This is for all Australian and International productions. Must be have been completed after after June 30th, 2023. Duration must be 60mins or longer. We won't be able to allow late entry for feature films so that we have enough time to select and program from the submissions and produce an effective marketing plan for the event. We will consider works in progress but the project would need to be ready for screening by no later September 13th 2024 to be eligible.
Yeh! Nah! We made it just for you! - Short Film Category
This is your chance to make a brand new original horror or genre film! Open to Canberra, Australian & International Filmmakers. The film must fit in a festival that will run close to Halloween!
Your film must have started production after 30th March 2024 and completed specifically for our festival by the entry deadline.
One character must say "Yeh! Nah!" out loud, on screen at least once to be eligible.
Your film must also include either a visual or audio reference, without breaching copyright or ownership, of the Festival Director's favourite horror film, of which the answer to this will be revealed on this website.
End Credits must state somewhere: "This short film was produced for Oh! Naur! Horror Film Festival 2024."
Yeh! Nah! Horror! - Short Film Category
Slashers, Monsters, Zombies, Spooky Ghosts and Ghouls, Paranormal, Psychological - everything Horror. Must be have been completed after January 1st 2023.
Yeh! Nah! Horror Comedy! - Short Film Category
Our Horror Comedy category is looking for films in the Horror genre that either make you smirk or straight out laugh out loud. Dark comedy, blood and guts and classic zombie gore is welcome if you think it will get a great audience reaction. Must be have been completed after January 1st 2023.
Yeh! Nah! Genre! - Short Film Category
Thrillers, Sci Fi, Aliens, and Fantasy - the GENRE category - if you have a short film that will get a great audience reaction and has less horror and more of the other stuff, submit it to this category. As long as it feels like it would fit into a festival run close to Halloween! Must be have been completed after January 1st 2023.
Yeh! Nah! I'm from Canberra! - Short Film Category
Being a festival based in Canberra, we welcome and support Canberra filmmakers to submit their existing horror and genre projects in their own category! (If you are making one for us specifically, please submit to We made it just for you category!) All Canberra produced projects must have been produced after January 1st, 2023. Projects are permitted to have screened already at other festivals, but please do note we will preference first local films that are newer, with premiere status and looking to have premiere screenings for our program.
January 1, 2024
ENTRIES OPEN
June 30, 2024
EARLY BIRD ENTRY
Feature Films & Short Films
July 31, 2024
STANDARD ENTRY DEADLINE
Feature Film Final Deadline
August 31, 2024
OH! NAUR! I'M LATE DEADLINE
Short Film Final Deadline
September 16, 2024
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS NOTIFICATION DATE
September 30, 2024
FESTIVAL PROGRAM RELEASE
October 25 - 31, 2024
FESTIVAL DATES
October 25, 2024 - FRIDAY NIGHT
FESTIVAL DAY 1 - OPENING NIGHT
Feature Film & Shorts Screening
October 26, 2024 - SATURDAY NIGHT
FESTIVAL DAY 2 - CANBERRA LOCAL FOCUS
Shorts Screening + Local Category Awards
October 27, 2024 - SUNDAY MATINEE
FESTIVAL DAY 3
Feature Film & Shorts Screening
October 29, 2024 - TUESDAY NIGHT
FESTIVAL DAY 4
Shorts Screening
October 31, 2024 - THURSDAY HALOWEEN NIGHT
FESTIVAL DAY 5 - CLOSING NIGHT
Feature Film & Shorts Screening + Grand Finale Awards