FilmQuest

FilmQuest is an international film festival for genre films held annually in Provo, Utah, United States. It premieres and awards both feature and short films, and hosts celebrities, artists, filmmakers, industry reps and press from the fantastic, sci-fi and horror genres.

It is often cited as one of the most important genre festivals in the United States, being named twice as one of MovieMaker Magazine's 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World in 2024 and 2023, 50 Bloody Best Genre Fests in the World in 2021 and 2019, and six times named one of their 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2017, 2015, as well as one of Dread Central's Best Horror Festivals in the World in both 2022 and 2021.

History

FilmQuest was founded in 2014 by filmmaker Jonathan Martin, who has been serving as festival director.

Reception

DreadCentral panelists wrote that FilmQuest "has risen fast to become one of the coolest and most important genre festivals on the US circuit, with a fair selection and judging process that allows for indie discoveries in numerous categories".

MovieMaker panelists appreciated that screenings happen in one location, the Velour Live Music Gallery, and around Halloween, which allows for "unparalleled and fun networking events for the attending filmmakers", and the Q&A’s ensure that the audience gets a deep insight into the films.

As of March 2025, FilmQuest is the best reviewed festival on FilmFreeway, with over 450 positive reviews from selected filmmakers.

Awards

An international jury awards various feature and short film categories where nominees are announced, including the festival's flagship awards Best Feature Film and Grand Prize Best Short Film (the latter introduced in 2023, where the winer is chosen among the winners in every other major short category). The 2024 Grand Prize winner I'm Not a Robot went on to win the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

Award winners and nominees

Sources:

Best Feature Film
- 2024 winner: The Island Between Tides
  - 2024 nominees: Catch a Killer, Daughter of the Sun, Somnium, The Beldham, The Complex Forms, The Killgrin, Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox
- 2023 winner: The Deep Dark
- 2022 winner: Moon Garden
- 2021 winner: The Free Fall
- 2020 winner: The Mortuary Collection
- 2019 winner: Daniel Isn't Real
- 2018 winner: Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil
- 2017 winner: The Glass Coffin
- 2016 winner: Bear With Us
- 2015 winner: The House at the End of Time
- 2014 winner: Crawlspace
Grand Prize Best Short Film
- 2024 winner: I'm Not a Robot
  - 2024 nominees: Fishmonger, Hearts of Stone, Wake, Sweet Molly, /Haaw/, Universe 25, Faces, To Hell With You
- 2023 winner: Escape Attempt
  - 2023 nominees: [subtext], Fck’n Nuts, Juggernaut, Murder Camp, Sincopat, Terror, To Err
Best Found Footage Feature
- 2024 winner: Hunting Matthew Nichols
  - 2024 nominees: Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire
- 2023 winner: Frogman
  - 2023 nominees: Zombie Strain
Best Found Footage Short
- 2024 winner: Body Worn Video
  - 2023 nominees: Treadmill
- 2023 winner: Angel Hare
  - 2023 nominees: Haunted by Nikola Tesla, Salvage, Spiral to the Center, Thin Skinned
Best Comedy Short
- 2024 winner: To Hell With You
Best Fantastic & Beyond Short
- 2024 winner: Faces
Best Fantasy Short
- 2024 winner: Hearts of Stone
Best Foreign Short
- 2024 winner: I'm Not a Robot (Netherlands)
  - 2024 nominees: Birdcage (Belgium), Coléoptère (France), Dead End (Russia), Empty Jars (Chile), Fisitor (Wales), La Croix (France), Replacement (Spain), The Bomb (Turkey), The Red Stone (Mexico)
Best Horror Short
- 2024 winner: Wake
Best Micro Short
- 2024 winner: Escape
Best Mini Short
- 2024 winner: One Happy Customer
Best Midnight Short
- 2024 winner: /Haaw/
Best Sci-Fi Short
- 2024 winner: Universe 25
Best Student Short
- 2024 winner: Fishmonger
Best Utah Short
- 2024 winner: Sweet Molly
Best Animated Short
- 2024 winner: Shimmer
Best Documentary Short
- 2024 winner: Born to Hustle
Best Music Video
- 2024 winner: Sacrament (Die Shiny)
The Minerva Award
- 2024 winner: Talia Shea Levin for Make Me A Pizza
Best Director – Feature
- 2024 winner: The Beldham – Angela Gulner
Best Screenplay – Feature
- 2024 winner: Tim Travers & the Time Traveler’s Paradox – Stimson Snead
Best Actor – Feature
- 2024 winner: Tim Travers & the Time Traveler’s Paradox – Samuel Dunning
Best Actress – Feature
- 2024 winner: Somnium – Chloë Levine
Best Supporting Actor – Feature
- 2024 winner: Scared Shitless – Steven Ogg
Best Supporting Actress – Feature
- 2024 winner: The Beldham – Patricia Heaton
Best Ensemble Cast – Feature
- 2024 winner: The Complex Forms
Best Cinematography – Feature
Best Editing – Feature
Best Sound – Feature
Best Score – Feature
Best Production Design/Art Direction – Feature
Best Costumes – Feature
Best Visual Effects – Feature
Best Makeup – Feature
Best Director – Short
Best Screenplay – Short
Best Actor – Short
Best Actress – Short
Best Supporting Actor – Short
Best Supporting Actress – Short
Best Ensemble Cast – Short
Best Cinematography – Short
Best Editing – Short
Best Sound – Short
Best Score – Short
Best Production Design/Art Direction – Short
Best Costumes – Short
Best Visual Effects – Short
Best Makeup – Short
Best Un-Produced Screenplay – Feature
Best Un-Produced Screenplay – Short