FrightFest returns to the Glasgow Film Festival for its 21st year from Thursday 5 March to Saturday 7 March 2026, once again taking over the Glasgow Film Theatre for three densely packed days of horror, fantasy, and fearless genre filmmaking.
This year’s programme brings together eight feature films, five world premieres, and a short film showcase dedicated to filmmakers from the UK and Ireland.
Proceedings begin on Thursday with the world premiere of Jailbroken, a high-stakes, single-location action thriller directed by Vasily Chuprina and set entirely in one prison cell. Anchored by a strong Scottish production presence and a cast led by David Hayman, Bryan Larkin, Shauna MacDonald and Armin Karima, the film promises breathless momentum built from confinement rather than scale. Chuprina, and members of the cast and crew will be in attendance.
The core FrightFest weekend launches on Friday with the UK premiere of Bury the Devil, which takes familiar exorcism tropes and nudges them in stranger directions.
Next comes the world premiere of Bone Keeper, from prolific UK genre director Howard J. Ford, a creature feature that plunges deep into a remote cave system in search of survival — and something far more sinister than that. Ford will be introducing the film in person, before the lineup pivots into documentary territory with the UK premiere of Boorman and the Devil. Centred on the troubled legacy of Exorcist II: The Heretic, the film offers a reassessment of its infamous production, featuring contributions from John Boorman, Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, and others.
Friday’s main evening slot belongs to Glenn McQuaid’s The Restoration at Grayson Manor, a knowingly eccentric sci-fi horror comedy that gleefully collides classic monster movie iconography with pulpy invention. McQuaid (I Sell the Dead, Tales From Beyond the Pale) will be in attendance alongside Alice Krige and Chris Colfer, before the night closes with the UK premiere of The Curse. Directed by Kenichi Ugana, the film retools J-horror for the algorithm age, offering a sharp, unsettling satire on digital addiction.
Saturday hits the ground running with the international premiere of Violence, Connor Marsden’s visceral action-horror love story and this is followed by the return of FrightFest’s Short Film Showcase, featuring eight emerging directors from the UK and Ireland and with filmmakers and cast members in attendance.
The afternoon programme includes the UK premiere of The Convenience Store, directed by Jiro Nagae, a Japanese horror adaptation of the popular Chilla’s Art game. Kotona Minami stars as a night-shift worker whose routine is steadily dismantled by supernatural intrusion.
Saturday evening opens with the world premiere of Red Riding, Craig Conway’s directorial debut, which reframes the Little Red Riding Hood myth through a contemporary, urban lens. Conway will also be attending alongside executive producer Neil Marshall and various cast members. The night then darkens further with the UK premiere of Karmadonna (our review HERE), directed by Aleksander Radivojević, a bleak, confrontational fable in which divine command and moral corruption collide, blending extreme violence with pointed social critique.
The festival closes on a fittingly eerie final note with Australian fantasy shocker Deathkeeper, directed by Tristan Barr and adapted from Vasilios Bouzas’ novella series.
Ticket Details
- FrightFest Weekend Pass: £88 (Available HERE)
On sale Friday 16 January 2026 at 10am
Valid for Friday 6 March and Saturday 7 March only
(The Thursday screening requires a separate ticket.) - Individual Tickets: (Available HERE)
CineCard / CineCard+ members: Friday 23 January 2026 at 10am
General sale: Monday 26 January 2026 at 10am - Prices: £12.00 / £9.60 (concessions)
Tickets are available online via Glasgow Film Theatre, by phone on 0141 332 6535 (ext. 2), or in person at the GFT Box Office.
