Ripcord Launches Halloween Film Festival with Fan Voting and Cash Prizes
Ripcord has announced a new Halloween Film Festival featuring 50 short genre films. Fans will vote on their favorites, with the top winner receiving $100,000 and the next nine splitting another $100,000. A live screening will take place at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Oct. 29.
Ripcord, a newly established platform aimed at bridging independent genre creators and their audiences, is orchestrating this Halloween event. The competition will feature 50 short films spanning horror, sci-fi, thriller, and fantasy.
Fan votes will determine the final standings, with the top entry earning a $100,000 grand prize. The nine runners-up will collectively share another $100,000, distributed according to their rankings, ahead of an Oct. 29 showcase at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
This fan-driven competition could significantly boost the careers of emerging genre filmmakers by offering substantial financial rewards and a high-profile Hollywood screening. By placing voting power directly in the hands of audiences, the festival may challenge traditional industry gatekeeping, potentially influencing how studios and platforms discover and fund niche horror and sci-fi projects. It could also inspire other streaming services to adopt similar participatory models to engage dedicated fan communities.