Another Raindance. Another back-to-back horror feature marathon. And as horror subgenres continue to multiply, merge, or mutate, we have 16 brilliant horror films categorised for your terrifying viewing pleasure.
From the evening of Thursday 18 June through to Sunday 21 June, horror fans can immerse themselves in over three days of premieres, cast and crew Q&As, midnight energy, and unapologetic genre madness.
And this year marks a milestone: 2026 is the first time Raindance will present the Roger Corman Award for Best Horror Feature.
Fans of schlock horror and the The Toxic Avenger franchise should arrive early on Thursday for the 6:30 PM screening of Occupy Cannes!, a documentary by Lily-Hayes Kaufman following Lloyd Kaufman and the Troma team during the Cannes Film Festival.
Note: All premieres and repeat screenings are covered by the full Raindance Festival Pass.
Join me as we revisit our list of horror subgenres, with examples from this year’s line-up:
1. Psychological Horror
Focuses on the mental, emotional, and psychological states of characters. Rather than relying on jump scares, these films delve into fears of madness, delusions, and deep-seated trauma.
Examples: Roman Polanski’s Repulsion (1965), Black Swan (2010), The Babadook (2014)
JACKALOPE (2025) by director Bryce Hirschberg combines psychological horror with supernatural elements, gore, and dark humour, and has its World Premiere at Raindance on Sunday 21 June, at 8:50 PM.
Buy a ticket for Jackalope here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
2. Supernatural Horror
Involves otherworldly elements like ghosts, demons, or hauntings. The fear comes from the unknown or entities beyond human understanding.
Examples: Poltergeist (1986), Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), A Tale of Two Sisters (Janghwa, Hongryeon) (2003)
SACRIFICIOS (2025), directed by Mauricio Chernovetzky, has its European Premiere on Sunday 21 June at 3:30 PM.
Buy a ticket for Sacrificios here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
A Special Screening of THE HOME (2025), directed by Mattias J. Skoglund, will take place on Sunday 21 June, at 10.30 AM.
Buy an individual ticket for The Home here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
3. Slasher
Features a killer who stalks and murders a group of people, usually in a graphic and violent manner. Often, the killer has an iconic weapon or method of killing.
Examples: Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
4. Body Horror
Focuses on grotesque transformations, mutilations, or extreme physical abnormalities. The horror comes from the human body being altered or destroyed in disturbing ways.
Examples: The Fly (1958), Videodrome (1983), The Substance (2024)
5. Folk Horror
Explores rural or isolated settings with elements of folklore, rituals, and often paganism. The fear often stems from tradition, isolation, or the clash between modern and ancient beliefs.
Examples: Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), The Wicker Man (1973), Midsommar (2019)
THE DEVIL WHISPERED MY NAME (2025), directed by Emilia Cotella and John Mathis, will have its UK premiere on Friday 19 June, at 12:45 PM.
Buy a ticket for The Devil Whispered My Name here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
6. Gothic Horror
Combines horror, romance, and tragedy, often set in eerie, atmospheric locations like haunted castles or old estates. Themes of death, the supernatural, and cursed families are common.
Examples: The Phantom of the Opera (1962), The Woman in Back (1989), Crimson Peak (2015)
7. Found Footage Horror
The story is presented as if the footage was discovered after being recorded by the characters, lending a sense of realism. It’s often shaky and raw, creating tension through its ‘authenticity’.
Examples: Cannibal Holocaust (1980), The Blair Witch Project (1999), Cloverfield (2008)
8. Zombie Horror
Centres around the reanimated dead, usually depicted as mindless, flesh-eating monsters. The horror typically comes from the collapse of society and the fear of becoming part of the horde or being devoured by it.
Examples: Night of the Living Dead (1968), Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things (1972), The Rezort (2015)
9. Creature Feature / Monster Horror
Features monstrous animals or mutated creatures terrorizing humanity. These films are often driven by action and survival rather than psychological fear.
Examples: King Kong (1933), Jaws (1975), The Host (2006)
Post-colonialist eco-horror creature feature BROKEN BEAK, directed by Christian Carroll, has its International Premiere at Raindance on 19 June, at 3:15 PM.
Buy an individual ticket for Broken Beak here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
10. Home Invasion Horror
Focuses on the terror of being attacked in your own home. The fear here is often grounded in reality, playing on the vulnerability and safety we associate with domestic spaces.
Examples: Funny Games (1997), Jackals (2017), The Strangers (2018)
THE KILLING MOON (2025), subverts the home invasion horror-thriller subgenre and is a feature debut from director Daniel Bogran, with its International Premiere at Raindance on Sunday 21 June, at 1:00 pm.
Buy a ticket to The Killing Moon here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
11. Torture Porn
Known for its extreme depictions of violence, gore, and suffering. These films often prioritise shock value and visceral reactions over plot, but the best ones constitute powerful cautionary tales with a strong moral or philosophical message.
Examples: Saw (2004), Hostel (2005), WAZ (a.k.a. The Killing Gene) (2007)
12. Comedy Horror
Balances scares with humour, sometimes subverting traditional horror tropes. These films can blend physical comedy with gruesome imagery.
Examples: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010), Cockneys vs Zombies (2012), The Invisible Raptor (2024)
FRIDAY THE 69TH (2026), the directorial feature debut of Alex Montilla will have its UK Premiere at Raindance on Friday 19 June, at 9.00 PM.
It screens with short film THE BONES EXIST, directed by Kelsey Bollig and Matthew DuVall.
Buy a ticket to Friday the 69th here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
THE TROLL (2025), by debut director Brianna Lee, has its World Premiere at Raindance on Saturday 20 June, at 2:00 PM.
Buy a ticket to The Troll here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
13. Survival Horror
Focuses on characters who must survive against dangerous forces, whether it’s nature, monsters, or other humans. The emphasis is often on desperation, tension, and fear of death.
Examples: The Descent (2005), Black Water (2007), Frozen (2010)
14. Techno-Horror / Cyber-Horror
Explores fear related to technology, artificial intelligence, or the digital world. These films tap into anxieties about our reliance on machines and technological advancement.
Examples: Demon Seed (1977), Dream House (1998), Cell (2016)
MODEM (2026), the directorial feature debut from Tim James Brown, has its World Premiere on Thursday 18 June, at 8.45 PM.
Buy a ticket to Modem here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
SERENA (2025), the debut feature from director Robert Alicea, has its International Premiere on Friday 19 June, at 5:45 PM.
Buy a ticket to Serena here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
15. Science Fiction Horror
Combines elements of horror with sci-fi concepts like space exploration, aliens, or dystopian futures. The horror often stems from the unknown or existential threats.
Examples: Alien (1979), The Thing (1982), Event Horizon (1997)
16. Vampire Horror
Focuses on the bloodsucking undead as supernatural predators. These films often explore themes of immortality, seduction, and predation.
Examples: Nosferatu (1922), Dracula (1958), Let the Right One In (2008)
LIFE FOR BEGINNERS (2025), a darkly comedic vampire romance from debut director Paweł Podolski, has its UK premiere on Friday 19 June, at 10.30 AM.
Buy a ticket to Life for Beginners here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
17. Werewolf Horror
Features lycanthropy, where humans transform into werewolves, usually tied to primal urges and uncontrollable transformation.
Examples: An American Werewolf in London (1981), Ginger Snaps (2000), Late Phases (a.k.a. Night of the Wolf) (2014)
18. Lovecraftian Horror / Cosmic Horror
Centres around the idea of forces beyond human understanding, often involving ancient, god-like beings. The fear comes from confronting the insignificance of humanity in the grand cosmos.
Examples: the Dunwich Horror (1970), The Void (2016), The Color Out of Space (2019)
19. Occult Horror
Focuses on witchcraft, black magic, and demonic rituals. Often features secret societies or individuals dabbling in forbidden knowledge.
Examples: Rosemary’s Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973), The Omen (1976)
20. Post-Apocalyptic Horror / Apocalyptic Horror
Set after a global disaster (natural, supernatural, or human-made), where survivors face not only the collapse of society but often horrifying creatures or circumstances.
Examples: Mad Max (1979), I am Legend (2007), The Road (2009)
21. Rape Revenge
Involves the victim of sexual assault taking revenge on the perpetrators. The revenge may be taken by the victim’s loved ones (often if the victim is murdered by the perpetrators). Overlap with exploitation films and vigilante thrillers.
Examples: Last House on the Left (1972), I Spit on Your Grave (1978), Savaged (a.k.a. Avenged) (2013)
22. Portmanteau / Anthology Horror
Consists of several short films or segments linked together (often by a common theme or framing device) to form a whole.
Examples: Tales that Witness Madness (1973), Cat’s Eye (1985), Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
23. Meta Horror
Horror that is self-aware and comments on the horror genre itself.
Examples: Scream (1996), The Cabin in the Woods (2011), The Final Girls (2016)
24. Giallo / Horror-Thriller
Hailing from Italy, these are horror-thrillers known for their stylish camerawork, and violent crime narratives. They often feature elements of mystery, suspense, lavish murder scenes, and jarring musical scores.
Examples: Blood and Black Lace (1964), Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972), Deep Red (1975)
25. Cannibal Horror
These films generally fall under the wider umbrella of extreme horror (formerly known as ‘video nasties’) and often have jungle or rainforest settings.
Examples: Last Cannibal World (a.k.a. Cannibal, a.k.a. Jungle Holocaust) (1977), Cannibal Ferox (1981), The Green Inferno (2013)
26. Mad Scientist / Mad Doctor Horror
Centres on scientists experimenting with dangerous and unethical procedures, often resulting in horrific consequences. These films explore themes of scientific ambition, abuse of power, the dangers of tampering with nature or the unknown.
Examples: The Tingler (1959), Re-Animator (1985), The Human Centipede (2009)
27. Hoodie Horror
Epitomising fear of the feral underclass bubbling up to the surface, these films typically feature hooded working-class youths terrorising respectable middle-class people.
Examples: Them (2006), Eden Lake (2008), F (2010)
28. Arthouse Horror / Art Horror / Elevated Horror
These films experiment with artistic uses of horror, often exploring psychological themes, the depths of human fear, and the subconscious. They frequently push boundaries with cinematography, sound design, and editing.
Examples: Eraserhead (1977), Suspiria (1977), Antichrist (2009)
29. Splatter / Gore
The focus is on explicit portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation.
Examples: The Wizard of Gore (1970), Demons (1985), Tokyo Gore Police (2008)
Corporate satire comedy-horror CORPORATE RETREAT (2026), directed by Aaron Fisher, has its UK Premiere at Raindance on 20 June, at 7:00 PM.
Buy a ticket to Corporate Retreat here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
30. Schlock Horror
Often characterized by being excessive, over-the-top, and intentionally bad or cheesy, but in a way that is still entertaining. These films frequently lean into campiness and self-aware silliness, often with low budgets and amateur acting.
Examples: Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957), Bad Taste (1987), Frankenhooker (1990)
31. Animated Horror
Made using techniques like hand-drawn animation, stop-motion, or computer animation. All types of horror, from classic ghost stories, cosmic horror and psychological horror to rape revenge. Includes Horror Anime, often adapted from Manga.
Examples: Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Watership Down (1978), Perfect Blue (1997)
32: Backwoods Horror / Hicksploitation / Hixploitation
Centres on the dangers and terror lurking in remote, rural wilderness areas, often far from civilization. It typically involves characters encountering monstrous or savage individuals, groups, or situations that thrive in the isolated setting.
Examples: The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Wrong Turn (2003), Wolf Creek (2005)
33. Musical Horror / Horror Musical
Blends the genres of horror and musical theatre. These films typically feature elements of both – such as scary storylines, suspenseful atmospheres, and musical numbers, often incorporating songs into the narrative.
Examples: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006), Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
34. Erotic Horror
Blends sensual or sexual imagery with horrific elements. It can explore the darker side of human relationships, including power dynamics and sexual attraction, within a context of psychological suspense and danger.
Examples: Daughters of Darkness (1971), Possession (1981), Nekromantik (1987)
35. Inanimate Object Horror
Focuses on the terrifying power or agency of non-living things to cause harm or terror. This subgenre often explores themes of the uncanny, where familiar objects take on a sinister or unnatural presence.
Examples: Christine (1983), The Refrigerator (1991), The Drone (2019)
36. Historical Horror / Period Horror
These films are set in the past, exploring themes and settings from historical periods. They incorporate elements of horror (the supernatural, psychological suspense, or gore), while also reflecting the culture and societal anxieties of the time.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Black Death (2010), The Witch (2015)
37. Nazi Zombie Horror
Zombie films featuring Nazi soldiers reanimated by scientific experiments or occult rituals (typically to fight for the Third Reich) have become a popular subgenre in their own right. They explore the lingering threat of Nazism and the potential for evil to resurface.
Examples: Shock Waves (1977), Outpost (2008), Dead Snow (2009)
38. Horror Westerns
Blend the themes and settings of the Western genre with elements of horror, such as supernatural creatures, or extreme violence. They often feature classic Western tropes like cowboys, outlaws, and frontier settings, but add a layer of fear and suspense.
Examples: Curse of the Undead (1959), John Carpenter’s Vampires (a.k.a. Vampires) (1998), Bone Tomahawk (2015)
THE TREK (2026) is a Western with supernatural elements, set in South Africa, a UK premiere, and a feature debut from director Meekaaeel Adam.
Buy a ticket to The Trek here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
39. Liminal Horror / Liminal Space Horror
Focuses on creating a sense of unease and dread through unsettling environments that exist in a transitional or undefined state. Locations that feel both familiar and foreign (eg., endless corridors) induce a feeling of being disoriented, untethered from reality.
Examples: Lost Highway (1997), Donnie Darko (2001) (premiered at Raindance), Silent Hill (2006)
40. Fantasy Horror
Incorporates magical elements, mythical creatures, or alternate worlds, typical of fantasy, alongside horror elements like suspense, jump scares, and disturbing imagery. Dark in tone, these films explore themes of fear, death and the unknown.
Examples: Nightbreed (1990), Solomon Kane (2010), The Shape of Water (2017)
PINOCCHIO: UNSTRUNG (2026) is a dark fantasy / fairy tale slasher from British director Rhys Frake-Waterfield (UK premiere).
Buy a ticket to Pinocchio: Unstrung here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
41. Social Horror / Social Commentary Horror / Socially Conscious Horror
Magnifies real-world societal issues, transforming them into the central source of fear to highlight just how broken society truly is.
Examples: They Live (1988), The Purge (2013), Get Out (2017)
CHILD (2026), the feature debut from director Cyrus Neshvad, has it World Pemiere at Raindance on Saturday 20 June, at 4:00 PM.
Buy a ticket to Child here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
42. Regional Horror
As the list of horror subgenres continues to mutate and spawn ever more monstrous offspring, horror films from different regions have developed distinct stylistic and thematic identities, becoming subgenres of their own. Perhaps the best known examples are: J-horror (Japanese Horror), which, with its eerie atmosphere and psychological dread, often explores supernatural folklore and lingering spirits, and K-horror (Korean Horror), which brings a mix of brutal realism and societal critique.
Our J-horror at Raindance this year is NAMELESS (2026) by Hideo Jōjō. A European premiere, it will screen on Saturday 20 June, at 9.30 PM.
Note: Our screening of Nameless will have English subtitles!
Buy a ticket to Nameless here or book the Premiere with your Horror Pass
From Ozploitation (Australian) Horror, which leans into the raw, violent, and sometimes surreal qualities of the Australian outback, to Southern Gothic Horror, with its dilapidated mansions, murky bayous, and dark secrets of the American South, the evolving landscape of horror subgenres is as diverse and disturbing as the real world in which we live.
Here’s to keeping horror where it belongs – on our screens!
Let’s keep the list going!
Raindance Horror Pass for ALL the back-to-back Horror Feature Premieres – £115 – HERE
Note: All premieres and repeat screenings are covered by the full Raindance Festival Pass.
Yours in Horror,
Aunt Agony
Anna Taborska supports the Head of Programming of the Raindance Film Festival and is responsible for rebooting the Raindance Horror strand. She is a Raindance Film School alumna, a filmmaker, screenwriter and horror author. Anna is a recipient of the Horror Writers Association’s Bram Stoker Award in the Anthology Category for “Discontinue If Death Ensues: Tales From the Tipping Point”, which was also nominated for a World Fantasy Award. Her body of work includes three short story collections: Bloody Britain, Shadowcats, and For Those who Dream Monsters, which won the Dracula Society’s Children of the Night Award. Anna has been nominated for a British Fantasy Award thrice, and a Bram Stoker Award six times, including for her illustrated storybook A Song for Barnaby Jones. She has directed and produced five films: Ela, The Sin, My Uprising, A Fragment of Being, and festival award-winning drama The Rain Has Stopped, and worked on twenty other film and TV productions, such as the BBC / PBS series Auschwitz: The Nazis and ‘The Final Solution’.
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