Shriekfest, the Los Angeles Horror/Sci-Fi Film Festival, runs from October 1st through the 4th. Located at the Chaplin Theater at Raleigh Studios, Shriekfest is dedicated to getting horror, thriller, sci-fi, and fantasy filmmakers and screenwriters the recognition they deserve. Along with the festival’s collaboration with Pretty/Scary, Shriekfest takes special effort to promote and encourage women in the horror genre.

This year sees the world premiere of Evilution, about a rogue Army officer accidentally releasing a weaponized alien life form on the tenants of his building, Dark House, where a group of young actors are hired to work in a haunted attraction that is actually haunted, and The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon, which is exactly what it sounds like. Check out those screenings and all the rest on Shriekfest’s schedule page.

Other festivals starting this week include:

Sound Unseen Festival (Sept 29-Oct 4)

International Black Film Festival of Nashville (Sept 30-Oct 4)

Camden International Film Festival (Sept 30-Oct 4)

KingDomWood Christian Film Festival (Oct 1-3)

Tacoma Film Festival (Oct 1-8)

Script2Screen Film Festival (Oct 1-4)

Dark Carnival Film Festival (Oct 2-4)

Scottsdale International Film Festival (Oct 2-6)

Festivals starting next week include:

Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (Oct 9-15): As one of the most attended GLBT film festivals in the Southwest, Southwest Gay & Lesbian is dedicated to presenting a diverse array of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual images through film media arts. Sponsored by Albuquerque-based nonprofit Closet Cinema, SWGLFF runs for 7 days and screens over 80 features, shorts and documentaries in 54 programs, representing over 15 countries.

ThrillSpy International Film Festival (Oct 7-10)

Global Voices Film Festival (Oct 8-11)

New York United Film Festival (Oct 8-14)

Indie Memphis (Oct 8-15)

New Orleans Film Festival (Oct 9-15)

Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (Oct 9-11)