Out of the Cellar

    Out Of The Cellar Film Festival Unleashes Inaugural Horror Showcase

    This autumn, cinema’s darkest secrets escape underground. The inaugural Out Of The Cellar (OOTC) Film Festival descends upon the historic, single-screen Chabot Theater in Castro Valley on Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14, 2026. Designed as an intimate, boutique haven for true genre connoisseurs, OOTC transforms the classic movie house into an electric, communal theater experience where every screening is an event.


    Hosted by legendary Horror Host Hall of Famer and internet broadcast pioneer Count Gore De Vol, the two-day festival bridges the golden age of late-night hosted television with the cutting edge of modern independent horror.


    Bay Area Horror Icon John Stanley Joins Inaugural Jury

    Highlighting OOTC’s first outing is the addition of Northern California broadcasting horror icon John Stanley, celebrated for helming KTVU’s iconic Creature Features from 1979 to 1984 following Bob Wilkins. Beyond his long career as a San Francisco Chronicle entertainment writer and author of the classic Creature Features Movie Guide series, Stanley will serve as a premier judge for the festival’s juried short film competition.


    Stanley’s classic film Nightmare In Blood will screen during opening night’s Creature Feature Experience on Friday, November 13—a live, camp-forward celebration honoring television horror hosting tradition, fandom, and classic monster culture.


    “I’m so very pleased to join my colleagues in judging the Best Horror Short for Out Of The Cellar’s inaugural season,” said Stanley.
    Stanley joins esteemed fellow judges Logan Hoover and actor/auctioneer Barry Ratcliffe (Penny Dreadful Picture Show) to adjudicate the festival’s official short film selections.

    Honoring Horror’s Roots, Championing New Talent
    Founded by filmmaker Veronica Craven, OOTC takes inspiration from her mid-2000s syndicated horror soap opera In The Cellar. The festival was born out of a love for hosted horror luminaries like Count Gore De Vol, Bob Wilkins, and Elvira, channeling that nostalgic irreverence to elevate emerging independent voices.


    “John Stanley is a Bay Area horror icon,” said Craven. “He was there for the golden age of Creature Features, and having him help judge our first-ever festival connects everything we’re building to the exact lineage that inspired OOTC in the first place.”
    Festival Weekend Schedule:

    Friday, November 13: The Out Of The Cellar Creature Feature Experience (featuring Nightmare In Blood, live host antics, and classic cult tributes)

    Saturday, November 14: Out Of The Cellar Horror Film Festival (Juried short film blocks, OOTC 48-Hour Horror Film Challenge screenings, and awards presentation)

    Saturday, November 14 (Late): Out Of The Cellar Official After Party

    Call for Entries: Final Drop-Dead Line


    Independent filmmakers worldwide working in any horror subgenre—from practical-effects slashers to atmospheric psychological chillers—have until the final “Drop Dead” Deadline on September 14, 2026 to submit via FilmFreeway.

    Awards & Accolades: 

    • Juried Short Film Award (Best Horror Short)
    • OOTC48 Best of Show
    • Audience Choice Award
    • Staffer’s Choice Award
    • Specialty Genre Honors including: 
      • Best Last Breath 
      • Best Blood Splatter
      • Best Creature Bite
      • Best Non-Jump Scare

    All selected filmmakers will receive Official Selection Laurels, with category winners receiving Official Winner Laurels and dedicated promotional features across festival platforms. Submissions and pass details are available via FilmFreeway. For festival updates, visit www.outofthecellarfilmfest.com or contact festival programming at info@outofthecellarfilmfest.com.
    Festival Films to be Announced Shortly
    Visit https://outofthecellarfilms.com/ootc/ootc48/ to learn how you can be part of the 48-Hour Filmmaker Challenge

    Created and portrayed by broadcaster Dick Dyszel, Count Gore De Vol originally terrorized and entertained the Washington/Baltimore market from 1973 to 1987 as the region’s longest-running television horror host on WDCA’s Creature Feature. A trailblazer of the genre, Dyszel made history on July 11, 1998, by transitioning the character online to become the world’s first internet horror host, later expanding the brand into a dedicated Roku channel, live-hosted screenings at the American Film Institute Silver Theatre, and appearances on Shudder and SiriusXM. He was inducted into the Horror Host Hall of Fame in 2011—where he had the honor of inducting Elvira the following year.