The Unnamed Footage Festival (UFF) is back for its highly anticipated 8th edition, showcasing an eclectic mix of world premieres, new releases, and encore screenings. With a lineup designed to linger in your memory like a persistent, voyeuristic spirit, UFF8 promises a festival experience that will stay with you long after the curtains close.

Unnamed Footage Festival Overview

Taking place from March 25th through March 30th, 2025, UFF8 will span several iconic San Francisco venues, including the Balboa Theater, 4 Star Theater, and the Artist’s Television Access (ATA). This year, the festival kicks off with a screening of Kōji Shiraishi’s NOROI: THE CURSE at the Alamo Drafthouse New Mission Theatre’s Terror Tuesday. On Wednesday, March 26th, the ATA in San Francisco’s historic Mission District will host a pre-festival mixer and special screening, followed by the annual Recalibration Party on Thursday, March 27th—an event packed with drinks, mingling with the UFF crew, and rare films never before shown in theaters.

Programming Details

From Friday through Sunday, immerse yourself in three full days of non-stop found footage horror, faux documentary, screenlife, and in-world-camera experiments. The festival will feature films that push boundaries and redefine genre conventions. Highlights include:

• Johannes Grenzfurthner’s latest film SOLVENT, the final chapter in his unconventional horror trilogy.
• The World Premiere of Robbie Smith’s I DON’T LIKE IT HERE, a poignant hybrid found-footage and faux-documentary experience.
• Fantastic Fest alum WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL?, a found-footage gem exploring generational trauma and demonic possession.
• The World Premiere of Robbie Banfitch’s long-awaited TINSMAN ROAD, an emotionally charged journey into loss and redemption.
• An encore live screening of David Dawson’s LEECH—a darkly humorous character study of a self-destructive YouTuber known as The Dark Lord of Loves Park.

First Wave Film Selections

TINSMAN ROAD (2025, dir. Robbie Banfitch)

A gritty 4:3 Mini-DV film that follows a young man searching for the body of his sister years after her tragic disappearance. An emotionally winding voyage into the wilderness of death and sorrow.

I DON’T LIKE IT HERE (2025, dir. Robbie Smith)

A recently paroled outsider returns to his desolate hometown only to confront a community shrouded in disturbing darkness. This hybrid found-footage film, following his quest to uncover sinister secrets, blends eerie voyeurism with faux-documentary segments to create a deeply haunting narrative.

WHAT HAPPENED TO DOROTHY BELL? (2024, dir. Danny Villanueva)

After unearthing disturbing childhood revelations about her late grandmother, Dorothy Bell, Ozzie Gray embarks on a quest to document her investigation—awakening something malevolent in the process. With standout performances from Lisa Wilcox and Michael Hargrove, and a breakthrough lead from newcomer Asya Meadows, this film examines generational trauma through the lens of demonic possession.

SOLVENT (2024, dir. Johannes Grenzfurthner)

While searching for Nazi documents in an Austrian farmhouse, American expatriate Gunner S. Holbrook becomes ensnared in a hidden secret. As his sanity unravels, he must confront an insatiable evil. The final installment in Grenzfurthner’s loose trilogy, SOLVENT balances conventional horror elements with his signature touch of absolute insanity.

LEECH (2024, dir. David Dawson)

A mumblegore, screenlife film that delves into the chaotic world of internet culture, following the trials and tribulations of a YouTuber who calls himself The Dark Lord of Loves Park. Inspired by King Cobra JFS, this film captures the raw, self-destructive nature of online fame.

Unnamed Footage Festival Submission Information

The UFF 8 lineup is still being finalized, and filmmakers still have time to submit their work. Submissions for UFF 8 close on Valentine’s Day—so head over to FilmFreeway to get your project in the running. Additional premieres, special events, and retro screenings will be revealed in the complete schedule and second wave announcement soon. Festival badges are on sale now via FilmFreeway.

Final Thoughts

Unnamed Footage Festival 8 is poised to be an unforgettable cinematic journey, blending innovative storytelling with the raw energy of found footage and experimental filmmaking. Whether you’re drawn to psychological horror, faux documentaries, or unconventional screenlife narratives, UFF8 offers something for every fan of boundary-pushing cinema. Mark your calendars for March 25th through 30th, 2025, and prepare for a festival that will challenge your perceptions and leave a lasting impression.