As the festival enters its fifth year, the Salem Horror Fest has announced a new partnership with the George A. Romero Foundation this week, with the joint goal of “supporting independent genre filmmakers in honor of the Master of Horror’s work and legacy.”

“We are excited to partner with the Salem Horror Fest as part of our commitment to support a new generation of filmmakers and artists inspired by George’s legacy. Salem’s history and reputation as a Halloween town is the perfect backdrop to tell new scary stories with a social thread,” said Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, founder and president of the George A. Romero Foundation.

The team explains, “The George A. Romero Film Fellowship will pair industry experts with emerging filmmakers to help guide next steps in their careers whether it’s seeking distribution, developing their skills or strategic planning to fund their next project. Inaugural mentors include Mynette Louie (SWALLOW, BLACK BOX), Travis Stevens (JAKOB’S WIFE, GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR), and Jenn Wexler (THE RANGER, DEPRAVED).”

“In a time when truth is truly stranger than fiction, horror feels like the most appropriate genre. Its thrills and hyperbole make us feel and think with an intensity that few other genres do. So I’m excited for us to be sharing our own filmmaking experiences with the next generation of horror filmmakers. Not only is making a movie scary, but so is wading through our current industry landscape,” Mynette Louie said.

Participants will be selected from the 2021 feature film submissions and will be considered for a $1,000 Jury Award cash prize. Eligible submissions must be received by July 31 and have a premiere status. Winners will be notified in September.

Salem Horror Fest will return for its fifth year October 1 – October 11, 2021.

For more information, please visit salemhorror.com.