Beyond Fest
Beyond Fest is a not-for-profit genre film festival founded in 2013 in Los Angeles, recognized as the highest-attended of its kind in the U.S. It curates premieres, repertory screenings, and filmmaker events for genre film enthusiasts, operating in partnership with American Cinematheque and recently expanding to Chicago with presenting partner MUBI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Beyond Fest does
Beyond Fest is a not-for-profit genre film festival founded in 2013 in Los Angeles and recognized as the highest-attended genre film festival in the United States. The festival curates horror, science fiction, fantasy, dark comedy, and other genre cinema through an annual multi-week programming slate, expanding from 55 features in 2023 to 82 in 2024 and 90 in 2025. Its core offering consists of theatrical screenings — including world and U.S. premieres, repertory screenings, and rare 35mm and 70mm presentations — augmented by filmmaker Q&A sessions and special in-person appearances.
The festival operates as a fundraising vehicle for American Cinematheque, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural arts organization established in 1984 that provides venue infrastructure (Aero Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, Los Feliz 3) and ticketing systems. Ticketing is transacted at $19 per paid screening, with certain screenings offered free via RSVP; filmmaker submissions are processed through FilmFreeway with tiered deadlines generating submission-fee revenue. In 2026, Beyond Fest extended its model to a second market via Beyond Chicago, a four-day inaugural edition held at the Music Box Theatre in partnership with MUBI, which serves as presenting partner. Death Waltz Recording Co. is also a founding partner, contributing to the festival's genre-focused identity.
Beyond Fest firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Beyond Fest
- Legal name
- Beyond Fest
- Website
- https://beyondfest.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Beyond Fest is a not-for-profit genre film festival founded in 2013 in Los Angeles, recognized as the highest-attended of its kind in the U.S. It curates premieres, repertory screenings, and filmmaker events for genre film enthusiasts, operating in partnership with American Cinematheque and recently expanding to Chicago with presenting partner MUBI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Beyond Fest industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Festival and Cultural Event Programming
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH)
Keywords
Where Beyond Fest is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Beyond Fest business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Beyond Fest generates revenue through ticket sales for film screenings and special events. Ticketing is handled by American Cinematheque, with various price points including free RSVP screenings and ticketed events (e.g., $19 for standard screenings).
- Film Submissions: Filmmakers submit films through FilmFreeway with various deadline tiers (Earlybird, Regular, Final) requiring submission fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Ticketed Screening |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free RSVP Screening |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Beyond Fest product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Beyond Fest is a not-for-profit genre film festival organization that produces annual multi-day film festival editions in Los Angeles (founded 2013) and Chicago (launched 2026 as Beyond Chicago). It curates and screens world premieres, U.S. and West Coast premieres, repertory titles, and rare 35mm/70mm restorations for general audiences, and provides filmmaker Q&A sessions, special in-person appearances, and themed events. It also accepts film submissions from independent filmmakers through FilmFreeway and channels proceeds to support the American Cinematheque.
Product overview
Beyond Fest operates as a genre film festival with two main offerings: the flagship Beyond Fest in Los Angeles (founded 2013) and the newer Beyond Chicago expansion. The festival curates horror, dark comedy, and unconventional films, offering filmmakers submission services and audiences screenings with filmmaker Q&As, premieres, and repertory events. Beyond Fest partners with American Cinematheque for Los Angeles operations and Music Box Theatre for Chicago programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beyond Fest (Los Angeles) Annual genre film festival held in Los Angeles featuring horror, sci-fi, fantasy, dark comedy, and unclassifiable films, with world premieres, U.S. and West Coast premieres, repertory screenings, filmmaker Q&A sessions, and special in-person appearances. Founded in 2013, the 2025 edition featured a 90-feature slate.
- Beyond Chicago Chicago expansion of the Beyond Fest genre film festival, held at Music Box Theatre in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Inaugural edition April 2-5, 2026 featured approximately 30 films and events from across the cinematic universe.
- Film Submission Services Service for independent filmmakers to submit genre short and feature films for festival consideration in Los Angeles and Chicago editions via FilmFreeway with tiered submission deadlines.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,500 films per year programmed by American Cinematheque
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Beyond Fest
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Beyond Fest technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Beyond Fest partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- MUBIminorBeyond Fest is presented by MUBI, a streaming service. MUBI serves as a sponsor/presenter for the festival.
- Music Box TheatrecoreBeyond Fest's first geographical expansion, Beyond Chicago, is built in partnership with Chicago's iconic Music Box Theatre. Located on Southport Avenue in Lakeview, the Music Box Theatre has been a home for independent, foreign, and classic cinema since 1929. The inaugural Beyond Chicago takes place April 2-5, 2026.
- American CinemathequecoreBeyond Fest is built in partnership with American Cinematheque, a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural arts organization established in 1984. Beyond Fest raises funds for the American Cinematheque, which operates theater venues in Los Angeles. The Cinematheque provides the infrastructure, venues, and ticketing for Beyond Fest screenings.
- Death Waltz Recording Co.minorDeath Waltz Recording Co. is a partner in the Beyond Fest organization, contributing to the festival's genre-focused identity.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Beyond Fest competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Screamfest Horror Film Festival: Los Angeles-based horror film festival. Same target audience (horror filmmakers and fans), similar screening-with-filmmaker format, and overlapping submission funnel via FilmFreeway. It competes for LA horror premieres and audience share.
- Fantasia International Film Festival: Long-running genre film festival in Montreal covering horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and Asian cinema. Comparable in scope (100+ features), programming emphasis (genre + international), and audience profile, with a much longer operating history.
- Nightstream Festival: Collaborative virtual genre film festival created by a coalition of U.S. genre festivals (including Fantasia). Comparable in audience and submission funnel; provides a hybrid/virtual benchmark that pressures Beyond Fest to evolve its in-theater model.
- Fantastic Fest: Genre-focused film festival in Austin, Texas (Alamo Drafthouse Cinema). Directly comparable format and audience: horror, sci-fi, fantasy premieres with filmmaker appearances and repertory programming. It is the most-cited U.S. rival to Beyond Fest for studio premieres and genre-film fans.
- Arrow Video FrightFest: UK-based horror and genre film festival (London). Comparable programming (horror, fantasy, extreme cinema), filmmaker-attended events, and multi-screen format. Represents the leading UK genre-festival counterpart to Beyond Fest.
- Popcorn Frights Film Festival: Genre film festival based in Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Miami). Similar scope (~50 features), filmmaker-attended format, and genre-only curation. Comparable as a U.S. regional genre festival with ambitions to scale.
- Sitges Film Festival: Internationally recognized genre/fantasy film festival in Sitges, Spain. Comparable in programming (horror, fantasy, sci-fi), filmmaker Q&A format, and world-premiere positioning — the established European counterpart to Beyond Fest.
- Brooklyn Horror Film Festival: Brooklyn-based horror/genre film festival. Comparable in scope (multi-day, mixed features and shorts), filmmaker-attended programming, and U.S. urban-fan audience. Competes for East Coast genre premieres.
Broad incumbents
- Sundance Film Festival: The largest U.S. independent film festival (Park City, Utah). Overlaps with Beyond Fest on independent filmmaker premieres and sponsor relationships, but with a much broader (non-genre) programming mandate and global brand reach.
- Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): Canada's largest general-audience film festival with a major genre-adjacent Midnight Madness section. Overlaps with Beyond Fest on world-premiere slots and filmmaker access, but operates at vastly larger scale and across all genres.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Beyond Fest social profiles
Digital presenceBeyond Fest financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Beyond Fest leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Beyond Fest subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Beyond Fest funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Beyond Fest M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Beyond Fest
What does Beyond Fest do?
Beyond Fest is a not-for-profit genre film festival organization that produces annual multi-day film festival editions in Los Angeles (founded 2013) and Chicago (launched 2026 as Beyond Chicago). It curates and screens world premieres, U.S. and West Coast premieres, repertory titles, and rare 35mm/70mm restorations for general audiences, and provides filmmaker Q&A sessions, special in-person appearances, and themed events. It also accepts film submissions from independent filmmakers through FilmFreeway and channels proceeds to support the American Cinematheque.
Is Beyond Fest a public or private company?
Beyond Fest is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Beyond Fest founded?
Beyond Fest was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Beyond Fest based?
Beyond Fest is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Beyond Fest make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are film Submissions.
Who are Beyond Fest's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Screamfest Horror Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival, Nightstream Festival, Fantastic Fest, Arrow Video FrightFest, Popcorn Frights Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival and Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. Broad incumbents are Sundance Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Does Beyond Fest have an API?
No public API is recorded for Beyond Fest.
What industry is Beyond Fest in?
Beyond Fest's product category is Film Festival and Cultural Event Programming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAD, Film Festivals & Festival Organizers, with a secondary code of MPADAKAH, Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers). Its NAICS code is 711320 and its SIC code is 7990.