FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS

A General Admission Weekend Pass includes a 3-day festival badge and corresponding lanyard for the entirety of Night Frights LA. GA passholders have access to every screening, panel, red carpet, and the Friday night afterparty.

VIP includes a special event T-shirt, gold spider pin, and corresponding gold VIP lanyard and badge for the entire 3-day weekend. VIP also includes access to the Friday afterparty and reserved seating in the first few rows of the theater.

A Day Pass gives you access to all screenings and programming on that specific day. For example, a Saturday Day Pass gives you access to the entire Saturday program. Each Day Pass comes with a corresponding wristband.

Yes. Tickets will remain available through Eventbrite throughout the festival weekend. Simply scan the Eventbrite QR code available on-site and purchase your ticket online.

Yes. Night Frights LA tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the event.

No. Festival tickets and credentials are non-transferable.

Absolutely. Attendees have full range to come and go as they please throughout the festival. We do encourage guests to stick around, enjoy the food options on-site, and support our venue partners.

General seating is first come, first served. VIP passholders have reserved seating in the first few rows.

Night Frights LA takes place at Gardena Cinema located at 14948 Crenshaw Blvd, Gardena, CA 90249. The festival entrance is at the front of the building, where you'll see the Night Frights LA red carpet and festival backdrop.

Yes! Gardena Cinema's parking lot will be free throughout the festival weekend. Parking is first come, first served. There is also an abundance of street parking nearby.

Head to the front of Gardena Cinema. The festival entrance will be clearly visible, with the Night Frights LA red carpet and backdrop outside.

Yes. Gardena Cinema is wheelchair accessible, with no stairs required to enter or move between the festival areas.

Filmmakers, media, staff, and attendees all check in at the check-in table outside on the right side of the doors. Look for the Check-In sign and banner above the table.

We strongly recommend arriving early. Give yourself time to park, check in, grab concessions or food, and find your seat before the program begins.

Late entry is permitted, but please understand that our film blocks and features run from a cinema server playlist and will begin exactly as scheduled. If you arrive late, we cannot restart or delay the program. Arrive early, check in, and get your concessions beforehand.

Yes, attendees may leave after an individual short film. However, we highly encourage you to stay through the entire short film block and experience the complete program.

No. Outside food and drinks are not permitted inside the theater. Please enjoy the food trucks and concessions available at the festival.

No alcohol is permitted at the cinema under any circumstances. Save it for the official Friday night afterparty.

Children are allowed inside the theater. However, younger children are not recommended due to the mature and frightening nature of the festival.

Absolutely. You're encouraged to photograph and record your experience throughout the festival. Inside the cinema, however, standard cinema etiquette is strictly enforced. Please keep phones and recording devices away during screenings.

No. Phones must be put away during screenings. Night Frights LA takes pride in providing filmmakers with a respectful viewing environment.

Filmmakers check in at the check-in table outside on the right side of the doors. Look for the Check-In sign and banner.

Each participating filmmaker/director receives a free 3-day filmmaker badge plus one additional guest credential and a filmmaker welcome goodie bag. The filmmaker badge provides access to the entire festival weekend.

Absolutely. Cast and crew members who are not using the filmmaker's included credentials can purchase tickets using the 25% off discount code provided to participating filmmakers.

No. Attendance does not affect award eligibility. Winners are selected by the Night Frights LA jury independently of filmmaker attendance.

Filmmaker Q&As are reserved for special presentations and feature films for the 2026 edition. Short films will not have formal Q&As, but filmmakers will have opportunities throughout the day to participate in interviews about their work.

Awards are presented during the Sunday Awards Ceremony. If a winning filmmaker cannot attend, Night Frights LA will ship their award by mail.

The Night Frights LA red carpet is open to festival guests throughout the day. Each day will also feature a dedicated 1–2 hour Red Carpet Gala with a photographer focused on filmmakers and guests participating that day.

Everyone entering the red carpet must have festival access through a purchased or authorized credential. Guests without festival credentials cannot enter the carpet.

Yes! Attendees are encouraged to take their own photos on the red carpet throughout the weekend.

General attendees can dress casually. Filmmakers are encouraged to dress to impress for the red carpet and go formal if they'd like.

Yes. Gardena Cinema concessions will be open throughout the festival with popcorn, drinks, candy, and more.

Yes! Food trucks will be available throughout the weekend and are open to everyone, including people who are not attending the festival.

Not this year. 2026 Night Frights LA merchandise is available online only. There will not be an on-site merch booth.

It's simple: ticket holders will scan the Audience Choice QR code inside the front cover of the festival program and vote for their favorite film of the day. Once the daily results are tallied, the Night Frights LA jury will select the final Audience Choice winner from the three daily winners.

Ticket holders only. You must have festival access to participate in Audience Choice voting.

Voting closes directly after the final feature of Sunday, NIGHT TERRORS. The Awards Ceremony begins approximately 45 minutes later.

The 2026 awards are:

• Best Short Film
• Best Feature Film
• Best Student Film
• Most Disturbing Film
• Most Original Film
• Best Director
• Best Performance
• Best Sound Design
• Best Cinematography
• Audience Choice

Yes. Award winners are selected by the Night Frights LA jury regardless of whether the filmmaker is present at the festival.