The Halloween film festival returns to the outdoor screen at Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills on Saturday, Oct. 31, beginning at 7 p.m. The 21-and-over event features a catered costume party and independent films. It is entering its third year, and organizers say last year's festival sold out, according to the event listing.
From a Monster Movie Premiere to an Annual Tradition
The San Diego Halloween Film Festival is produced by Noble House Media and Good Vibe Cinema, according to filmfreeway.com, and features independent films from local and national filmmakers, as reported by KPBS. The night combines a catered costume party, refreshments and film screenings, according to the same listing.
The festival traces back to Oct. 31, 2023, when filmmakers Vic Terry and Cassidy Bartolomei threw a premiere party for their film “FRANKIE” at the same outdoor theater, according to Good Vibe Cinema. That night turned into something bigger: the site describes the San Diego Halloween Film Festival as “an annual event founded to give other artists that same opportunity to shine,” per Good Vibe Cinema. Terry and Bartolomei are credited as co-founders of the festival, which is produced by Noble House Media and Good Vibe Cinema, according to sandiegoville.com.
Screenings, Costumes and a Midnight After-Party
At the 2025 festival, the schedule included a catered cocktail hour and photobooth before screenings began at 8:30 p.m., according to ticketstripe.com. The schedule also listed a costume party, live music and what organizers describe only as “surprise apparitions” for 10 p.m. The night wrapped with a midnight after-party at CJ's Lounge, per ticketstripe.com.
Organizers accept submissions in any genre but give priority to films with some Halloween element in order to keep the program cohesive, according to filmfreeway.com. There's no hard runtime cap, though the festival says it prefers submissions under 10 minutes so it can showcase a wider variety of work, per the same source. Films must be submitted digitally, and any selected filmmaker is required to provide a downloadable copy along with receiving two complimentary tickets to the event, filmfreeway.com notes.
A Third Year of Halloween at the Outdoor Screen
Cinema Under the Stars itself is an outdoor movie theater in Mission Hills, according to KPBS. The venue sits directly behind Tops Salon, per the KPBS listing, and the San Diego Reader similarly describes it as “an outdoor cinema located in Mission Hills behind Tops Salon, featuring classic and contemporary films on the weekends.” The theater features a 20-foot screen with HD projection and THX surround sound, along with open-air seating that includes recliners, loveseat cabanas and deck chairs, per KPBS.
Beyond festival night, the theater's regular box office opens at 6 p.m. on movie nights, with reservations opening at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays, according to KPBS. General concessions include popcorn, candy, and hot or cold beverages priced at $2 each. Standard admission runs $17 for members, $18 for general admission and $20 for online reservations, though the theater accepts only cash or check at the door, per the same listing. Parking includes a paid lot next door, with free neighborhood street parking available after 6 p.m.
Last year's edition, held Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, was described by organizers as the festival's third year celebrating Halloween at Cinema Under the Stars and its second year operating as the official San Diego Halloween Film Fest, according to sandiegoville.com. The 2025 festival featured local and national filmmakers, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
