The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (PJIFF) has announced its 2025 lineup which features a solid roster of horror goodness. Running from April 9 to April 16, 2024, in Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista, California, PJIFF’s program spans 38 countries, featuring feature-length films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, and panels that highlight a range of global voices.
Key selections include Lone Star Three, a documentary directed by Karen Stirgwolt that shares the stories of three University of Texas students who challenged social norms in 1969. Tessa Blake (known for American Horror Story) directs Boundary Waters, while Under the Influencer showcases performers Lauren Neal, Joy Sunday, and Erin Matthews. Other standouts include Treading Water, The Paper Bag Plan, and Robert Shields: My Life As a Robot.
Festival Director Mattie Scariot emphasizes the inclusive and transformative power of film. Audiences can also enjoy “México y Tú,” a day devoted to Latinx filmmaking, culminating in a showcase honoring El Teatro Campesino and an Icon Award for sculptor Ignacio Gomez. Another major highlight is Ed Begley Jr. receiving an Icon Award for his significant contributions to entertainment.
Tickets and passes are now on sale through PJIFF’s official website, offering attendees the chance to experience a diverse array of creative storytelling in California’s South Bay.
Full Horror Lineup Here
- “Princeton’s in the Mix” (Dir. Jonathan DiMaio) – When a wealthy mother discovers her son can get extra SAT time if he’s injured, a seemingly innocent scheme spirals into chaos.
- “Rare Medium” (Dir. Emily Maya Mills) – A séance gone wrong, murderous cannibals, and a psychological thrill ride unfold in this bloodless horror-comedy. Official selections at multiple major festivals.
- “Bedlamer” (Dir. Alexa Jane Jerrett) – In a remote fishing village, men attempt to tame otherworldly creatures, with terrifying consequences.
- “Yule” (Dir. Michèle Kaye) – A personal horror-drama exploring how a childhood act of kindness shaped a life.
- “Live, Laugh, Love” (Dir. Aaron Cassara) – A marriage on the brink, infidelity, and a mysterious visitor who embodies all their unresolved demons.
- “Rot” (Dir. Almendra Emilia Kovač Akel) – Azul’s journey to her distant family’s farm reveals the haunting origins of her recurring nightmares.
- “Metamorphypus” (Dir. Joseph Carney) – A disgraced writer, dropped from a festival for controversial remarks, begins to morph into something ancient.
- “The Itch” (Dir. Gordon Phillips) – A man wakes up in a strange apartment, under surveillance, decaying rapidly, and relying on cryptic vaccines to survive.
