VERNAL, Utah — V6 Media is proud to announce the finalists of their inaugural Short Film Challenge, part of this year’s Frightful Family Film Fest. Ten short films were selected as finalists across four divisions (Adult, High School, Middle School, and Elementary School & Younger) from submissions by filmmakers across the region.
The Short Film Challenge invited participants of all ages to create original short films centered on spooky, fun, mystery, playful suspense, and imaginative storytelling. Entries were judged on creativity, originality, storytelling quality, effort, overall presentation, and fit with the festival.
This year’s finalists are:
Adult Division
- “Dr. Jack Uhl and Mr. Hittenhide” by Patrick Benedict
- “Fox” by Cody Jaron Navarro
- “The Peephunter” by Michael Stone
- “Seeing Red” by Casey De Luca
Middle School Division
- “The Fourth Hiker” by Kinley Betts
- “Magical Face” by Milo Lincoln Dunbar
- “What Was That?!?” by The Pierce Family
Elementary School & Younger Division
- “The Alley” by Nolan Sullivan
- “Camp Story” by Gabriella Solomon
- “The Scary Mario Adventure” by Dayson-Kaitlyn Hemphill-Allred
The Short Film Challenge’s High School Division received no eligible submissions in this inaugural year.
Select finalist films will screen in person at the Frightful Family Film Fest on October 10, 2026, alongside the announcement of each division’s winners. The complete slate of finalists is available for viewing at v6.media/short-film-challenge.
“Every one of these films brought something different to the table…mystery, humor, heart… and that range is exactly what the Short Film Challenge is about,” said Coby Coonradt, V6 Media’s Creative Team Supervisor. “We’re excited for the community to see what these filmmakers, from our youngest entrants to our adult divisions, were able to create.”
“The Short Film Challenge is exactly the kind of addition we wanted for the Frightful Family film Fest,” said Dale Allred, V6 Media’s Video Supervisor. “Seeing this many filmmakers, from kids to adults, take on something spooky and fun is a great sign for where the festival is headed.”
Winners in each division will be announced at the Frightful Family Film Fest on Saturday, October 10, 2026. For more information about the Short Film Challenge, including rules, divisions, and updates on the festival screening, visit v6.media/short-film-challenge.
To learn more about the Frightful Family Film Fest, visit v6.media/frightful.