Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival 2026 - Preview

PHILADELPHIA UNNAMED FILM FESTIVAL 2026
The Festival’s 11th Year Celebrates Camp in Multiple Ways!

by "Doc" Hunter Bush
MovieJawn Staff Writer & Podcast Director, cohost of the Hate Watch/Great Watch Podcast

Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival runs from Aug 25th - Aug 30th at Theatre Exile in Philadelphia. Get your tickets HERE.

The Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival celebrates their 11th year at the end of August, which, frankly, kicks ass. PUFF was founded as a film festival that defied easy genre definitions. Like a cinematic junk drawer (complimentary), PUFF was a catch-all for any films that were worth checking out but ran the risk of flying under the radar, regardless of how they might be categorized. The fact that the fest has been going for over a decade is a truly monumental achievement. Just ask anyone who does anything.

This year's shenanigans kick off on Tuesday August 25th with the now traditional filmmaker meet-up: professionals from the local (and relatively local) film scene, networking and building community. It's free, and if you're "in the biz" (as nobody worth knowing says) it seems like a great way to make some friends, some connections and maybe finally get that project off the ground. The actual screenings kick off on Wednesday night and run through Sunday, with feature-length flicks and multiple blocks of short films! This year also features Camp Puff on Thursday the 27th, an evening of screenings with a summer camp vibe! Appropriate attire is encouraged.

Below, I’ve compiled a round-up of some of the films on offer, and one of the short film blocks that I’m most looking forward to checking out! 

CAIN CAME HOME
Directed by Brett Glassberg
Written by Brett Glassberg
Acquire tickets HERE

Described as "a surreal, time-bending ghost story about estranged twin brothers", Cain Came Home looks very interesting. The repeated use of the phrase "...ghosts in this house...", the obscure camera angles, and the black and white cinematography lend the trailer a perplexing tone that I find really appealing. Apparently, the plot involves a man played by writer / director Brett Glassberg, and also named Brett, who is moving back into his childhood home. I'm guessing that the ghosts are maybe both of the phantasmal AND emotional varieties, or maybe, both? Find out when this screens on Wednesday, August 26th.

FRIDAY THE 69TH
Directed by Alex Montilla
Written by Alex Montilla
Acquire tickets HERE 

I love the Friday the 13th films, and the summer camp horror subgenre as a whole. I also like pornography (I watch it for the articles!) and I especially like the idea of a horror parody that combines these two things. Set in 1981, Friday the 69th finds a porn production trying to cash in on the slasher craze by filming their usual erotic fare at a summer camp with a tragic backstory and being menaced by a killer beekeeper. Will this be something akin to Wet Hot American Summer, but with a lot more over-the-top, '80s-style teen murder? Find out at Camp Puff on Thursday, August 27th! 

THE BARN PART III
Directed by Justin M. Seaman
Written by Zane Hershberger, Justin M. Seaman
Acquire tickets HERE

I have a confession to make: I haven't checked out either of the previous Barn films, though they HAVE been on my to-watch list for quite a while now. Beginning in 2016 with the original The Barn, some unwitting teens seem to have unleashed three evil beings (a pumpkin head, a scarecrow, and an undead miner ?) that have apparently been semi-persistent problems for them as well as the nearby town. The Barn Part III seems to take place years after the initial unlashing, with the surviving crew worried that the beings will return yet again. Perhaps join me in double featuring the first two Barn installments in time to experience Part III on Friday, August 28th!

SUGAR ROT
Directed by Becca Kozak
Written by Becca Kozak
Acquire tickets HERE 

This one seems w-i-l-d! After surviving an assault by a sinister ice cream man, Candy (Chloë MacLeod) finds herself impregnated with a supernatural monster baby, and finds her body slowly transforming into ice cream! This transformation also seems to make her irresistible to other people, as the trailer showcases several people involved in semi-sexual scenarios devouring Candy because they love the sweet taste! I'm expecting to be left feeling uncomfortable, craving a sweet snack, and rocking out to the punk soundtrack when this plays on Saturday, August 29th.

LOCAL SHORTS BLOCK
Acquire tickets HERE

PUFF 11 boasts over 70 titles, which sounds impossible if you're not aware of one very important fact: PUFF's got love for the shorties! With five discrete blocks of short film programming spread across the fest, as well as one block of music videos, you're certain to find something right up your alley. Everybody loves the Horror Shorts Block (which plays on Saturday evening), and that one is always a barnburner, but my hometown pride makes the Local Shorts Block my personal recommendation. Drop by at noon on Sunday, August 30th and take in the assortment of short films from local filmmakers!