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Sign up for the 2025 48-Hour Horror Film Challenge

Sign up Now The Nickel 48-Hour Horror Film Challenge is our annual challenge to anyone to write, shoot and edit a short film. It's not a contest, it's free to participate, and registration is open until the challenge closes. Films can be any length under 5

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Why are horror movies fun?

The Nickel’s 48-Hour Horror Film Challenge ritual is almost upon us, and while unfortunately I personally can’t offer you much in the way of technical filmmaking advice, I can — armed with some pop psychology and key horror movie ingredients — talk a little about why horror scares us and

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Four rules for writing a five-minute horror film from a person deeply uncomfortable telling you what to do.

So you’ve been struck by the urge to write, shoot, and edit a 5-minute horror film in just one weekend. What an oddly specific urge! Hopefully that means you’re signing up for the 2025 Nickel 48-Hour Horror Challenge. But even if you aren’t here are some writing

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SEPT 27 WORKSHOP: Making Sounds and Music for Horror 🎧🔪🩸

WHERE? Upstairs at Bannerman Brewing Co. WHEN? Saturday, September 27 TWO SESSIONS 12:30-2:30pm FOLEY w/ Hilary Thomson 3:00-6:00pm MUSIC & ATMOSPHERE w/ Adam Foran No registration necessary! A drop-in activity, free and open to all. Our annual Nickel 48-Hour Horror Film Challenge is happening Oct 3-5!

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2025 Press Release: The Nickel Turns 25

Nickel Independent Film Festival celebrates 25 years of independent filmmaking in Newfoundland and Labrador

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Flashback to 2004

The Nickel kept growing!

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2003 Nickel Program

We're hosting our 25th festival June 16-22 at the LSPU Hall in St. John's, so we're taking the opportunity to look back. Let's rewind to 2003! Lots more great films in the Nickel's third edition, including the short Evelyn: The

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2002 Nickel printed program

To celebrate the Nickel's 25th year were looking back at stuff from past festivals because, dammit, it's fun to get a little wistful sometimes. Continuing on with festival programs, here's one — in colour! — from the second edition in 2002. Roger Maunder and friends pulled

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DIY SCI-FI — June 6-15

The legendary DIY SCI-FI returns! A free, open-to-all challenge to create a sci-fi short in nine days. SIGN UP TODAY STARTS: Friday, June 6, 6pm DEADLINE: Sunday, June 15, 6pm SCREENING @ LSPU HALL: Sunday, June 22, 6:30pm Each film submitted will receive two free passes to our festival from

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Flip through the very first Nickel festival program

So we're celebrating 25 years of the Nickel this year, and what good is an anniversary if not for rummaging through boxes and looking at old stuff?? Starting off at the beginning here is a scan of the very first festival program from 2001 with a Post-It on

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Festival Passes now available

We'll be announcing details about our schedule in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! In the meantime, our festival pass will be the most affordable way to get access to all of this year's 13 screenings. Limited quantities available! Pick yours up today at the LSPU