Thrillers are films that can be suspenseful, exciting or downright scary! They keep an audience at the edge of their seats with heart-pounding on-screen surprises, characters shrouded in mystery, or storylines meant to thrill and chill. Whether it’s a horror movie madman or secret spy mission ready to unfold, films in this wide-ranging genre emphasize action, tension and atmosphere to exhilarate viewers and leave them wanting more.
Making a thriller of your own? Check out filmmaking tools, tips, and classroom-ready resources on the Beyond the Peaks festival homepage and in our Storytelling and Filmmaking collection on PBS LearningMedia.
Thriller category requirements:
- Films must have a run time of 5 minutes or less.
- Pre-production materials include a script and storyboard.
- Additional materials include a poster, trailer, synopsis, and cast & crew lists.
Students can submit original films in a variety of additional categories including Documentary, Narrative, 60-Second Challenge, and Open.
Discover Thrillers That Outright Exhilarate
Get inspired to create your own thriller with this selection of high anxiety, edge-of-your-seat short films. Explore exciting plots—from shadowy agents on a secret mission to a hike in the woods gone horribly wrong—there’s lots to discover with thrillers.
Hard Candy | Film School Shorts
“Hard Candy”, an electro-pop, animated noir film by Henry McClellan of RISD, follows two shadowy agents on a mission through the underbelly of Oakland, California. Film School Shorts, brought to you by KQED, is a weekly series that showcases short student films, giving emerging filmmakers around the country a platform to show off their top-notch storytelling.
FACADE | Beyond the Peaks Film Fest 2024
Deep in a patch of woods surrounded by abandoned buildings, two friends, Simon and Cassie, go for a hike. Harmless jokes quickly subside and take a dark turn as masked beings emerge, causing the pair to scramble through the woods in search of a way out. Will they ever be able to see past the deception? Submitted by Northwest Career and Technical Education Center students Brady Shaver, Evelyn Davis, and El King, “FACADE” was a Thriller category nominee in the 2024 Beyond the Peaks Film Festival.
Steadfast Stanley | Film School Shorts
In “Steadfast Stanley”, a short film by John Cody Kim made at CalArts, a faithful dog must journey through the zombie apocalypse to save his best friend. Film School Shorts, brought to you by KQED, is a weekly series that showcases short student films, giving emerging filmmakers around the country a platform to show off their top-notch storytelling.
Enter the “Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival”!
To get started, create a student or teacher account on Launchpad. Explore tutorials, resources, and step-by-step instructions on how to successfully submit your completed film entries!
Documentary | Narrative | Thriller | 60-Second Challenge | Open entry
Submissions are due May 13th with winners announced at an end-of-school year Red Carpet Showcase. The top three winners will receive a cash prize and video supplies!
Sign up for Beyond the Peaks!
Register your account today to get started and receive email updates about the festival.
