Honestly, found footage has got to be one of the most compelling horror film sub-genres out there.

There’s something uniquely immersive about experiencing a story through the eyes of an ordinary person holding a camera, and you're right there with them. The shaky, handheld footage and raw, unpolished cinematography make you feel like you’re genuinely part of the story, living through the terror firsthand. The characters don’t have the luxury of knowing they’re in a scripted movie, so the tension builds through what’s implied or heard, rather than what’s directly shown. This makes the fear feel more psychological and unsettling, lingering well after the film ends. After all, you can’t create what you don’t know — and sometimes, the scariest films come from what has already happened...

In 1999, what's now considered the founding father of found footage horror, The Blair Witch Project, was released and became a cultural phenomenon. Before the film hit theatres, a 45-minute mockumentary titled The Curse of the Blair Witch was launched as part of the marketing campaign. It blurred the lines between fiction and reality so effectively that people genuinely believed the characters –Josh, Mike, and Heather – were real. With 'interviews' from their families about the incident, and even obituaries being released for the characters, who could blame them?

For me at least, that film is one of the reasons I still refuse to be alone in a dark house or to camp outdoors. After watching it —and Paranormal Activity — I learned that if there's one thing found footage horror teaches us, it’s that these stories almost always end with an open, unresolved conclusion. So, if you're a fan of happy endings or at least closure, this genre might not be for you.

But which films really stand out? Because let’s be honest, while there are some phenomenal ones, there’s a whole heap of mediocre ones out there too. Luckily, you've come to the right place — these films are certified terrifyingly brilliant. They’re the ones that will make you question what’s real and might even give you a new phobia. Consider this your official warning if you do decide to watch them, because we tried to give a heads-up.

So, below you'll find our top ten found footage horror films — tried, tested, terrifying, and officially cinephile-approved.

1. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

The crew of a horror web series travel to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast. As I'm sure you can imagine, this doesn't go well. As they continue to investigate the building throughout the film, they encounter some terrifying moments on live stream.

2. The Blair Witch Project

A classic. Three student filmmakers head in to the woods to shoot a documentary when they encounter something almost paranormal and witch like. A year later their footage gets found.

3. Afflicted

In this film two friends trip to Europe takes a turn when ones of them gets sick with a mysterious illness. It's a fast-paced movie where time is against them, and they have to find a cure before it is too late.

4. Creep

The title explains it all. Looking for work, the character Aaron comes across an online ad to assist a man called Josef in filming something. He drivesto a discrete place in the mountains where they meet, but what starts as heartfelt soon takes a very twisted turn.

5. Leaving D.C.

After twenty years living in D.C, Mark is looking for something more suburban, so he relocates to West Virginia. On his drive down he creates video diaries to his friend to document the trip... only to realise that on this lonely trip, he might not be so alone.

6. Host

A more modern medium, this film is based on Zoom. Six friends hire a medium to hold a seance during lockdown where, as you can expect, nothing goes to plan when an evil spirit takes over.

7. Unfriended 

Another found footage film set online, except this time on an older platform: Skype. An innocent call between friends catching up turns not so innocent when they receive a message from a classmate who passed away exactly one year ago.

8. The Visit

A brother and sister are sent to their grandparents' house for a week when they start to notice they're acting not themselves. They later discover the elderly couple are up to some disturbing activities.

9. Lake Mungo

When a young girl passes away, her family begin experiencing some strange and inexplicable events at their home, leading them to finding out their daughter led a secret life all along.

10. Banned from Broadcast: The Movie – Saiko! The large family

Quite a terrifying, yet an incredibly executed film. A Canadian filmmaker who makes documentaries around the world follows a family in Japan. Although they seem normal, the family has many problems that reveal themselves before too long.