2023 Award Winners
A season archive of official category winners, special awards, and honorable mentions.
2023 Season
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Category
Winner: Best Thriller Film 1st Place
Best Thriller Film
Director: Sergiy Pudich
Strange things happened in the pole dance gym after the trainer caught a peeper behind the door...
Winner: Best Thriller Film 2nd Place
Best Thriller Film
Director: Piero Cannata
A villa on the hills, murky desires, the past that doesn't die. The visit begins.
Winner: Best Thriller Film 3rd Place
Best Thriller Film
Director: Jack H. Wood
History stops repeating itself when a young woman finds a more permanent solution to breaking free of her toxic relationships.
Category
Winner: Best Feature Film 1st Place
Best Feature Film
Director: Lisa Ovies
While celebrating Christmas at a cabin in the woods, a group of high school students are stalked by a psychotic killer obsessed with horror movie icons.
Winner: Best Feature Film 2nd Place
Best Feature Film
Director: Michael Sarrow
With only a few months to live, a desperate man kidnaps a successful advertising director and makes one demand: Create an online campaign to pay for treatment… or share his fate.
Winner: Best Feature Film 3rd Place
Best Feature Film
Director: Kelly Schwarze
Struggling with the lingering scars of war, an army veteran is plagued by dark visions of the future when he and his wife move into their new home.
Category
Winner: Best Feature Film Script 1st Place
Best Feature Film Script
Writers: Guillermo Ortiz, Geena Karsama
Two women on the fringes of 1950's American society collide in an inconspicuous Avon home visit where everything but the purchasing of lipstick occurs.
Winner: Best Feature Film Script 2nd Place
Best Feature Film Script
Writer: Lisa Ovies
A woman goes to the mountains for the weekend in an attempt to reconnect with her past and finally lay her demons to rest.
Winner: Best Feature Film Script 3rd Place
Best Feature Film Script
Writer: Michael Dixon
In a disenfranchised town, a drifting school boy stumbles upon his late father's music, sending him on a journey of self-discovery. With the belief that the future remains unwritten, he sets out to prove to himself and his community that there is hope to be found in the melodies of the past.
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Winner: Best Score 1st Place
Best Score
Director: Alexandre Delol
Nathan and his little brother Sam try to survive in a world where both the infected and other humans become formidable adversaries...
Winner: Best Score 2nd Place
Best Score
Director: Penn Pauletich
A prisoner finds a new and dangerous way to spark joy in his otherwise mundane life.
Winner: Best Score 3rd Place
Best Score
Directors: rolandbecerra, Kelly Bigelow Becerra
The film follows “The Professor”, a man suffering from a terminal disease, who by a twist of fate, witnesses an incredible event involving his mysterious neighbor Agatha. Hoping to find a cure to his sickness - he agrees to follow her on a strange and risky journey into a forgotten but not entirely deserted urban wasteland. AGATHA is designed to evoke an unsettling mood and to leave many unanswered questions about the events taking place within the story. The passing of time and the disintegration of nature, institutions, and people all set the tone for a story.
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Winner: Best Concept 1st Place
Best Concept
Director: Gavin T Briggs
A couple's romantic Christmas getaway that goes horribly wrong when it's time for presents.
Winner: Best Concept 2nd Place
Best Concept
Directors: rolandbecerra, Kelly Bigelow Becerra
The film follows “The Professor”, a man suffering from a terminal disease, who by a twist of fate, witnesses an incredible event involving his mysterious neighbor Agatha. Hoping to find a cure to his sickness - he agrees to follow her on a strange and risky journey into a forgotten but not entirely deserted urban wasteland. AGATHA is designed to evoke an unsettling mood and to leave many unanswered questions about the events taking place within the story. The passing of time and the disintegration of nature, institutions, and people all set the tone for a story.
Read More
Winner: Best Concept 3rd Place
Best Concept
Directors: Herb Cremer, Joe Cremer
A group of children decide to play a game of hide and seek to alleviate their boredom but nothing could prepare them for the outcome of this twisted game.
Category
Winner: Best Dark Comedy 1st Place
Best Dark Comedy
Director: Gavin T Briggs
A couple's romantic Christmas getaway that goes horribly wrong when it's time for presents.
Winner: Best Dark Comedy 2nd Place
Best Dark Comedy
Director: Mikko Löppönen
Interpol agent from Japan visits Finland to catch a small time criminal but all hell breaks loose as a sword wielding demon from the spirit world tries to open portal to another world. Now she has to team up with the criminal to save the world. The short explores themes of redemption and the power of friendship. And the power of kicking ass!
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Winner: Best Dark Comedy 3rd Place
Best Dark Comedy
Director: Radomir Jordanovic
In this experimental hybrid of comedy and thriller, three friends find themselves stumbling around in the dark, searching for a light switch. As they fumble and bumble through their surroundings, tensions rise and unexpected twists unfold, creating a gripping and hilarious tale of suspense.
Read MoreCategory
Winner: Best Short Film Script 1st Place
Best Short Film Script
Writer: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
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Winner: Best Short Film Script 2nd Place
Best Short Film Script
Writer: Dante Lundin
A broke comic shop owner and an obsessive collector fight over a rare issue one comic book.
Winner: Best Short Film Script 3rd Place
Best Short Film Script
Writer: JP Bradham
Tammy discovers one night that her shopping addiction might become the death of her.
Category
Winner: Best Dark Humanity 1st Place
Best Dark Humanity
Director: Dante Lundin
A broke comic shop owner and an obsessive collector fight over a rare issue one comic book.
Winner: Best Dark Humanity 3rd Place
Best Dark Humanity
Director: Clinton Cornwell
True crime super-fan, Will Wesley, has seen it all, but tonight a face in the dark may outsmart him.
Category
Winner: Best Noir Film 2nd Place
Best Noir Film
Director: Piotr Matyja
After waking up in the forest with no recollection, a young man seeks to find out what happened only to discover an uncomfortable truth about himself.
Winner: Best Noir Film 3rd Place
Best Noir Film
Directors: Brent Ramos, Vivian Hong
In a dark and gritty adaptation of San Francisco, a man is murdered in an alleyway by a mysterious menacing killer who wears red leather gloves. Detectives, Tony Albarado and Jean Smith, are assigned by Chief Lewis to look further into this mysterious murder and gather evidence, attempting to solve the case, “The Crimson Case.”
Read MoreCategory
Winner: Best Short Film 1st Place
Best Short Film
Director: Mikko Löppönen
Interpol agent from Japan visits Finland to catch a small time criminal but all hell breaks loose as a sword wielding demon from the spirit world tries to open portal to another world. Now she has to team up with the criminal to save the world. The short explores themes of redemption and the power of friendship. And the power of kicking ass!
Read More
Winner: Best Short Film 2nd Place
Best Short Film
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read More
Winner: Best Short Film 3rd Place
Best Short Film
Director: Penn Pauletich
A prisoner finds a new and dangerous way to spark joy in his otherwise mundane life.
Category
Winner: Best Horror Film 1st Place
Best Horror Film
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read More
Winner: Best Horror Film 2nd Place
Best Horror Film
Director: Sean Cruser
A pregnant woman and her husband spend Christmas Eve in a secluded cabin with the hope of reconnecting with her estranged sister. But when a masked snowman begins terrorizing them, the family must fight tooth and nail to make it to morning. Not everything is as it seems in this holiday horror short. Jingle Hell stars Poonam Basu (Parks and Recreation, Genshin Impact), Shalini Bathina (How I Met Your Father, Long Slow Exhale), Murphy Martin (The Book of Boba Fett, Pam and Tommy), and the legendary Keith Szarabajka (The Dark Knight, Transformers, Argo) as the mysterious Randall.
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Winner: Best Horror Film 3rd Place
Best Horror Film
Director: Vincent Tang
A terminally ill father struggling with leaving his daughter puts his family in danger when he is tricked by a mirror image of himself that offers the false promise of a cure.
Category
Winner: Jury Award
Jury Award
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read MoreCategory
Winner: Best Director 1st Place
Best Director
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read More
Winner: Best Director 2nd Place
Best Director
Director: Piero Cannata
A villa on the hills, murky desires, the past that doesn't die. The visit begins.
Winner: Best Director 3rd Place
Best Director
Director: Sean Cruser
A pregnant woman and her husband spend Christmas Eve in a secluded cabin with the hope of reconnecting with her estranged sister. But when a masked snowman begins terrorizing them, the family must fight tooth and nail to make it to morning. Not everything is as it seems in this holiday horror short. Jingle Hell stars Poonam Basu (Parks and Recreation, Genshin Impact), Shalini Bathina (How I Met Your Father, Long Slow Exhale), Murphy Martin (The Book of Boba Fett, Pam and Tommy), and the legendary Keith Szarabajka (The Dark Knight, Transformers, Argo) as the mysterious Randall.
Read MoreCategory
Winner: Best Editing 1st Place
Best Editing
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read More
Winner: Best Editing 2nd Place
Best Editing
Director: Mikko Löppönen
Interpol agent from Japan visits Finland to catch a small time criminal but all hell breaks loose as a sword wielding demon from the spirit world tries to open portal to another world. Now she has to team up with the criminal to save the world. The short explores themes of redemption and the power of friendship. And the power of kicking ass!
Read More
Winner: Best Editing 3rd Place
Best Editing
Director: Piero Cannata
A villa on the hills, murky desires, the past that doesn't die. The visit begins.
Category
Winner: Best Cinematography 1st Place
Best Cinematography
Director: Mikko Löppönen
Interpol agent from Japan visits Finland to catch a small time criminal but all hell breaks loose as a sword wielding demon from the spirit world tries to open portal to another world. Now she has to team up with the criminal to save the world. The short explores themes of redemption and the power of friendship. And the power of kicking ass!
Read More
Winner: Best Cinematography 2nd Place
Best Cinematography
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read More
Winner: Best Cinematography 3rd Place
Best Cinematography
Director: Parker Viale
After being accused of murdering her boyfriend, Vanessa must try to prove her innocence while a mysterious entity has other plans.
Category
Winner: Best Writer 1st Place
Best Writer
Director: Guillaume Heulard
During a trip to Poland, two young American influencers are sent by their employer to photograph an old uninhabited mansion resembling a haunted house deep in the forest. Inside the mansion, the two young girls are confronted by some very strange phenomena...
Read More
Winner: Best Writer 2nd Place
Best Writer
Director: JP Bradham
Tammy discovers one night that her shopping addiction might become the death of her.
Winner: Best Writer 3rd Place
Best Writer
Director: Piero Cannata
A villa on the hills, murky desires, the past that doesn't die. The visit begins.
Category
Winner: Best Sci-Fi Film 1st Place
Best Sci-Fi Film
Director: Jamin Mears
In a hopeless dystopian future, a determined young girl embarks on a mission to finish her murdered father's life work—a time travel device—in a desperate attempt to travel back and rescue him.
Winner: Best Sci-Fi Film 2nd Place
Best Sci-Fi Film
Director: Michael McCallum
An older artist is affected by a strange light at his studio that drives him to do dark things.
Winner: Best Sci-Fi Film 3rd Place
Best Sci-Fi Film
Director: Alec Douglas
Set in the near future, a young man joins a team of criminals to rob a bank so he can reunite with the love of his life on a wealthy colonized station on the moon.
Category
Winner: Best Dark Humaniy 2nd Place
Best Dark Humaniy
Director: JP Bradham
Tammy discovers one night that her shopping addiction might become the death of her.
Category
Winner: Merit of Achievement Award
Merit of Achievement Award
Director: Mattea Marie Conforti
This film examines the vulnerability of deviant human conduct, leaving the viewer rooting for perverse behavior.
Category
Winner: Creativity Award
Creativity Award
Director: Michael McCallum
An older artist is affected by a strange light at his studio that drives him to do dark things.
Category
Winner: Best Actor 1st Place: Lawrence Steven Smilgys
Best Actor
Director: David Llauger Meiselman
Dr. Larry Levin, a convicted serial killer is brought to a black ops rendition site where he is to be "interviewed" by two government agents for his past crimes only to realize that some chupacabras have come to join them.
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Winner: Best Actor 2nd Place: David Alvarado
Best Actor
Director: Penn Pauletich
A prisoner finds a new and dangerous way to spark joy in his otherwise mundane life.
Winner: Best Actor 3rd Place: Daniele Marotta and Maria Luce Bondi
Best Actor
Director: Piero Cannata
A villa on the hills, murky desires, the past that doesn't die. The visit begins.
