This year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival will wrap its eighth edition later this week, but today FANGORIA can exclusively reveal the jury award winners from this year’s lineup. The competition was fierce and the movies damn near melted off our faces, but somehow the hand-picked juries were able to narrow the competing films down to a series of winners.
Says the press release:
“The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival which continues its 8th edition until this Thursday the 19th at Nitehawk Cinema announced today its jury award winners. This year’s edition saw record attendance with an overwhelming majority of sold out screenings along with giving the first-ever Leviathan Award to NYC filmmaking legend William Lustig after the screening of Lustig’s MANIAC COP last night.
Further highlights of the festival include the world premieres of CANNIBAL MUKBANG, BREATHING IN, THE SHADE and the opening night film KILL YOUR LOVER. In addition, Brooklyn Horror also welcomed Larry Fessenden, whose new film BLACKOUT also screened, as a guest on a live version of the Certified Forgotten Podcast. The Flushing Remonstrance live score of A PAGE OF MADNESS, Final Exam Horror Trivia and the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies round out an exciting slate of live events.
This year’s BHFF Dark Matter features jury was composed of Casey Baron, programmer for Tribeca Film Festival, curator Ron Magliozzi for the Department of Film at The Museum of Modern Art, and Kate McEdwards, the co-founder and publicist at Trackshot.”
The jury awarded the following distinctions in the Dark Matter Competition:
- Best Film – Property
- Best Director – Amanda Nell Eu, Tiger Stripes
- Best Performances – Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay, Femme
- Best Effects – Stopmotion
Says Daniel Bandeira, director of Property:
“Property is a story about division and incommunicability – an unfortunate trend of our times. But it also has been establishing connections with audiences that deal with their own rifts. Genre cinema is a great way to make those bridges. After all, the fear that divides us can also be the fear that gets us together. On behalf of Kika Latache, producer of Property, and my crew and cast, I would like to thank the organization, jury and staff of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival for the award and the attention given to our film. Good night and remember: no matter what happens, always, ALWAYS do the right thing. Peace.”
Elsewhere, the Head Trip jury was composed of Claire Donner, Director of the Online branch of the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, Terence Krey, NY-based genre writer/director, and Asha Phelps, Director of Administration & Films at IFC Center. The jury recognized the following:
- Best Film – Red Rooms
- Best Director – Stéphan Castang, Vincent Must Die
- Best Performance – Juliette Gariépy, Red Rooms
- Best Ensemble – Crumb Catcher
- Best Effects – Kill Your Lover
Said Pascal Plante, director of Red Rooms:
“What an astounding (and surprising!) way to kickstart Red Room‘s presence in the US! I am especially thrilled and humbled by this award considering how strong this year’s Brooklyn Horror Fest line-up is. There are so many great, boundary-pushing genre films these days – can we even talk about a golden age? – and I wish to thank the (amazing) jury for seeing something special in our chambres rouges!”
And, finally, the shorts jury was composed of filmmaker Mary Dauterman, entertainment host and podcaster Xero Gravity, and critic/entertainment journalist Daniel Kurland. The jury recognized the following short films:
- Best Short Film – The Third Ear
- Best Director – Joshua Guiliano, Tiny Thing
- Best Performance – Tiffany Trainer, Florence in Customer Care
- Best Ensemble – Murder Camp
- Best Cinematography – Leo Zhang, Red Gloves
- Best Editing – Stephen Boyer, Oddities
- Best Effects – Mosquito Lady
- Special Jury Mention – Meadowville
Said Nathan Ginter, director of The Third Ear:
“I’m so honored and thrilled to receive this award from Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, especially as a Brooklyn based film! The Third Ear couldn’t have been made without a lot of support, so I’m incredibly grateful to all who’ve given their time, resources, and care to the film. And a huge thank you to the Brooklyn Horror Film Fest team and jury!”
FANGORIA salutes every filmmaker and film that took home a prize this year! Congratulations on another great year for the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, which will return for its 9th (!!!) edition in 2024. Keep your eye peeled for further updates on that front as they roll in, and we’ll see ya next year!
