The 2025 Renegade Film Festival Announces Its Award Winners

The 2025 Renegade Film Festival concluded with an explosion of inspiration. Two full days of film
screenings crescendoing to an awards ceremony honoring the best in genre filmmaking. First-timers, veterans, world premieres, and final fest screenings culminated at the Strand Theatre celebration of inclusion, community, and cinema.

Day one ended with the 40th anniversary of 1985’s Re-Animator directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton (Renegade’s 2025 Horror Icon recipient). For many attendees, that was their first time seeing the film on the big screen.

Day two brought the most talked about block of the fest, Monstrous Feminine reinforcing the idea that horror is indeed political, timely, and absolutely necessary.

The fest wrapped up with an awards ceremony and the long-standing tradition of a pizza party provided by fest partner Chris Ethridge of Horror Pack.

See the full list of winners below:

• Horror Icon: Barbara Crampton
• Audience Choice: Betty directed by Leticia Buchanan
• Best of the Block Be Kind, Rewind: My Scary Indian Wedding directed by Ramone Menon
• Best of the Block Creature Comforts: I Could Just Die, and That Would be All Right directed by A.K. Espada
• Best of the Block Curiouser & Curiouser: Stay directed by Gene Blair Jr.
• Best of the Block Drawn This Way: Bride of the Snail God directed by Torey Haas
• Best of the Block Mind Fuck: Belly Belly written by Loren Hayes
• Best of the Block Monstrous Feminine: Betty directed by Leticia Buchanan
• Best of the Block Sedagive!: Spermicide directed by Scott Nuñuz-Peterman
• Best of the Block Southern Discomfort: The Many Worlds of George Goodman directed by Gregg Bishop
• Best Cinematography: Sophia Cacciola for House of Ashes
• Best Costume Design: Tia Lui for My Scary Indian Wedding
• Best Editing: Westley Boone for Donor
• Best Feature Director: Izzy Lee for House of Ashes
• Best Feature Film: The Rebrand directed by Kaye Adelaide
• Best Feature Screenplay: Problematic written by Jerry Sampson
• Runner-Up Feature Screenplay: Goodnightmare written by Ian Rowe
• Best Original Score: Danny Elfman and Ego Plum for Bloody Bridget
• Best Performance: Fayna Sanchez for House of Ashes
• Renegade Award: Lisa Ovies
• Best Short Film Director: Virginia Powers Hendry for Gaslighter
• Best Short Film: Spermicide directed by Scott Nuñez-Peterman
• Runner-Up Short Screenplay: The Avon Lady written by Guillermo Ortiz & Geena Karsama
• Best Short Screenplay: M’su Diable written by Erin Day
• Best Sound: David Acord for Honk
• Best Special Makeup FX: Jessica Langdon for Terror by Night
• Best Writing: Good Girls Get Fed written by Kelly Lou Dennis, Kayla Klein & Sarah Rebottaro

Renegade Film Festival is also still raising money through the American Red Cross to help those affected by the 2025 California wildfires. For every $5 donated, your name will be entered to receive the Ultimate Box Set of Re-Animator from Ignite Films, a signed 2025 Renegade Film Festival poster, and some other Renegade goodies. Donations can be made HERE. The winner will be announced live on social media in mid-March.

For more information on the fest, questions, and how to get involved, please visit www.renegadefilmfest.com or on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.

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