The 2024 edition of Brooklyn Horror Film Festival wrapped up with a bang yesterday, and the well-deserving jury and audience awards have been announced.
Opening with Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy Dead Mail and closing with James Ashcroft's The Rule of Jenny Pen, the ninth edition of the New York fest saw several world premieres, including Izzy Lee's feature film debut House of Ashes, the atmospheric ghost story Lilly Lives Alone, and the queer sci-fi adventure Psychonaut.
Legendary genre filmmaker Larry Fessenden was honored with the Arrow Video-presented Leviathan Award, Brooklyn Horror’s first and only tribute award, which was created in 2023 to honor the luminaries of horror and acknowledge their monstrous contributions to the genre.
Let's dive into the full rundown of winners, and congratulations to all involved:
DARK MATTER JURY AWARDS
Jury members: Edoardo Vitaletti (Filmmaker, The Last Thing Mary Saw) Justin DiPietro (MPI, Executive Vice President), Toby Poser (Filmmaker, Hellbender, Where The Devil Roams)
Best Film – Dead Talents Society
Best Director – Sasha Rainbow, Grafted
Best Performance – Blu Hunt, The Dead Thing
Best Ensemble – Dead Talents Society
Best Screenplay – Jayro Bustamante, Rita
HEAD TRIP JURY AWARDS
Jury members: Jenika McCrayer (Horror Press, writer), Jim Brunzell (Dark Star Pictures, Director of Festivals), Jacqueline Castel (Filmmaker, My Animal)
Best Film – Dead Mail
Best Director – Emma Benestan, Animale
Best Screenplay – Ariella Mastroianni and Ryan J. Sloan, Gazer
Best Actor – Zachary Ray Sherman, Who's Watching
Best Actress – Oulaya Amamra, Animale
Best Ensemble – Dead Mail
SHORTS COMPETITION JURY AWARDS
Jury members: Avery Coffey (Unbound and Rewound Horror Podcast, Host & Producer), Nathan Ginter (Filmmaker, THE THIRD EAR), Sophie Carroll (Director of Creative, ALTER & DUST at Gunpowder & Sky)
Best Film – Femme
Best Director – Émile Lavoie, Mean Ends
Best Performances – Sophie Neff and Woody Coyote, Make Me a Pizza
Best Special FX/Makeup – Irene Uncal, Apotemnofilia
Best Screenplay – Grace Rex, The Shadow Wrangler
Best Production Design – Masha Lyass, Lady Parts
Best Editing – Jordan M. Hahn, Beach Logs Kill
Home Invasion Award (sponsored by Cut and Measure, includes a $1,500+ credit for post-production services) – Hammer
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
Gold – Dead Talents Society
Silver – Somnium
Bronze – Bone Lake
