The Women in Horror Film Festival is proud to announce the 2018 film & screenplay winners. The full list can also be found on the official WIHFF website at https://www.wihff.com/2018-film-finalists/ and https://www.wihff.com/2018-screenplay-winners-and-finalists/
The fest was proud to screen the WORLD PREMIERE of the feature film anthology BUGS: A TRILOGY directed by SIMONE KISIEL which took home the Lizzie for BEST DIRECTOR FEATURE FILM and is currently available on AMAZON PRIME. Also screened was the EAST COAST PREMIERE of the feature film ECHOES OF FEAR which took home the lizzie for BEST FEATURE FILM, directed by Laurence & Brian Avenet-Bradley.
Over 70 short films screened throughout the weekend in addition to a live read of the short screenplay finalists and feature screenplay finalists received a one-on-one with Hollywood horror producer MARIANNE MADDALENA. The fest showcased a panel on DIVERSITY & VISIBILITY featuring the incomparable TRINA PARKS, best selling horror author MYLO CARBIA, iHorror contributing writer WAYLON JORDAN, SFX artist STACY PALMER, actor & director BRIAN ASHTON SMITH and writer/producer/director/actor MELISSA KUNNAP. Another featured panel was FROM INDIE TO STUDIO: MAKING THE LEAP, with panelists Marianne Maddalena, THE WALKING DEAD prop master GILLIAN ALBINSKI and director of photography MARK SIMON.
There were several special awards given to members of the film community. TORI DANIELLE ROMERO of POPHORROR.COM and WAYLON JORDAN of iHorror were both honored for their continuous support of the horror community through journalism. Another special award was the HORROR VANGUARD LIZZIE which was presented to legendary horror producer MARIANNE MADDALENA. The 2018 Women in Horror Film Festival winners were as follows:
BEST FEATURE SCREENPLAY – Throwback by Rachel Wooley
FEATURE SCREENPLAY 1ST RUNNER UP – Single Family Home by Tara C. Hall & Bel Delia
FEATURE SCREENPLAY 2ND RUNNER UP – The Night Before the Exhibition by Kirston Fortune
HONORABLE MENTION – The Caul by Sophia Cacciola & Michael J. Epstein
BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY – Pretenders by Anna Eichenauer
SHORT SCREENPLAY 1st RUNNER UP – Wild by Kenesha Williams
SHORT SCREENPLAY HONORABLE MENTION – Boo by Rakefet Abergel
BEST HORROR COMEDY SHORT – Bitten directed by Sarah K. Reimers
BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR SHORT – Blood Runs Down directed by Zandashé Brown
BEST STUDENT SHORT – Instinct directed by Maria Arida
BEST ANIMATION SHORT – Count Your Curses directed by Loréne Yavo
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT – The Whistler directed by Jennifer Nicole Stang
BEST REGIONAL SHORT – Feast directed by Mellissa Kunnap
BEST HORROR SHORT – Keep the Gaslight Burning directed by Lou & Dave Elsey
BEST THRILLER SHORT – The After Party directed by Colin Costello
BEST SCI-FI SHORT – Girl in the Galactic Sun directed by Heather Perluzzo
BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT – Quiver directed by Shayna Connelly
BEST BODY HORROR SHORT – Entropia directed by Marinah Janello
BEST FEATURE FILM – Echoes of Fear directed by Laurence & Brian Avenet-Bradley
BEST DIRECTOR FEATURE – Simon Kisiel for BUGS: A Trilogy
BEST DIRECTOR SHORT – Emily Dean for Andromeda
INDIE SPIRIT AWARD – Z-Stuy directed by Devan Gallagher
SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS NARRATIVE – Lady Hunters directed by Angela Atwood
BEST SCORE – What Metal Girls are Into composed by Catherine Capozzi
BEST EDITING – Rites of Vengeance edited by Jarret Blinkhorn
BEST FX – Devórame special makeup effects by Roberto Ortiz
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Hinterland cinematography by Nicole Lehrman
BEST WRITING – Lady Hunters written by Angela Atwood
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – The Daughters of Virtue production design by Dani Manning
NIGHTMARES FILM FESTIVAL #BetterHorror AWARD – The Stare directed by Louisa Weichmann
AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL NARRATIVE DRIVE AWARD – Heartless directed by Kevin Sluder
BEST PERFORMANCE – Donna Pieroni for Lunch Ladies
BEST TRAILER – Dusso directed by Jenna Kanell
AUDIENCE CHOICE – Lunch Ladies – a Clarissa Jacobson Production
“Where do I even begin. WIHFF is truly special, it’s a phenomenal festival in every single capacity. The programming is fantastic, unique, and diverse; every single film I saw was seriously excellent and represented so many different perspectives. The entire event is so well organized; Sam and Vanessa have really thought of everything (great communication, attendance, press coverage, filmmaker Q&As and interviews, panels, awards, and super on theme parties). They’ve put so much into creating a true celebration of women in horror.” -Devan Gallagher winner of the INDIE SPIRIT award.
The Women in Horror Film Festival is a TOP 100 reviewed festival on Film Freeway and is currently open for submissions for 2019! For more information on the fest and how to get involved, please visit us online at www.WIHFF.com or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WIHFF), Twitter @WIHFF and Instagram @womeninhorrorfilmfestival.
