By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The competition was fierce this year, and the victors have now been revealed.
The Fantastic Fest team has revealed the winners of its awards at its 2025 edition, currently underway through this Thursday in Austin, TX. In addition to the honored features and shorts, the festival hosted the first edition of Fantastic Pitches, presented by Chroma, in which the winning pitch receives $100,000 in funding for their feature film, global distribution and a world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2026.
“To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we curated a remarkable lineup of feature and short films,” says Annick Mahnert, Director of Programming for Fantastic Fest. “Each year, our jurors face the difficult task of choosing from an extraordinary pool of talent, and this year was no exception. Despite the challenge, their selections reflect the true spirit of Fantastic Fest–a celebration of global cinema and the diverse voices that bring it to life.”
“MAIN COMPETITION” FEATURES
Jurors: Mercedes Bryce Morgan, Fred Durst, Patton Oswalt
Best Picture: THE PLAGUE (pictured), directed by Charlie Polinger
Best Director: Bartosz M. Kowalski, 13 DAYS TILL SUMMER
Special Mention: DECORADO, directed by Alberto Vázquez
“NEXT WAVE” FEATURES
Jurors: Aaron Schimberg, Otessa Moshfegh, Lars Knudsen
Best Picture: CAMP, directed by Avalon Fast
Best Director: Paolo Strippoli, THE HOLY BOY
Special Mention: LUGER, directed by Bruno Martín
“HORROR” FEATURES
Jurors: Jose Cañas, Mònica García Massagué, Brandon Hill
Best Picture: THE VILE, directed by Majid Al Ansari
Best Director: Martín Mauregui, CRAZY OLD LADY
Special Mention: Best Kill–Knife in Bed in THE CURSE, directed by Kenichi Ugan
SHORT FILMS
Jurors: Lisa Ogdie, Shams Mohajerani, Matt Pifko
SHORTS “BEST OF FEST”
WATER SPORTS, directed by Whammy Alcazaren
SHORTS WITH LEGS
Best Picture: WATER SPORTS, directed by Whammy Alcazaren
SHORT FUSE
Best Picture: THE DYSPHORIA, directed by Kylie Aoibheann
FANTASTIC SHORTS
Best Picture: GIANT SKELETON, directed by Austin Birtch
DRAWN AND QUARTERED
Best Picture: A BREATH OF MINDFULNESS, directed by Milly Cohen
Honorable Mention: THE GNAWER OF ROCKS, directed by Louise Flaherty
AUDIENCE AWARD
THE HOLY BOY, directed by Paolo Strippoli
FANTASTIC PITCHES
Jurors: Barbara Crampton, Toby Poser, Tim League, Matt Johnson
PLAY HOUSE, director Nicolas Curcio, producer Kirby Gladstein, producer Ben Gojer
For more information on the festival and its films, hit up the official website.
