The 16th A Night of Horror International Film Festival wrapped last week at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
The festival served up a terrifying bounty of the the best and bloodiest genre films from around the world. Today, A Night of Horror announces the winning films of the 2024 event.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS captured the festival's “Independent Spirit Award”; an award which recognizes the tenacity and creativity of independent filmmakers producing amazing films, regardless of budgetary and other limitations. The film, a unique found footage offering, deftly blurs the line between documentary and narrative filmmaking, utilizing 20 years of real archival footage, and starring the filmmakers themselves.
Nick Toti (center) and Rachel Kempf (right) at the Q&A for IT DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. Left: Festival Director Dean Bertram. Photo by Samantha Krause.
“A Night of Horror is the kind of festival where two maniacs who made a movie with no money and no crew can find an appreciative audience among their fellow weirdos...which is exactly the kind of festival that the horror genre needs,” write Nick Toti and Rachel Kempf, the filmmaking duo behind IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. “We're honored to have won the 'Independent Spirit Award' for our film. Our only hope is that we inspire more people to move to the middle of nowhere, buy a rundown old squatter's hovel, and make the kind of horror movies that no Hollywood executive in their right mind would ever greenlight.”
An overview of the festival's other award-winning films follows:
James Morris on the set of HE NEVER LEFT, “Best Film” at A Night of Horror 2024. Photos courtesy of Witching Hour Films.
The festival's prestigious “Best Film” award was won by the brilliant and refreshing HE NEVER LEFT, from filmmaker James Morris. The film deftly spins the slasher sub-genre in new and pulse-charging directions.
“Best Director” was taken by Richard Elfman for his side-splitting and subversive horror comedy BLOODY BRIDGET. The titular role is played by Anastasia Elfman, who won “Best Female Performance” for her gutsy and priceless portrayal of a burlesque dancer turned gore-hungry vampire.
Writer/director Tyler Eaton at the world premiere of MYSTERIOUS WAYS at A Night of Horror 2024. Photo by Luong Huynh.
“Best Horror Comedy” was awarded to MYSTERIOUS WAYS from writer/director Tyler Eaton, the hilarious and irreverent feature, about a church youth group that inadvertently summon world-ending demonic spirits.
The stunning Macedonian feature M - part touching coming-of-age tale / part dystopian nightmare – from Varda Tozija, won “Best International Film”. And Russia's Anna Zaytseva captured Best Director for artfully weaving the thrilling social media-fueled narrative of #BLUE_WHALE.
ALEC BONK, director of BLIND COP 2 at the Q&A of the film’s sold-out screening. Photo by Luong Huynh.
“Best Male Performance” was awarded to George Fearing for his pitch-perfect, dead-pan portrayal of the visually challenged, and vengeance seeking, titular action anti-hero of BLIND COP 2 (from director Alec Bonk).
Genre icon Tony Todd (CANDYMAN) won “Best Supporting Male Performance” for his charismatic portrayal of a psychic in the emotion-ladened supernatural thriller THE ACTIVATED MAN, from writer/director Nicholas Gyeney. While “Best Supporting Female Performance” was awarded to the UK's Katie Sheridan for her nuanced portrayal of a meek - then empowered and vengeful - wife in the terror-ific British anthology LORE, from directors James Bushe, Patrick Ryder, and Greig Johnson.
“Best Practical Effects” was awarded to the stunning Japanese monster movie from Doug Roos, for its incredible visceral creature effects. And “Best Visual Effects” was won by the potent, moving, and nightmare-inducing THE ACTIVATED MAN.
“Best Short Film” was captured by the touching father and son drama, come terrifying werewolf flick, SCRATCH, from writer/director Michael Trainotti.
Left: Ben Manhanke introducing his short SMILEY. Right director of SENTINEL Jake Viaene. Photo by Luong Huynh.
While “Best Director – Short Film” was won by Ben Manhanke for his incredible realization of the bloody and gorgeously stylized SMILEY.
The “Best International Short” award went to Denmark's THE CURSE OF THE VELVET VAMPIRE, a sumptuous homage to 70s and 80s horror from Christoffer Sandau Schuricht. And Spanish director Javier Chvanel captured “Best International Director - Short Film” for the pulse charging and sleep destroying NAP.
SAPERE AUDE, a stunning Lovecraft inspired piece, from Australian animator Chadai Chamoun, won “Best Animated Short”.
Animator Nick Rohr (center) at the 16th edition of A Night of Horror International Film Festival. Flanked by filmmakers Jake Viaene (left) and Steven C. Chappell (right).
On the topic of the influence of horror maestro H. P. Lovecraft, the festival's long-standing “BEST LOVECRAFT SHORT” was awarded to the evocative and nightmarish AMYGDALA from Swedish filmmaker Oskar Johansson. While “Best TV / New Media” was awarded to director Nick Rohr for his touching and comedic WEEKEND DAD – “LOVECRAFT”.
Erik Bauer introducing I WANT YOU at the 16th A Night of Horror International Film Festival. Photo by Luong Huynh.
And “BEST OF THE MIDWEST SHORT FILM” went to the bloody mesmerizing I WANT YOU from director Joe Greening. The film was gorgeously lit and shot my DP Derek Bauer.
A Night of Horror also hosts both a feature and short screenplay competition.
“Dead babies, faith, caves, pigs, clowns, dogs, owls, gangs, creatures, serial killers, aliens, vampires, Elvis, ninjas, curses... 2024 was chock-full of amazing and unique scripts submitted to A Night of Horror”, said returning screenplay competition head, Sevé Schelenz, the writer/director know for SKEW and PEELERS. “Making this year one of the strongest competitions I've ever seen at the festival.”
The winning feature screenplay MORBIDLY was written by Don Stroud. Mark Steensland's A CHINESE VAMPIRE STORY took the 1st Runner-up spot. And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was awarded to Chad Ferrin for his screenplay UNSPEAKABLE: BEYOND THE WALL OF SLEEP, based on the work of H. P. Lovecraft.
The short screenplay competition was won by Jason Rice for R.I.P. JENNY LEE. The 1st Runner-up was HIDDEN by Taiyen Stevenson. And Christopher Eric Outridge's TEDDY CUDDLES was awarded 2nd Runner-up.
The 17th edition of A Night of Horror International Film Festival will again take place simultaneously with MidWest WeirdFest, at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, March 6-9, 2025.