Fantastic Fest 2025 Winners
The Fantastic Fest 2025, held in Austin, Texas, from September 18 to 25, has announced its winners. The best picture award went to The Plague, a film about a socially unpleasant teenager who takes part in a harsh summer water polo tournament. Joel Edgerton stars in this history-based film, which will be given a limited theater release on December 24th by Independent Film Company, the holder of North American rights.
Main Competition Winners
In the main competition, Bartosz M. Kowalski was awarded the best director for his Polish horror film 13 Days Until Summer. A special mention went to the fantasy animation Decorated, directed by Alberto Vázquez. These awards recognize the exceptional talent and creativity of the filmmakers and their contributions to the world of cinema.
Next Wave Winners
The Next Wave category saw Warehouse win the best picture award. Before the festival, Dark-Sky films acquired the US rights to this Canadian film about a young woman haunted by her traumatic past who finds solace as a warehouse consultant. Paolo Strippoli was awarded the best director for his Italian film The Holy Boy, which premiered in Venice. Bruno Martín’s Spanish thriller Luger earned a special mention, showcasing the diversity and excellence of international filmmaking.
Horror Features Awards
The Horror Features Awards category saw Majid al Ansari’s Arab-language supernatural horror The Hideous win the best picture award. Martín MaureGui was awarded the best director for his Argentine film Crazy Old Lady. A special mention for the best kill went to Kenichi Ugana’s Japanese film The Curse, highlighting the creativity and suspense of horror filmmaking.
Fantastic Pitches and Playhouse
This year’s Fantastic Fest also organized the first edition of Fantastic Pitches and Play the Playhouse. Director Nicolas Curcio and producers Kirby Gladstein and Ben Gojer received $100,000 for their project, as well as global sales and a world premiere slot at the festival next year. This initiative supports emerging talent and innovative storytelling in the film industry.
Celebrating 20 Years of Fantastic Fest
According to Annick Mahnert, program director for programming at Fantastic, "In order to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we curated a remarkable selection of features and short films. Every year our jurors face the difficult task of choosing from an extraordinary talent pool, and this year was no exception. Despite the challenge, their selections reflect the true spirit of the Fantastic Fest – a celebration of global cinema and the diverse voices that bring it to life." The festival’s commitment to showcasing unique and captivating films has made it a standout event in the world of cinema.
