The annual Fangoria Chainsaw Awards concluded with major victories for independent horror standouts, led by "Obsession," which collected a ceremony-best five trophies. The fan-voted event, broadcast on the horror streaming platform Shudder, recognized top achievements across horror film, television, and video games. Actor Devon Sawa, known for his work in the "Final Destination" franchise and the "Chucky" series, served as the master of ceremonies for the presentation.
'Obsession' Dominates Major Feature Film Categories
"Obsession" established its command over the competitive fields early in the night, ultimately securing the title for Best Wide Release after contending with high-profile releases including "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" and "Weapons." The production also yielded individual triumphs for Curry Barker, who took home both Best Director and Best Screenplay. In the acting categories, star Inde Navarrette won Best Lead Performance against a crowded ballot that included Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ralph Fiennes, Jessie Buckley, and Rachel McAdams. Adding to its overall tally, "Obsession" also claimed the award for Best Kill for its featured "Brick Kill" scene.
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Selected Winners
| Category | Winner | Associated Project |
|---|---|---|
| Best Wide Release | Obsession | Obsession |
| Best First Feature | Backrooms | Backrooms |
| Best Lead Performance | Inde Navarrette | Obsession |
| Best Supporting Performance | Amy Madigan | Weapons |
| Best Director | Curry Barker | Obsession |
| Best Screenplay | Curry Barker | Obsession |
| Best Cinematography | Jeremy Cox | Backrooms |
| Best Score | Kane Parsons and Edo Van Breemen | Backrooms |
| Best Series | Widow’s Bay | Widow’s Bay |
| Best Video Game | Resident Evil: Requiem | Resident Evil: Requiem |
| Best Creature FX | Jim Henson’s Creature Shop | Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 |
| Best Limited Release Movie | Dust Bunny | Dust Bunny |
The final presentation of the evening saw veteran "Insidious" star Lin Shaye present the culminating award honoring "Obsession." The five total victories solidified the title as the standout project of this year's ceremony.
'Backrooms' and Genre Craft Achievements
Finishing directly behind "Obsession" in total awards was "Backrooms," which earned three honors throughout the ceremony. The project collected the award for Best First Feature, while Jeremy Cox won Best Cinematography for his visual work on the production. In the musical categories, Kane Parsons and Edo Van Breemen secured the trophy for Best Score, prevailing over fellow nominees such as Alexandre Desplat and Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Technical and performance honors were distributed among several other major genre releases. Amy Madigan took home the prize for Best Supporting Performance for her role in "Weapons." Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" collected two craft honors, earning Best Costume Design for Kate Hawley and Best Makeup FX for Mike Hill. Meanwhile, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop took home the Best Creature FX trophy for its work on "Five Nights at Freddy’s 2." In other feature segments, "Dust Bunny" won Best Limited Release Movie, while "Exit 8" earned Best International Movie and "V/H/S/Halloween" won Best Streaming Premiere.
Television, Gaming, and Special Honors Highlight Diverse Ceremony
Beyond feature-length films, the Chainsaw Awards handed out recognition across broader entertainment mediums. "Widow’s Bay" was named Best Series over titles including "Alien: Earth" and "The Vampire Lestat." In the non-fiction television category, "The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs" earned the top prize, and "In Search of Darkness: 1995-1999" captured the award for Best Documentary Feature. In the interactive realm, "Resident Evil: Requiem" secured the trophy for Best Video Game.
The ceremony also incorporated honorary recognitions and specialty moments tailored to horror fandom. Joe Bird of "Talk to Me" and "Leviticus" received an Editor’s Eyeball Award recognizing his rising career profile in the horror genre. An additional Editor's Eyeball Award went to YouTube creator James A. Janisse, who was recognized alongside Chelsea Rebecca for founding the horror-centric channel "Dead Meat." In a lighter highlight, "Cujo" veteran Dee Wallace took the stage to award the "Goodest Boy" trophy to Indy, the Nova Scotia retriever featured in the film "Good Boy."
Behind the Production of the Annual Shudder Broadcast
Ceremony writer and director Michael Varrati highlighted the distinctive freedom that comes with presenting a fan-focused genre show. He noted that the nature of the horror community allows the event to balance serious film accomplishments with offbeat presentations, such as dispatching host Sawa into a corn maze or giving official trophies to animal actors. According to Varrati, the production aims to honor the genre in a way that directly reflects the unique culture and preferences of its dedicated fanbase.
The Shudder broadcast was executive produced by Armen Aghaeian, Tara Ansley, and Abhi Goel. Amanda Grace Collins served as the lead producer, with Varrati and Phil Nobile Jr. also producing the ceremony. As genre fans digest the results, the ceremony's voter choices reflect sustained enthusiasm for fresh indie voices like Barker alongside established genre franchises heading into the remainder of the entertainment calendar.
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Source: Variety
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