AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR TORONTO AFTER DARK 2022! BIG WINNERS INCLUDE FREAKS OUT, MEXZOMBIES & HERE FOR BLOOD!

Toronto After Dark Film Festival is thrilled to announce the Award Winners of its 16th Annual Edition. As is tradition at the festival, the Jury is the fans themselves with 200 festival passbuyers polled to determine the best new horror, sci-fi and action movies from the around the world!

FREAKS OUT, the Italian superhero fantasy directed by Gabriele Mainetti took Top Prize, the Audience Choice Award for BEST FEATURE FILM GOLD plus nine other Specialty Awards including BEST SCREENPLAY. MEXZOMBIES, Chava Cartas’s Mexican zombie action comedy, won BEST FEATURE FILM SILVER and also took home BEST ENSEMBLE CAST. HERE FOR BLOOD the Canadian horror action comedy directed by Daniel Turres took home BEST FEATURE FILM BRONZE as well as five additional awards including BEST FILM TO WATCH WITH A CROWD.

Additional Major Winners included supernatural horror film PREY FOR THE DEVIL which won three awards including BEST HORROR FILM, and the sci-fi mystery thriller SOMETHING IN THE DIRT from Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead which won two awards including BEST SCI-FI FILM.

Read on for the complete list of all the winners from Toronto After Dark 2022, including the Short Film Award winners. To find out more about the films and watch their trailers, see our 2022 Film Schedule.

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FEATURE FILM AWARD WINNERS

FREAKS OUT
BEST FEATURE FILM - GOLD
BEST DIRECTOR (Gabriele Mainetti)
BEST SCREENPLAY
BEST MUSIC
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
BEST SOUND DESIGN
BEST TITLE SEQUENCE
BEST EDITING
BEST VILLAIN (Franz Rogowski as Franz)

MEXZOMBIES
BEST FEATURE FILM - SILVER
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
BEST COMEDY

HERE FOR BLOOD
BEST FEATURE FILM - BRONZE
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Maya Misaljevic as Grace)
BEST FILM TO WATCH WITH A CROWD
FILM MOST WANT TO SEE A SEQUEL TO
BEST FIGHT (Tom vs Meat aka The Big Guy)
BEST KILL (Decapitation by meat hook)

PREY FOR THE DEVIL
BEST HORROR FILM
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (Jacqueline Byers)
MOST SCARY FILM

SOMETHING IN THE DIRT
BEST SCI-FI FILM
MOST ORIGINAL FILM

H4Z4RD
BEST ACTION FILM

THE LAIR
BEST MONSTER/CREATURE

SHORT FILM AWARD WINNERS

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM
1. GOLD: THE BLOOD OF THE DINOSAURS (USA) Directed by Joseph Badon
2. SILVER: O (Germany) Directed by Dominik Balkow
3. BRONZE: BUG BITES (USA) Directed by Daniel DelPurgatori

BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
1. GOLD: THE TEMPLE Directed by Alain Fournier
2. SILVER: THE FLYING SAILOR Directed by Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis
3. BRONZE: THE RATCATCHER’S DAUGHTER Directed by Jim Bryson & Adam Jeffcoat

ABOUT TORONTO AFTER DARK

Toronto After Dark Film Festival is one of the world’s leading showcases of New Horror, Sci-Fi and Action cinema. Each October, the critically acclaimed event screens thrilling new features and shorts from around the world in front of an audience of thousands. The 17th Annual festival returns October 18-22, 2023 at the Scotiabank Theatre, the biggest cinema in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada.

Interested in submitting a film? Visit our Film Submissions Page. Get more info on the fest at our About Us Pages. Any questions or comments, please feel free to Contact Us.

Award Winners: Many Congrats and If you would like an official TADFF Award Winner Laurel graphic for use in your marketing, please contact us.

Thank You to OUR FESTIVAL PASSBUYERS FOR VOTING!

See You After Dark in 2023!