AWARDSAAFF AWARDS

Film is art, not a competition, but part of Amazing Fantasy Fest’s mission is to recognize the work of talented genre filmmakers ignored or shunned by the mainstream. We present our AFF Awards on the Sunday of each festival, at our venue, Dipson's Amherst Theatre. We take our choices seriousy, but our focus is not on awards but on screening inependent films before an audience and treating those films - and their creators - with respect. We love when filmmakers attend our screenings of their work, but attending AFF does not increase or even remotely impact a filmmaker's chances of winning an award. Our judges rate our submissions so we can make our Official Selections, and we utilize those same ratings when determining award recipients.

AFF 2025 Awards

WNY YOUNG STUDENT FILM

 Eva Rose Young

Sugarcrash

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Dyngus Day”

 Captain Tom & the Hooligans

WNY STUDENT FILM (CNY)

 Forever

FILMMAKER TO WATCH

Justin Brylinski,  AngelFish

Bradley Liverman, The Monster of My Mind

MVP AWARD

 Tim Watson

AMAZING ACTION HERO

 Frea -  Ashlyn Nolan

AMAZING SOUND DESIGN

The End of October

AMAZING CINEMATOGRAPHY

Julia Tutko-Balena, Mother Grimm

AMAZING VISUAL EFFECTS

Chris Cosgrave, Phantom Frights

PERSISTENCE OF VISION (Indie Genre Hero)

Marvin Suarez

AMAZING HORROR COMEDY

Phantom Frights

AMAZING SPECIAL MAKE-UP EFFECTS

John Renna, The Showffeur

 AMAZING UNPROUCED SHORT SCREENPLAY

Marc Roussel, “Psycho Vision”

AMAZING UNPRODUCED FEATURE SCREENPLAY

Kristen Skeet, “Redimere”

SPECIAL AWARDS

Filmmaker of the Year – Jerry Landi

AMAZING ANIMATED FILM

In Half (Spain)

AMAZING STOP MOTION ANIMATED FILM

Foil Guy vs. Anvil

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK STUDENT FILM

Forever

AMAZING MICRO SHORT

Like Me - Ashley Lauren Thomas

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL MICRO SHORT
Grab (UK)

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK MICRO SHORT

Close Your Eyes

AMAZING EXPERIMENTAL SHORT

There Was (WNY)

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL SHORT

Anecoica (Spain)

AMAZING WNY SHORT

Underbelly

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK COMEDY SHORT

Reverie

LOCAL HERO AWARD

Keith Lukowski

AMAZING ACTION FILM

Cariddi’s Graveyard: Tales of Mare Nostrum (UK)

AMAZING FANTASY FILM

Journey (Australia)

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM

Daydreamers (China)

AMAZING EXPERIMENTAL FILM

Mother Grimm

AMAZING CANADIAN FILM

The Box, the Con and the Handsomest Man in Fandom

AMAZING SHORT FEATURE

The Showffeur

LOIS WEBER AWARD

Hope Muehlbauer

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE

Brett Cameron Glassberg, Cain Came Home

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE IN A WESTERN NEW YORK FILM

Sergey Zhuravskey, Nastell

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Bonnie Jean Tyer - Straight on Till Morning

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A WESTERN NEW YORK FILM

Erika Frase – The Showffeur

BILL BROWN AWARD

Shanda Gardner

WILLIAM R. THOMPSON FILM CHAMPION AWARD

Robert Golibersuch

AMAZING SCREENWRITER

Adam W. Griswold - The Other Christmas Show

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK SCREENWRITER, SHORT

Connor Greczyn – Kiss the Cook

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK SCREENWRITER, FEATURE

Adam Hollie – Cherry Baby

AMAZING DIRECTOR

Craig Ouellette, Straight on Till Morning

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK DIRECTOR

Taylor Martin, The Showffeur

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

Burnt Flowers  (UK) 

BUFFALO CUTURAL LEGACY AWARD

 Off Beat Cinema

OFF BEAT CINEMA AWARD

Dyngus Day

 AMAZING OUTLAW FEATURE

Dead, White & Blue

AMAZING DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

A Serbian Documentary

AMAZING HORROR FEATURE

Cain Came Home

AMAZING HORROR FEATURE

Straight on Till Morning

AMAZING WTF FEATURE

Astral Plane Drifter

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK FEATURE (Michael O’Hear Award)

Nastell

VISIONARY AWARD (Best of the Fest)

Mother Grimm

2025 SPECIAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

Filmmaker of the Year – Jerry Landi

Lois Weber Award – Hope Muehlbauer

Local Hero Award – Keith Lukowski

Bill Brown Award – Shanda Gardner

Buffalo Cultural Legacy – Off Beat Cinema

William R. Thompson Film Champion Award – Robert Golibersuch

AFF 2025 AWARD NOMINATIONS

Some nominations have been grouped together for simplicity. We award more categories than we announce.

We've adopted the Academy's policy of using the 40-minute mark to distinguish features.

AMAZING UNPRODUCED FEATURE SCREENPLAY

“Dennis Undying” – Written by Cameron Vitagliano

“Pledge Hard” - Written by Curt Markham

“Redimere” – Written by Kristen Skeet

“The Sixth Sun” – Written by Matthew Karram

“Toilet Sharks” – Written by Bruce Griffiths

AMAZING UNPRODUCED SHORT SCREENPLAY

“Classification: Human” – Written by Michael H. Moore

“Dead of Night” – Written by Hope Muehlbauer

“Dover” – Written by Nathan B. Ludwig and Jonathon Straiton

“Enid’s Pet” – Written by Carlos Perez

“Psycho Vision” - Written by Marc Rousssel

AMAZING FEATURE

Astral Plane Drifter

Dead, White & Blue

The Other Christmas Show

A Serbian Documentary

Straight on Till Morning

Zombie Chronicles

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

Burnt Flowers – (United Kingdom)  

Cariddi’s Graveyard: Tales of Mare Nostrum (United Kingdom)

Day Dreamers – Amazing International Experimental Film (China)

Journey (Australia)

Vincent (Denmark)

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK FEATURE (Michael O’Hear Award)

AngelFish

Cherry Baby

Dyngus Day

Nastell

AMAZING SHORT FEATURE

The Box, the Con and the Handsomest Man in Fandom (CAN)

Mother Grimm (US)

The Showffeur (WNY)

Tales from Clipper Coffee (US)

AMAZING SHORT

Caliburn (US)

Deb & Joan (US)

Frea (US)

Le Singe Bleu (CAN)

Multi-Level Massacre (US)

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL SHORT

Anecoica  (Spain)

Primacy (Spain)

Script (Italy)

Umbra (Spain)

Where Are All the Gay Superheroes? (UK)

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK SHORT

The Monster of My Mind

The Paradox Payout

Realm of Reality

Shadows

Underbelly

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK COMEDY SHORT

Arcade Daze

Kiss the Cook

Phantom Frights

Reverie

AMAZING MICRO SHORT

The End of October (US)

The Good, the Bad and the Bloodthirsty: Sun’s Salvation (US)

Grab (UK)

Like Me (US)

Midnight Snack (US – the Bananas)

Nakay: Gold & Blood (Italy)

A Rough Start (US)

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK MICRO SHORT

Close Your Eyes

Cupcake

Torch and Hammer

AMAZING EXPERIMENTAL SHORT

Creation (US)

The Invaders (WNY)

There Was (WNY)

AMAZING ANIMATED FILM

The Adjudicator’s Pawn II (US)

Birds of a Feather (WNY)

In Half (Spain)

The Last Echo (CAN)

Time Flies (US)

AMAZING STOP MOTION ANIMATED FILM

Aster

Cloudy Day

Foil Guy vs. Anvil

Summon a Gravedigger

AMAZING DIRECTOR

Jason Lake, Mother Grimm

David Noel Bourke, Vincent

Michael Faust, Burnt Flowers, 

Brett Cameron Glassberg, Cain Came Home

Craig Oullette, Straight on Till Morning

Scott Slone, Astral Plane Drifter

Marvin Suarez, Zombie Chronicles

AMAZING SCREENWRITER

Mike Callavera – Astral Plane Drifter

Brett Cameron Glassberg – Cain Came Home

Adam W. Griswold - The Other Christmas Show

Neal McLaughlin & Craig Oullette – Straight on Till Morning

Mike Ray – Dead, White & Blue

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK DIRECTOR

Bradley Liverman – The Monster of My Mind

Taylor Martin - The Showffeur

Hope Muehlbauer - Close Your Eyes

Cydney J. Ramos – Nastell

Kristen Skeet - Phantom Frights

AMAZING WESTERN NEW YORK SCREENWRITER

Justin Bryinski – AngelFish

Connor Greczyn – Kiss the Cook

Adam Hollie – Cherry Baby

Bradley Liverman – The Monster of My Mind

Paul McGinnis – Dyngus Day

Cydney J. Ramos – Nastell

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE

Mike Caravella – Astral Plane Drifter

Michael Fausti – Burnt Flowers

Brett Cameron Glassberg  - Cain Came Home

Adam W. Griswold - The Other Christmas Show

Mikkel Vadsholt - Vincent

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Kelsey Christian - Straight on Till Morning

Isabel Deschamps – Mother Grimm

Sissy O’Hara – Mother Grimm

Bonnie Jean Taylor - Straight on Till Morning

Amber Doig-Thorne – Burnt Flowers

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE IN A WESTERN NEW YORK FILM

Eugene Bofill –  Phantom Frights

Harold Octavius Jacob – AngelFish

Matty McDonald – The Showffeur

Daniel Conklin – Arcade Daze

Donovan W. Gale – Close Your Eyes

Sean C. Sanders - AngelFish

Sergey Zhuravsky – Nastell

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A WESTERN NEW YORK FILM

Alyssa Grace Adams - AngelFish

Alyssa Grace Adams – Nastell

Gabrielle Ninzio – Close Your Eyes

Isabelle Deschamps – Nastell

Erika Frase – The Showffeur

Linda Mesi – The Showffeur

Stephanie Ward – Cherry Baby

WESTERN NEW YORK STUDENT FILM

Aaron, My Friend (WNY)

Escaping Gravity (CNY)

Forever (CNY) Amazing Student

Sugarcrash (WNY) Young Student Award Certificate

Thrillogy (WNY)

2024 AFF AWARDS

2024 Amazing Fantasy Fest Award Winners (in the same order in which they were presented). Congratulations to all the winners, nominees, and Official Selection filmmakers!

Local Hero Award - Bob Bozek

Amazing International Short - The Bell (Philippines)

Amazing Medium Length Film - The Detachment (Korea)

Amazing Flash Film - The Lure (UK)

Amazing Animated Short - Howl If You Love Me

Amazing Stop Motion Short - Les Betes

Amazing Micro Short - Three Baths

Amazing Short - Interitus Adfectus

Amazing Unproduced Short Screenplay - “Solipsism” by Duncan B. Putney

Amazing International Feature - The Pocket Film of Superstitions (UK)

CERTIFICATES

Outlaw Cinema Award - Flesh of the Unforgiven

Amazing Original Song - “ If We Were in a Dream “

Performed by Brandon Machajewski

Lyrics by Richard Fysh

Music by Armand John Petri

Amazing Horror Character - “The Woodsman” from Slasher Days of Summer

Ty Cheman, Kristen Skeet, Eugene Bofill

Amazing Ensemble Cast - Ragdoll Assassin

Amazing Editing - Alex Frank, Jane & the Brain

Persistence of Vision Award - Ramzi Abed

PLAQUES

Filmmaker to Watch - Donovan Gale

Filmmaker to Watch - Michael Rodriguez

Filmmaker to Watch Promise Fulfilled

Tim O’Hearn

Kristen Skeet

Hope Muehlbauer

Dedication to Cinematic Excellence - Scooter McCrae

Lois Weber Award - Kristina Nomeika

Local Service Award - Robert Borgatti

Filmmaker of the Year - Curt Markham

Bill Brown Award/ WNY Actor - John Karyus, First Person Savior

William R. Thompson Film Champion Award - Anna Chinappi & Skip Shea 

MVP Award - Chris Cosgrave

Living Legend Award (Not a Scream Queen) Debbie Rochon

Amazing Action Hero - Nolan Tierce, Special Needs Revolt

Amazing WNY Student Film - Junk Food

Amazing WNY Micro Short - Slash Squatch

Amazing Alternative Cinema - An Illustrated Guide to Flowering Houseplants

Amazing Canadian Short -The Noonday Demon

Amazing WNY Female Performance, Short - Jessica Zwolak,  Forward

Amazing WNY Male Performance, Short - Eugene Bofill, What Silence Looks Like

Amazing WNY Short Screenplay - Hope Muehlbauer, Jane & the Brain

Amazing WTF Short - The Gory Hole

Amazing WNY Short    (tie) Eccentrip, Jane & the Brain

Amazing Special Make-Up Effects - Reset

Amazing Visual Effects - Black Eyed Susan

Amazing WNY Female Performance, Feature Caitlin Westfall, Reset

Amazing WNY Male Performance, Feature - Adam Holley, Reset

Amazing Male Performance, Feature Parker Shook, Rich Interior Lives

Amazing Female Performance in a Feature - Yvonne Emilie Thälker, Black Eyed Susan

Amazing Unproduced Feature Screenplay - “A Day to Relive” By Chris Donald Griffin

Amazing WNY Feature Screenplay - Curt Markham, Ragdoll Assassin

Amazing Feature Screenplay  - Andrew Bonazelli, Rich Interior Lives

Amazing WNY Feature Director - Michael Yammine, Reset

Amazing Feature Director - Scooter McCrae, Black Eyed Susan

Off Beat Cinema Award (sponsored by Shanda Gardner) Bronx Lore

Amazing Documentary (sponsored by Armand John Petri & Kim Piazza) 

Nickel City Tinseltown

WTF Award, Feature - Special Needs Revolt

Amazing Canadian Feature (sponsored by Dean Beltrano) Massacre at Femur Creek

Amazing Fantasy Feature sponsored by (sponsored by Uncork’d Entertainment)

Inbetweening

Amazing Science Fiction Feature - Black Eyed Susan

Michael O’Hear Award for Amazing WNY Feature - Reset

Amazing Horror Feature (sponsored by Kristen Skeet) Fragment

Amazing Action Feature (sponsored by Kristen Skeet) They Call Her Death

Best of the Fest (sponsored by Kristen Skeet) Back Eyed Susan

2024 AFF Award Nominations

AMAZING UNPRODUCED FEATURE SCREENPLAY

“A Day to Relive” by Chris Donald Griffin

“Eve of Destruction” by James Holmes & Jeffrey Stackhouse

“Legend of Spring Heeled Jack” by Anthony A. Labriola

“Murder at the Red tower” by Writer at EXO Books*

“Scapegoat” by Richard Geiwitz

“Spoiled Meat” by Tim Tanner

AMAZING UNPRODUCED SHORT SCREENPLAY

“Career Day” by Devin Shane Hylton
“Fluffy” by Shirley Ann Sheldon & Angela Hendrick

“Solipsism” by Duncan B. Putney

“The Shadow Over Christmas” by Marc Roussel

“Wet Rot” by Stuart Creque

AMAZING FEATURE

Black Eyed Susan

Bronx Lore

First Person Savior

Flesh of the Unforgiven

Florence

Fragment

Inbetweening

Rich Inherited Lives

They Call Her Death

AMAZING WNY FEATURE

7 Kills, 3 Songs & A Banana

Ragdoll Assassin

Reset

Slasher Days of Summer

Special Needs Revolt

AMAZING CANADIAN FEATURE

The Damnation

Massacre at Femur Creek

Voices Carry

AMAZING DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Life of Pain

Nickel City Tinseltown: The History of Buffalo, NY Filmmaking

The Pocket Film of Superstitions

AMAZING FEATURE DIRECTOR     

Mel House – Inbetweening

Scooter McCrae - Black Eyed Susan

Austin Snell - They Call Her Death

Robert Vornkahl -Fragment

Ken Whiting - Rich Inherited Lives

AMAZING WNY FEATURE DIRECTOR

Adrian Esposito - Special Needs Revolt

Richard Fysh - 7 Kills, 3 Songs & A Banana

Curt Markham - Ragdoll Assassin

Kristen Skeet - Slasher Days of Summer

Michael Yammine - Reset

AMAZING FEATURE SCREENWRITER

Katy Baldwin, Kristi Shimek, Robert Vornkahl - Fragment

Andrew Bonazelli - Rich Interior Lives

Mel House - Inbetweening

Scooter McCrae - Black Eyed Susan

Austin Snell – They Call Her Death

AMAZING WNY FEATURE SCREENWRITER

Ty Cheman & Kristen Skeet - Slasher Days of Summer

Adrain Esposito, Bill Weeden & Curt Markham – Special Needs Revolt

Richard Fysh - 7 Kills, 3 Songs & A Banana

Curt Markham – Ragdoll Assassin

Michael Yammine - Reset

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE, FEATURE

Teresa Gero – Rich Interior Lives

Hailee Lipscomb - Fragment

Sheri Rippel - They Call Her Death

Debbie Rochon - Flesh of the Unforgiven

Kei’la Ryan - Rich Interior Lives

Yvonne Emilie Thälker - Black Eyed Susan

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE, FEATURE

Brandon Cole – Inbetweening

Joe Hollow – Flesh of the Unforgiven

John Karyus – First Person Savior

Damian Maffei – Black Eyed Susan

Parker Shook, Rich Interior Lives

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A WNY FEATURE

Alyssa Grace Adams, Slasher Days of Summer

Amelia Favata – Ragdoll Assassin

Shanda Gardner – Slasher Days of Summer

Danielle Smith – Ragdoll Assassin

Caitlin Westfall - Reset

Alexandria Romanov – 7 Kills, 3 Songs & A Banana

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE IN A WNY FEATURE

Mark Bogumil – Ragdoll Assassin

Adam Holley - Reset

Curt Markham – Ragdoll Assassin

Paul McGinnis – Slasher Days of Summer

Brandon Machajewski – 7 Kills, 3 Songs & A Banana

Nolan Tierce – Special Needs Revolt

Bill Weeden – Special Needs Revolt

AMAZING MICRO SHORT

BeeHarmony (US)

The Lure (UK)

Three Baths (US)

Night Feeding (US)

The Vulture (US)

AMAZING WNY MICRO SHORT

Just Another Day in Paradise

Missed. Carriage

Slash Squatch

Slasher

AMAZING SHORT FILM (US & CAN)

Banjo (US)

Bat Country (US)

Duck and Cover (CAN)

Interitus Adfectus (US)

Moonlight Sonata, with Scissors (US)

Others (US)

Sentinels (US)

Split Second (US)

Tales from the End! (US)

The Thaw (US)

AMAZING INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM

Mystery of the Keeper (Ukraine)

Dancing with My Mother (Australia)

The Detachment (Korea)

The Faun of Healwood, the Edge (France)

The Gory Hole (UK)

AMAZING WNY SHORT FILM

Eccentrip

Jane & the Brain

Forward

NOKK

The Surgeon

Twice

What Silence Looks Like

AMAZING WNY SHORT SCREENPLAY

Allison Courtney – Agency

Donovan W. Gale – NOKK

Hope Muehlbauer - Jane & the Brain

Matthew Martin, Chad Ridgely, Taylor Martin – Eccentrip

Paul McGinnis - Forward

Rick Masi – What Silence Looks Like

AMAZING FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A WNY SHORT

Alyssa Grace Adams – Agency

Ana Logan – Junk Food

Airy Nikohl - Twice

Gabrielle Nunzio – Jane & the Brain

Taylor Martin – Eccentrip

Jessica Zwolak - Forward

AMAZING MALE PERFORMANCE IN A WNY SHORT

Eugene Bofill – What Silence Looks Like

Chad Ridgely – Eccentrip

Paul Spitale – Eccentrip

Eric Nicotera – Lake in VR

Finn Lasch – Junk Food

Marek Heitzenrater – Junk Food

AMAZING ANIMATED SHORT

The Adjudicators’ Pawn (US)

The Bell (Philippines)

The Bitter Desert (Norway) 

Howl If You Love Me (US)

Noonday Demon (CAN)

On the Streets of Willoughby (US)

Sulayman (Pilippines)

We Are Here to Help (UK)

AMAZING STOP MOTION FILM

Ethel (Switzerland)

Les Betes (US)

AMAZING ALTERNATIVE CINEMA

Car Spider (WNY)

Fin. (WNY)

The Harvest (WNY)

An Illustrated Guide to Flowering Houseplants (WNY)

Requiem (WNY)

AMAZING WNY STUDENT FILM

Frostbyte

Junk Food

Lake in VR

Amazing Fantasy Fest reserves the right to combine, alter or eliminate award categories at the Festival Director’s discretion. International award winners will receive digital certificates unless they attend AFF in person. We will mail physical awards to filmmakers unable to attend at the filmmaker’s expense.