The 20th Annual Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival wrapped with the annual award ceremony. The Grand Prize Sci Film award went to Volition directed by Tony Dean Smith of Canada, and the Grand Prize Horror Film award went to Star Light directed by Lee Cummings and Mitchell Altieri.

This year’s Festival included a return of its popular “H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour” over a four-day period presented in collaboration with the RI Historical Society and the Brown University Film Forum (BUFF), a Free Screening of the silent classic, “Nosferatu” with live musical accompaniment by the David Tessier Band, free in-school programs, an expanded Campus Connections series that brings free Festival programming to area Colleges and Universities, five free Forums that look behind-the-scenes at creating genre films in the Ocean State, special programming in the RI PBS series, “doubleFEATURE,” and the “Gods & Goddesses” Halloween Wrap Party at the Rooftop at the Providence G.

“It’s an amazing achievement that we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. Our decision in 2015 to expand our programming to sc-fi and fantasy films, along with our horror film entries, has allowed us to create an incredible showcase of truly unique films” said Shawn Drywa, Vortex Program Director.

“Vortex has always prided itself on showcasing the best genre films from the independent film community and this year was no exception. From Spain to Iran and France to the UK, these films represent the vanguard of genre filmmaking from across the globe, and showcase a rising generation of filmmakers, who are redefining genre films for the next generation of cinephiles.”

Winners of 2019 Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival

BEST FEATURE SCI-FI FILM

GRAND PRIZE:

“Volition” | Directed by: Tony Dean Smith | Canada, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

“Falter” | Directed by: Peter Meining and Harriet Maria Meining| Germany, 2018

BEST FEATURE HORROR FILM

GRAND PRIZE:

“Star Light” | Directed by: Lee Cummings and Mitchell Altieri | United States, 2019

FIRST PRIZE:

“Artik” | Directed by: Tom Botchii Skowronski | United States, 2019

BEST HORROR SHORT

GRAND PRIZE:

“Madame” | Directed by: Garth Jennings | France, 2018

FIRST PRIZE:

“The Mime” | Directed by: Dan Allen| United Kingdom, 2019

BEST SCI-FI SHORT

GRAND PRIZE:

“The Last Well” | Directed by: Filip Filkovic | Croatia and France, 2018

FIRST PRIZE:

“Eternity” | Directed by: Anna Sobolevksa| Ukraine, 2018

BEST FANTASY SHORT

GRAND PRIZE“A Purgatory Story” | Directed by: Tom Albanese | UNITED STATES, 2019

FIRST PRIZE: “Acide” | Directed by: Just Philippot | France, 2018

BEST ANIMATION

GRAND PRIZE: “Wild Love” | Directed by: Paul Autric, Quentin Camus, Maryka Laudet, Léa Georges, Zoé Sottiaux, and Corentin Yvergniaux| France, 2018

FIRST PRIZE: “They Hunt” | Directed by: Rhys Byfield| United States, 2018

BEST DIRECTOR

Fran Cassonova – “Something In The Darkness” | Spain, 2017

DIRECTORIAL DISCOVERY AWARD

Jesse Mittelstadt | “Flyby” | United States, 2019

H.P. LOVECRAFT AWARD

“Backwoods”| Directed by: Ryan Mackfall | United Kingdom, 2018