Fantastic Fest Awards Winners: ‘Piggy,’ ‘The Five Devils’ and ‘The Menu’ Take Top Honors (Exclusive)

Another Fantastic Fest is coming to a close, and we’ve got the full list of 2022 Fantastic Fest awards winners — including Searchlight Pictures’ upcoming release “The Menu.”

The film festival, held at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar in Austin, Texas, is one of the premiere genre film festivals in the country and has led to more acquisitions than South by Southwest, which takes place in Austin every spring. A joyful celebration of all things genre, this year was no different – with buzzy titles like Searchlight’s “The Menu” and MGM’s “Bones and All” playing alongside more esoteric fare like “Shin Ultraman.” There was even a high profile Marvel Studios premiere in their upcoming black-and-white Halloween special, “Werewolf by Night” (which really brought the house down).

“We really gave our jury members a tough job this year. We have no idea how they were able to choose between so many amazing films,” Festival Director Lisa Dreyer said in an official statement. “We are so appreciative to all our filmmakers for sharing their phenomenal films with our audience, and the Jurors’ choices truly embody the wild and wonderful cinematic excellence we love to champion at Fantastic Fest.”

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In the “Main Competition” features category, “La Pietà” by Eduardo Casanova won for Best Picture while Best Director went to Ali Abassi for his chilling “Holy Spider.” In “The Next Wave” category, “The Five Devils” by Léa Mysius (coming soon to Mubi) won for Best Picture and Thomas Hardiman won for Best Director for A24’s “Medusa Deluxe.” In the “Horror Feature” category “Piggy” from Carlota Pereda took home Best Picture while Mike Mendez, Demian Rugna, Eduardo Sanchez, Gigi Saul Guerrero and Alejandro Brugués shared the Best Director prize for anthology film “Satanic Hispanics.”

For “Shorts With Legs,” “Hubbards” directed by Kevin Ralston won Best Picture and “Alegrias Riojanas,” directed by Velasco Broca, got a special mention. In the “Short Fuse” category “Ringworms” directed by Will Lee won for Best Picture, while “Gnomes” directed by Ruwan Heggelman received a special mention. In the “Fantastic Shorts” section “The Diamond” directed by Vedran Rupic took home Best Picture and “A Man Trembles” from directed by Mark Chua, Lam Li Shuen (Emoumie) got the special mention. For “Drawn and Quartered, “A Guitar in the Bucket” directed by Boyoung Kim won Best Picture and “Happy New Year, Jim” directed by Andrea Gatopoulos secured the special mention.

Finally, the Audience Award went to Searchlight’s “The Menu,” directed by Mark Mylod. Check out the full list of winners below, and for more information about the awarded films, head here.

And if you are having severe FOMO, Fantastic Fest at Home starts tomorrow online.

“MAIN COMPETITION” FEATURES

Best Picture: LA PIETÀ directed by Eduardo Casanova

Best Director: Ali Abassi for HOLY SPIDER

“NEXT WAVE” FEATURES

Best Picture: THE FIVE DEVILS directed by Léa Mysius

Best Director: Thomas Hardiman for MEDUSA DELUXE

HORROR FEATURES

Best Picture: PIGGY directed by Carlota Pereda

Best Directors: Mike Mendez, Demian Rugna, Eduardo Sanchez, Gigi Saul Guerrero & Alejandro Brugués for SATANIC HISPANICS

SHORTS WITH LEGS

Best Picture: HUBBARDS directed by Kevin Ralston

Special Mention: ALEGRÍAS RIOJANAS directed by Velasco Broca

SHORT FUSE

Best Picture: RINGWORMS directed by Will Lee

Special Mention: GNOMES directed by Ruwan Heggelman

FANTASTIC SHORTS

Best Picture: THE DIAMOND directed by Vedran Rupic

Special Mention to A MAN TREMBLES directed by Mark Chua, Lam Li Shuen (Emoumie)

DRAWN AND QUARTERED

Best Picture: A GUITAR IN THE BUCKET directed by Boyoung Kim

Special Mention to HAPPY NEW YEAR, JIM directed by Andrea Gatopoulos

AUDIENCE AWARD

THE MENU directed by Mark Mylod

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