Cinematical

Some of the biggest buzz at Fantastic Fest this year was for the movie Timecrimes (Los Cronocrimenes), a Spanish science-fiction film about a man who more or less stumbles upon time travel and has to deal with its unexpected effects on his life. In addition, director Nacho Vigalondo was in Austin for most of the festival and held two delightful Q&A sessions after the Timecrimes screenings -- he even showed off some dance moves. At the awards ceremony on closing night, therefore, the audience was thrilled to learn that Timecrimes won the "Best Feature" prize, although Vigalondo wasn't there to accept the award. The film also won a silver medal in the Audience Award competition.

A full list of award winners is available after the jump, but I need to explain at least one aspect of the Fantastic Fest awards ceremony. The top winners all receive beer mugs -- short film awards had half-sized mugs -- and the winners who were present at the ceremony were required to chug after receiving their awards. You don't get fun like this at Cannes and Sundance. A special award was given out for emcee of Fantastic Feud, a game-show event that was new to the festival this year, and was such a hit that it was rated higher by Fantastic Fest attendees on the fest website than any of the actual movies. The emcee, who also wrote all the trivia questions, was Cinematical's Scott Weinberg. That's why the photo at the top of this entry shows Weinberg (in a Cinematical shirt) about to chug a beer -- he's actually accepting an award, not promoting irresponsible drinking habits.

AMD Next Wave Award for Best Feature

• Gold Medal: Timecrimes
• Silver Medal: Spiral
• Bronze Medal: Mirageman
  
• Special Jury Prize For Innovative Vision: End of the Line

Fantastic Feature Award

• Gold Medal: Offscreen
• Silver Medal: Never Belongs to Me
• Bronze Medal: Aachi and Ssipak
• Special Jury Prize for Most Original Scenario: Never Belongs to Me

Horror Feature Award

• Gold Medal: Exte: Hair Extensions
• Silver Medal: Alone
• Bronze Medal: The Devil's Chair
• Special Jury Prize For Best Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, Alone
• Special Jury Prize For Best Actor: Kevin Howarth, Summer Scars
  
• Special Jury Prize For Best Actress: Masha Wattanapanitch, Alone
  
• Special Jury Prize For Best Gore: Hell's Ground
  

Audience Award

• Gold Medal: Mirageman
• Silver Medal: Timecrimes
• Bronze Medal: Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door

Horror Shorts Award

• Gold Medal: In the Wall
• Silver Medal: The Fifth
• Bronze Medal: Far Out
• Special Jury Prize For Best Screenplay: The Fifth
  
• Special Jury Prize For Best Actor: Sam Lloyd, The Fifth
• Special Jury Prize For Best Actress: Bianca Rusu, Demonology of Desire
  
• Special Jury Prize For Best Cinematography: Happy Birthday 2 U
  
• Special Jury Prize For Best Effects: Demonology of Desire

Animated Shorts Award

• Gold Medal: Everything Will Be OK
• Silver Medal: Raymond
• Bronze Medal: X-Pression

Fantastic Shorts Award

• Gold Medal: Waiting for Yesterday
• Silver Medal: Sniffer
• Bronze Medal: Suityman