Now that this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival has come to a close, it’s time for what might be the most important award given out at any film festival: the audience award. BHFF has announced which three films took home the top prizes according to their audiences this year, and the lineup is a key hint about what to look for in theaters in the coming months.
Taking home the gold prize voted on by this year’s Brooklyn Horror audiences is the sequel Influencers, directed by Kurtis David Harder as a follow-up to his 2022 film Influencer, and starring Cassandra Naud and Georgina Campbell as a couple at odds with a popular Internet celebrity.
“To be back at Brooklyn Horror with Influencers, after world premiering the first film here, feels surreal,” Harper said. “I’m beyond thankful to the Brooklyn Horror team for supporting both films. We wouldn’t be here without the platform they gave the first film, and to win the Audience Choice Award is truly a dream come true.”
In second place, James Ross II’s Parasomnia took home the silver prize, starring Jasmine Mathews as a woman who must confront the demon from her night terrors. Rounding out the awards is the documentary Boorman and the Devil winning bronze, with director David Kittredge telling the story of director John Boorman and his experience directing Exorcist II: The Heretic, a film which nearly ended his career.
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“Each edition of Brooklyn Horror somehow manages to surpass the last and BHFF 2025 was no different,” says senior programmer Joseph Hernandez. “Watching our genre film community continue to grow and flourish is truly a wonderful thing to behold. A heartfelt, kaiju-sized thank you to all for bringing so much excitement and joy to our 10th anniversary celebration. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!”
These awards follow up on last week’s Jury Prize selections, which differ entirely from the films chosen by audiences. Winners of this year’s Jury Prizes included films like Don’t Leave the Kids Alone, The Holy Boy, and Every Heavy Thing.
For more information on Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, you can check out their website.