By Kateryna Hryhorenko
Silute, Lithuania (The Hollywood Times) 10/28/2026 – The results are officially in as the 2026 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards wrapped their exclusive premiere on Shudder. Celebrating the absolute best in horror cinema, television, and gaming, the fan-voted ceremony embraced a sinister harvest theme perfect for the Halloween season. Host Devon Sawa guided viewers through a deadly corn maze before entering a night filled with major milestones for independent filmmakers and legendary genre veterans alike.
Independent horror triumphed completely during the ceremony as filmmaker Curry Barker’s breakout hit, Obsession, led the entire night by capturing five competitive Chainsaw Awards. The psychological thriller secured the coveted title of Best Wide Release Movie, while Barker personally took home awards for both Best Director and Best Screenplay. The film’s critical acclaim was further cemented by winning Best Lead Performance for actress Inde Navarrette, alongside the fan-favorite Best Kill award for its notoriously gruesome brick scene.
Accepting the night’s final trophy from horror icon Lin Shaye, director Curry Barker reflected on the project’s unexpected journey, calling the Best Wide Release victory definitely the most shocking one for everybody involved. Barker expressed immense gratitude for the overwhelming wave of support the independent film received directly from horror enthusiasts globally.
Other notable cinematic achievements shared the spotlight, with the internet-lore inspired feature Backrooms following closely behind with three major awards. The viral phenomenon earned wins for Best First Feature, Best Cinematography for Jeremy Cox, and Best Score crafted by Kane Parsons and Edo Van Breemen. Meanwhile, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein secured two technical achievements, earning Best Costume Design for Kate Hawley and Best Makeup FX for Mike Hill.
The television categories brought consecutive victories, with Widow’s Bay winning Best Series, and The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs claiming Best Non-Fiction Series for the third year in a row. In the gaming world, Resident Evil: Requiem took home the trophy for Best Video Game. The night concluded with heartwarming special honors, including the Chainsaw Award for Goodest Boy presented to Indy, the canine star of Good Boy, alongside Editor’s Eyeball Awards for rising star Joe Bird and Dead Meat creators James A. Janisse and Chelsea Rebecca.
