The first Buffalo Screams Horror Film Festival ran for four days in Amherst, New York, at the Screening Room, from Thursday, October 21st - 24th, 2010. 37 films were shown, including DESPERATELY SEEKING DEBBIE, a tribute video shown at the awards dinner before actress Debbie Rochon was presented with a Dedication to Excellence in Independent Filmmaking award. The film includes such horror mainstays as Tony Timpone, Lloyd Kaufman, and Alan Rowe Kelly.

Filmmaking hyphenate Brett Kelly (THE BONESETTER, AVENGING FORCE: THE SCARAB) was honored with the festival's Genre Spirit Award. The festival was designed to bring the best national and international horror films and filmmakers to Buffalo, and to spotlight regional filmmakers. The complete list of award winners:

Best Horror Feature - El Monstro Del Mar!

Best WNY Horror Feature - House of Horrors: the Movie

Best Horror Short - The Familiar

Best WNY Horror Short - Davis

Best More than Horror Short - Damn Your Eyes (Western)

Best More than Horror Feature - Triptosane (Science Fiction)

Best Director - Stuart Simpson (El Monstro Del Mar!)

Best Screenplay - Kody Zimmermann (The Familiar)

Best Actor - Daniel Reininghaus (Eyes Beyond)

Best Actress - Marianne Porter (True Nature)

Best Editing - Aaron Doolittle, Dominic Luongo, Chris Santucci (Davis)

Best Cinematography - Marco Fagnoli, Evan A. Nesbitt (True Nature)

Best Special Make-Up Effects - Emma Julia Jacobs (M)

Best Special Visual Effects - Carl Caprino (The Black Cat)

Original Screenplay Competition - Weston Ochse for "Desert Dogs"



Special Awards:



Dedication to Excellence in Independent Filmmaking - Debbie Rochon

Genre Spirit Award - Brett Kelly

Local Hero Award: Michael O'Hear

Best WNY Special Make-Up Artist: Andrew Lavin

Filmmakers to Watch: Sam Qualiana and Kash Costner

Local Grindhouse Award: John Renna and Jay Mager