Well it has been a couple weeks since the Romford Film Festival and I have to be honest and say that yes, I am having the post Festival blues. Not to worry though, because Romford Horror is just around the corner and I have a ton of submissions to watch and help select for you all.

But that’s not for here. Today I wanted to bring you the rundown of all the winners at this years Romford Film Festival Awards night. There were hundreds of submissions this year, they were whittled down to just over 140 projects that were selected. From the selected the team had the task of Nominations, that led to the final Award Winners. This year was a particularly difficult task given the strength of the Shorts, Docs and Features submitted.

Then the night came as a large and very strong crowd were serenaded into the cinema by the awesome Lucy Lombard. Spencer gave his usual empowering speech and we were under way… Well, actually there was a quick glitch in the slides as Spencer and his team were showered with praise from a video put together by the festivals own videographer Carrie Kendall. A video of congratulations from some of the festivals nearest and dearest supporters and friends to celebrate 10 glorious years of the Romford Film Festival.

Now, I am not going to claim that I can remotely remember what the order was for these Awards, As such I will be doing this in any order that I deem to be fit. Starting with STARGAZERS…

Stargazers is a love letter to the sci-fi adventure films of the 1980s, crafted by award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Brooks. This is storytelling at its finest: grounded, heartfelt, and filled with wonder. Beneath the aliens, cosmic weapons, and spaceships lies something truly universal—the timeless bond between friends and the power of never giving up.

Jonathan Brooks is no stranger to the Romford Film Festival. Having submitted shorts before, but this time he was bringing a really special Feature Film that the entire team fell in love with. What stood out head and shoulders with Stargazers was the Cinematography and Score for sure, but also the massive leap this Director has made.

In the Worst Film Festival Ever, Alan’s father suffers a heart attack, he’s forced into running his father’s bargain basement film festival—a cynical money maker that becomes anything but. Directed by Danny Patrick, this is a darkly hilarious take on the film festival world that you won’t want to miss.

One thing to say upfront is that Danny Patrick is an absolute class act. This guy came to Romord straight from Cannes. He spent the whole weekend with us catching other peoples movies and schmoozing in the foyer with everyone and anyone. He also took the time to assure us that his movie was not about Romford Film Fest… Thats looking like the sequel. Check out my Interview with Danny HERE…

Waking Slowly is an absolutely beautiful Documentary of the behind the scenes real life story to the movie Signs of Life which was shown at Romford Film Festival last year. My hat goes off to Joseph Millson for everything this Documentary shone a light on and his open heartedness in letting this Doc tell the story. A perfect companion Doc to the movie. Check out my review HERE…

Dancing with the Shadows was a runaway success with the panel for Foreign Language and it was made all the sweeter when fellow #MicBro Peter Blunden was serenaded in Albanian during his Q&A by the Crew of the movie.

It is a story of surveillance, secrets, and the shadows of the past that refuse to fade. A powerful exploration of love, survival, and the human cost of totalitarianism, told through the eyes of those caught between two worlds and two times.

Best Screenplay went to Chad Ferrin flick Dorothea. Chad has submitted numerous movies over the years and never fails to weird me out with his particular brand of “Crazy Pasta”. However this year he brought us Ed Kemper and Dorothea. Both way more subdued than his usual movies, based on real world horrendous folks commiting heinous acts.

What can I say about Megan Tremethick that I have not already. Having done pretty well at the Horror fest it was great to see Spoiling You back at the main fest to give the “not as horror” audience a chance to see this sensational piece of work. Spoiling You is a movie you dont just go and see… It’s an experience!

These are two of my favourite categories because they shine a big old light on what the local community has to offer in the Romford area and what the future industry stars of tomorrow are up to. I have to say aswell, I did the Still as a Tree Q&A and this group of youngsters were very impressive.

Wax, Whips and my Hairy Bits is the tale of discovering erotic fiction. A Blackpool woman disillusioned with her love life embarks on an unforgettable adventure to find her very own Mr Uninhibited. Directed by Michelle Devadas, this film is a celebration of passion, humour, and the messy reality of love.

Directed by Marion Krim, Still as a Tree is an atmospheric short that explores the tension between isolation and connection, set against the moody backdrop of an unforgiving forest. Marion’s visual storytelling—honed through her work in commercial production and documentary filmmaking—brings a haunting depth to this character-driven narrative.

Daniel England would pick up Best First Time Filmmaker for his quirky documentary How Fast can You Eat a Pickled Egg. A documentary about exactly what the tile suggests. At the festival we would put 10 of our patrons to the test in a quest to see who could get it done quickest. Well done Andrew from Concessions with a score of 7 Seconds.

Get ready for one of the most gloriously quirky films you’ll ever witness! This brilliant short documentary dives headfirst into the legendary pickled egg eating competition at The Cock Tavern—an East London institution where tradition is steeped in vinegar and victory tastes oddly sulphuric.

With Marilyn’s Dark Paradise Director Remi Gangarossa crafted this intimate portrait with extraordinary care, collaborating with historians, biographers, and the remarkable actress Stephanie Stuart to bring Marilyn’s humanity to the screen. Filmed in the places where she once stood—from Misfits Flat to Niagara Falls, Santa Monica Beach, and Los Angeles—the film honours her story with authenticity and reverence.

Rachel Warren would pick up a hugely well deserved Best Actress Award for her role in Director Kevin McNally’s visionary sci-fi thriller “Well-Being” which asks the questions that matter. In a near-future society where a corporate giant promises to “fix” the broken, one man discovers a sinister truth that forces him to fight for his own humanity.

Rachel is superb in this short movie, in a role that took a lot for her to get to mentally after a short break from acting to bring her child into the world. Congrats to Rachel on her Award winning performance and of course her growing family. I was chosen by Spencer to hand this Award out and have to say it was obvious just how much this award meant to Rachel.

Reece Henderson would pick up the Best Actor Award for his role in 49 Miles More, a movie that would pick up a couple more Awards (more on them in a second). Full disclosure I personally loved this movie and couldn’t be happier for this team.

So 49 Miles More would win 3 Awards on the night. Reece Henderson Best Actor as you see above, Best Low or No Budget Production, This movie was made on a little over 2k, which is insane because it doesnt look low budget. Director Oliver Cox would also pick up Best Director. All 3 awards were well deserved in my opinion, this team pulled off something insane. Check out my review HERE…

On their way to an annual reunion with university friends, Max—an unlucky insurance salesman struggling to find his place in life—and his carefree best friend Doug hit an unexpected roadblock when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. What unfolds is a story about the weird, messy, brilliant nature of friendship. How it changes over time, how we deal with life not turning out the way we planned, and how sometimes, the only thing that gets us through is having someone next to us who just… gets it.

Keep Young and Beautiful was a Short Movie that is truly hard to ignore in its message. Directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent, Game of Thrones, Hellboy), this darkly comic film takes aim at the beauty industry’s relentless pressure to stay young and flawless. Through heightened comedy and increasingly surreal moments, it exposes the toxic standards perpetuated by social media, peer pressure, and the still-shocking reality of animal testing in cosmetics.

Then it was time for the Best Feature and this one put a massive shit eating grin on my face. The Award went to Stu Gamble flick D*cks. I got to spend some time with Stu over the weekend and he was an absolute dude. Maybe I was just having loads of fun shouting “D*cks, D*cks, D*cks”.

Directed by Stu Gamble and shot on a lean $60,000 budget in a sweltering Budapest warehouse, D*CKS is a gloriously bonkers ride that proves you don’t need a massive budget to create something stupidly entertaining. Made with passion, heat-stroke, and more pigeon poop than anyone should ever encounter, this film is here to put a big, dumb smile on your face. Check out my review HERE…

And that is that, Romford Film Festival 2026 is done. Not to worry though because 2027 is around the corner, the horror fest is around the corner and I will be back in my home from home with the greatest team of misfits I have ever met. If you have a project, Feature Film, Short Movie or Documentary, then please get yourself onto Film Freeway and submit your project for our viewing, potentially selection and who knows maybe you pick up one of these prestigious awards.