‘Serena’ Claims First Roger Corman Award at Raindance

Raindance Film Festival has brought its first dedicated horror programme to a close by crowning Rob Alicea’s AI thriller Serena as the winner of the inaugural Roger Corman Award for Best Horror Feature, capping a year that saw the Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festival make its strongest commitment yet to genre filmmaking.

The new award formed part of Raindance’s expanded Horror Strand, introduced for the festival’s 34th edition as organisers broadened the event’s genre offering with a programme of international feature films, shorts and industry initiatives centred on horror.

Alongside recognising Serena, the festival launched its first Official Horror Ambassador programme, appointing Terrifier star Catherine Corcoran to the role in partnership with FareStream Pictures. The initiative is intended to support filmmaker advocacy, audience engagement and future horror-focused activities as Raindance continues to develop the strand beyond its inaugural year.

The Horror Strand opened with the UK premiere of Michel K. Parandi’s science fiction thriller April X, starring Connor Storrie, before showcasing an international selection of features including Sacrificios, Jackalope, Life for Beginners, Corporate Retreat, Pinocchio: Unstrung, Nameless, The Home, The Devil Whispered My Name, The Killing Moon, The Trek, The Troll, Modem, Child, Broken Beak, Friday the 69th, Occupy Cannes! and Shadows of Willow Cabin.

Winning the Roger Corman Award provides another milestone for Serena, which follows a struggling former rock musician whose decision to beta test an experimental AI assistant gradually spirals into psychological terror. Directed by Rob Alicea, the film stars Andi Matichak, Steven Strait and Ashleigh Murray and previously screened at Cinequest, the Miami Film Festival and Raindance during its international premiere.

Raindance also confirmed that three of its short film winners have secured eligibility for Academy Award consideration. Jocelyn Charles’s animated horror short God is Shy joins Pankaja and The Oath after winning the festival’s Oscar qualifying awards for Best Animation Short, Best Live Action Short and Best Documentary Short respectively. All competition shorts also remain eligible for BAFTA consideration, while the festival continues to qualify British features for the BIFAs.

The expanded focus on horror was also reflected in Raindance’s Icon Awards, which honoured filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman alongside actors Miriam Margolyes and Brian Cox, all of whom have established connections to genre cinema across their careers.

With the introduction of a dedicated horror competition, a new ambassador programme and plans to continue developing genre initiatives in future editions, this year’s festival represents a notable expansion of horror’s place within one of the UK’s leading independent film events.

The 34th Raindance Film Festival concluded in London on 28 June, with organisers confirming that the Horror Strand and the Roger Corman Award will continue as part of the festival’s future editions. We’re already looking forward to the next one!