Terror on the Plains Announces the 2025 Horror Film Festival Competition Winners

Terror on the Plains International Horror Film Festival is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 short film competition, celebrating another killer year of independent horror, local filmmaking, student storytelling, international terror and original “scream”plays.

Held as part of the 11th annual 2025 Terror on the Plains Horror Film Festival, this year’s competition brought together bold, bloody and unforgettable short horror films from filmmakers near and far.

From Kansas City-area talent to international voices in horror, the 2025 lineup proved once again that the future of independent horror is alive, dangerous and ready to haunt the big screen.

Congratulations to the 2025 Terror on the Plains Film Festival winners:

BEST TERROR FILM: Rough Cut — directed by Mitchell Vincent Slan

BEST LOCAL (KS/MO) FILMMAKER (David Berry Award): Carter Breaux — Spill

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM: Curtains — directed by Mark Trifunovic, Canada

BEST STUDENT FILMMAKER — HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDER (Tom Poe Award): Wesley Joseph Butler — The Red Shadow

BEST SCREAMPLAY: Carter Breaux — Spill

Thank you to every filmmaker, fan, volunteer and horror lover who helped make the 2025 Terror on the Plains Horror Fest a screaming success. We’ll see you back next year — Sept. 25 and 26 at the Boulevard Drive-In.