By Mo Moshaty

As a committee member of the UK & I Horror Critics Group, I’m beyond proud to help celebrate the best in horror cinema, especially the films that push boundaries, amplify diverse voices, and, of course, scare the hell out of us. Horror has always been a genre of innovation, but it’s also one that mainstream awards tend to ignore. That’s why the Golden Claw Awards was created: to shine a spotlight on the filmmakers and creatives redefining horror.

This year, NightTide Magazine along with The Hollywood News is thrilled to be sponsoring the awards, standing by our mission to elevate underrepresented voices in horror and champion stories that explore the full spectrum of fear. Whether it’s psychological terror, blood-soaked chaos, or eerie slow burns, these films prove that horror is more than just a genre, it’s a reflection of who we are and what haunts us.

The UK & Ireland Horror Critics Group’s current standing committee includes Tim Coleman, Kat Hughes, Mo Moshaty, Andrew Pope, and Zoë Rose Smith. Announcing the nominations, Andrew said:

“This is an exciting time for horror movies, and that shows in the list of nominees. I can’t wait to see which of them takes home a coveted Golden Claw. The Horror Critics Group is committed to celebrating the UK and Irish horror scene. I’m particularly excited to see who wins out in the UK or Irish Horror Film category. It’s so important that we nurture our local talent!”

Tim agreed:

“It’s such an honour to be involved in the Golden Claw Awards. Right now, we’re living through an incredible time for horror cinema, so it’s wonderful to celebrate the incredible films being made in a genre that means so much to us all.”

Zoë added:

“I’m incredibly excited about the Golden Claw Awards because there is just so much phenomenal horror out there right now.”

Mo emphasized the power of horror storytelling:

“Horror is great at highlighting social issues, and this lineup features a diverse mix, from LGBTQ+ stories to tackling ageism and facial difference. That impact matters now more than ever.”

Kat reinforced the importance of these awards:

“The horror genre has been overlooked for far too long by other awards bodies and I’m delighted to be part of an organisation seeking to correct this. This year, our members have once again selected a diverse range of titles that prove genre cinema is an all-encompassing conduit for exploring a vast scope of issues.”

Last year’s big winners included Talk To Me—which took home four awards (Best Film with a Cinema Release, Best Directors for Danny and Michael Philippou, Best Lead Performance for Sophie Wilde, and Breakout Star for Sophie Wilde)—and Godzilla Minus One, which won three awards (Best Film Not In English, Best Visual or Special FX, and Best Score or Soundtrack for Naoki Sato).

This year’s nominations showcase another exceptional year for horror, and we can’t wait to see who takes home the Golden Claw!

FULL LIST OF NOMINEES FOR THE 2025 GOLDEN CLAW AWARDS

Best Horror Film

• I Saw The TV Glow
• Longlegs
• Oddity
• Strange Darling
• The Substance

Best Lead Performance

• David Dastmalchian (Late Night With The Devil)
• Demi Moore (The Substance)
• Hugh Grant (Heretic)
• Juliette Gariépy (Red Rooms)
• Justice Smith (I Saw The TV Glow)
• Lupita Nyong’o (A Quiet Place: Day One)
• Maika Monroe (Longlegs)
• Naomi Scott (Smile 2)
• Nell Tiger Free (The First Omen)
• Sydney Sweeney (Immaculate)

Best Supporting Performance

• Alicia Witt (Longlegs)
• Blair Underwood (Longlegs)
• Dan Stevens (Cuckoo & Abigail)
• David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus)
• Dennis Quaid (The Substance)
• Ingrid Torelli (Late Night With The Devil)
• Jack Haven (I Saw The TV Glow)
• Kyle Gallner (Strange Darling)
• Margaret Qualley (The Substance)
• Nicolas Cage (Longlegs)
• Sophie Thatcher (Heretic)

Best Director

• Coralie Fargeat (The Substance)
• Damian Mc Carthy (Oddity)
• Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw The TV Glow)
• JT Mollner (Strange Darling)
• Osgood Perkins (Longlegs)

Best Screenwriter

• Coralie Fargeat (The Substance)
• Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw The TV Glow)
• JT Mollner (Strange Darling)
• Osgood Perkins (Longlegs)
• Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (Heretic)

Best VFX/SFX

• Alien: Romulus
• In a Violent Nature
• Infested
• Smile 2
• The Substance

Best Horror Film Not in English

• Chime
• Exhuma
• Infested
• MadS
• Red Rooms
• The Coffee Table

Best Kill

• Acid Blood Kill (Alien Romulus)
• Baby Meets Table (The Coffee Table)
• Chainsaw in the Shower (Terrifier 3)
• Rock Meets Baby (Immaculate)
• Yoga Kill (In a Violent Nature)

Best British or Irish Horror Film – Sponsored by the Independent Horror Society

• Broken Bird
• Daddy’s Head
• Oddity
• Stopmotion
• The Moor

Trailblazer of The Year

• Chris Nash (Writer-Director, In A Violent Nature)
• Coralie Fargeat (Writer-Director, The Substance)
• Jane Schoenbrun (Writer-Director, I Saw The TV Glow)

Representation Award – Sponsored by the Soho Horror Film Festival

• A Different Man
• Cuckoo
• I Saw The TV Glow
• Love Lies Bleeding
• The Substance

Best Feature Debut

• Arkasha Stevenson (Director, The First Omen)
• Chris Nash (Director, In a Violent Nature)
• Sebastian Vanicek (Director, Infested)
• Zelda Williams (Writer, Lisa Frankenstein)
• Zoe Kravitz (Director, Blink Twice)

Best Horror TV Show

• From
• Inside No. 9
• Interview with the Vampire
• The Creep Tapes
• True Detective: Night Country

Technical Excellence

• Chime (Sound Design)
• Longlegs (Score)
• MadS (Cinematography)
• Strange Darling (Cinematography)
• The Substance (Production Design, Makeup & Costuming)

The 2025 Golden Claw winners will be announced at a central London location on March 1st.

The UK & Ireland Horror Critics Group, and the Golden Claws, can be followed on Bluesky and at horrorcritics.group.