The British Horror Studio has received major international recognition, as its founding partner Hex Studios celebrates a prestigious nomination at the 24th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.
Its ambitious Lovecraftian medieval epic, The Reign of Queen Ginnarra, has been officially nominated for Best Independent Film, placing it alongside an impressive line-up of acclaimed genre titles and giving horror fans the opportunity to vote for one of the studio’s most ambitious productions to date.
The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards are widely regarded as one of the most respected honours in genre culture, recognising excellence not only in film, but also in television, publishing, journalism, scholarship and preservation. Decided by fans themselves, the awards have, since 2002, played an important role in championing the very best of horror worldwide.
For producer Lawrie Brewster, and for the wider team behind the British Horror Studio and Amicus Productions, the nomination comes as a thrilling development. It arrives just one year after the team received Special Recognition from the Rondos for their efforts in helping revive Amicus Productions and championing the return of traditional British horror.
We have previously covered the revival of Amicus Productions, while the continued growth of the British Horror Studio can be explored in more detail here.
A tale of tyranny, sacrifice and cosmic horror
The Reign of Queen Ginnarra is a two-and-a-half-hour political occult horror thriller set in a dark medieval kingdom haunted by the influence of ancient and terrible gods.
The film stars Megan Tremethick as Queen Ginnarra, a merciless ruler who leads a violent revolt against her own father in order to seize the throne. Once in power, she sacrifices swathes of her people in pursuit of forbidden strength granted by the Old Ones. Standing against her is her exiled brother, played by Andrew Gourlay, a veteran character actor who has worked with Hex Studios and the British Horror Studio for over fifteen years.
The cast also includes Navarro Ramon, Sam McMillan, and Hex Studios stalwart Stephen Kerr, as well as Michael Daviot, whose rich and imposing screen presence continues to mark him out as one of the studio’s great classical horror players. The production also features the talents of Dorian Todd, winner of the British Indie Horror Artist of the Year Award, further underlining the strength of the creative team behind the picture.
Official Rondo nomination for Best Independent Film
The film appears in the official ballot for Best Independent Film, a category which includes festival and streaming releases. The 2026 Rondo ballot lists the following nominees for achievements in 2025:
- Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story, directed by Natasha Kermani
- Adulthood, directed by Alex Winter
- Dangerous Animals, directed by Scott Byrne
- Dust Bunny, directed by Bryan Fuller
- Foreigner, directed by Ava Maria Safai
- Good Boy, directed by Ben Leonberg
- The Haunting at Jack the Ripper’s House, directed by Stephen Stanley and Natasha Tosini
- How Deep Is Your Love?, directed by Elinore Mortimer
- Keeper, directed by Osgood Perkins
- The Reign of Queen Ginnarra, directed by Lawrie Brewster
- The Ugly Stepsister, directed by Emilie Blichfeldt
That places The Reign of Queen Ginnarra in distinguished company, and marks a significant moment not just for the film itself, but for the broader rise of the British Horror Studio as a serious force in independent genre filmmaking. The official ballot was posted on 19 March 2026, with voting open until 1 May 2026.
What makes the Rondo Hatton Awards especially meaningful is their strong connection to horror fandom itself. These are not distant industry prizes handed down behind closed doors, but awards shaped by the votes of devoted horror fans, researchers, writers and enthusiasts from around the world.
That spirit has helped the Rondos maintain a unique and endearing place within the genre for more than two decades. They celebrate not only new films and performances, but also the critics, authors, artists, historians and publications who help keep horror alive as both an art form and a living tradition.
For a film such as The Reign of Queen Ginnarra, steeped as it is in Gothic atmosphere, classical horror values, dark fantasy and occult dread, the nomination feels especially important.
How to vote
Fans who would like to support The Reign of Queen Ginnarra can do so by voting in the 24th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards ballot.
Voting is conducted by email, and voters are invited to send their selections directly to David Colton at taraco@aol.com before Friday, 1 May 2026 at midnight. Voters should include their name, and may vote in as many or as few categories as they wish.
For the British Horror Studio, the nomination alone is a tremendous honour. But with fan support, The Reign of Queen Ginnarra now has the chance to claim one of the most cherished accolades in horror culture.
Here at Amicus Horror, we wish the team behind the film, along with all the other outstanding nominees, the very best of luck.
If you would like to enjoy a vintage version of this article produced in the manner of an early 20th century broadsheet newspaper, then you can visit our sister news-site at the British Horror Chronicle right here.