The blood, gore, and visceral terror of Mario Cerrito’s highly anticipated underground sequel have officially taken top honors. Practical effects artist Charmaine Cerrito took home the prestigious Best Special FX award for her outstanding, stomach-churning work on Human Hibachi 3 at the New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival.
The victory solidifies the third installment of the notorious franchise as a landmark achievement in modern independent splatter cinema.
The Human Hibachi franchise is built on shocking, hyper-realistic culinary horror. For this third chapter, Charmaine Cerrito elevated the franchise’s signature visual style. She relied on meticulously crafted practical effects to bring the film’s brutal, cannibalistic premise to life without relying on digital post-production.
Festival attendees and judges praised the film’s visual effects for their raw authenticity, creativity, and sheer intensity. The imagery left audiences equal parts mesmerized and horrified.
This major win follows closely on the heels of the film’s success at the Darkside New Jersey Film Festival, where Human Hibachi 3 captured the coveted Grand Grotesque award. This consecutive recognition highlights the film’s dominance in the 2026 indie horror circuit, proving that the creative team continues to push boundaries within the extreme horror sub-genre.