Blood in the Snow Film Festival 2024

Blood in the Snow 2024

🩸 November 18–23, 2024 · Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto, ON

📅 Quick View Schedule 🩸 Award Nominations 📄 Festival Program (PDF)

Monday, November 18 Opening Night

7:00 PM

Dark Visions

— Horror Shorts Program · 90 min

Our opening night collection of the darkest, scariest, moodiest and most intense Canadian short films of the year.

HorrorCanada 🇨🇦
Shiva
Dir. Josh Saltzman · 13:29
A recently widowed woman breaks with a Jewish mourning ritual to connect with her deceased husband.
How to Stay Awake
Dir. Vanessa Magic · 5:30
A woman fights to stay awake to avoid the terrifying realm of sleep paralysis.
🏆 Best Editing
Pocket Princess
Dir. Olivia Loccisano · 9:45
A young girl must complete a dangerous task to finish her doll collection in this miniature fairytale.
For Rent
Dir. Michèle Kaye · 10:33
In her new home, Donna unravels a sinister truth — her landlord is a demon with a dark appetite.
Lucy's Birthday
Dir. Peter Sreckovic · 9:29
A father struggles to enjoy his daughter's birthday despite strange and disturbing disruptions.
Parasitic
Dir. Ryan M Andrews · 10:00
Last call at a dive bar — a writer gets more than he bargains for.
Naualli
Dir. Adrian Gonzalez de la Peña · 6:00
A grieving man seeks revenge, unwittingly awakening a mystical creature known as the Nagual.
The Saint and the Bear
Dir. Dallas R. Soonias · 6:34
Two strangers cross paths on an ominous park bench.
The Sorrow
Dir. Thomas Affolter · 13:00
A retired army general and his live-in nurse find they are not alone in a house filled with dark secrets.
🏆 Best Lead Acting — Short
Cadabra
Dir. Tiffany Wice · 6:00
An amateur magician receives more than anticipated when he purchases a cursed hat from his deceased hero's estate.
9:30 PM

Dark Match

— Feature · 91 minDir. Lowell Dean
🏆 Best Lead Acting — Feature🏆 Best Music Score🧏 ASL / Open CaptionsHorrorCanada 🇨🇦

A small time wrestling company accepts a too-good-to-be-true gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader — and their event is now a pay-per-view fight to the death. Stars Ayisha Issa, Steven Ogg, and Chris Jericho.

Tuesday, November 19

7:00 PM

Mournful Mediums

— Shorts Program · 98 min

Not too short, not too long — a program of the best in Canadian medium-length genre films.

HorrorCanada 🇨🇦
Night Lab
Dir. Andrew Ellinas · 15:00
A researcher uncovers a conspiracy against her masterminded by her jealous boss.
Dirty Bad Wrong
Dir. Erica Orofino · 14:40
Young mother Sid takes extreme measures to host the best superhero party for her 6-year-old.
Midnight at the Lonely River
Dir. Abraham Cote · 17:00
When the lights go out at a seedy motel bar, three predators enact their evil deeds.
Mean Ends
Dir. Émile Lavoie · 14:58
A buried body, a missing sister, and an inquisitive neighbour make for a hell of an evening.
Stuffy
Dir. Dan Nicholls · 18:26
A young couple sets off to bury their kid's stuffed bunny, convinced it might be cursed.
Dungeon of Death
Dir. Brian P. Rowe · 18:33
Torturer Raullin loves cracking jokes while cracking bones, but his latest victim seems oddly resilient.
9:30 PM

Hunting Matthew Nichols

— Feature · 96 minDir. Markian Tarasiuk
🏆 Best DirectorHorrorCanada 🇨🇦

Twenty-three years after her brother mysteriously disappeared, a documentary filmmaker sets out to solve his missing person's case. When a disturbing piece of evidence is revealed, she comes to believe her brother might still be alive.

Opens with

Josephine
Dir. John Francis Bregar · 6:15
A man haunted by his past seeks forgiveness from his deceased wife through spirit mediums.

Wednesday, November 20

7:00 PM

BITS & BYTES

— Web Series Program · 93 min

A special feature-length program of some of the best genre web and digital series.

Web & DigitalCanada 🇨🇦
Ezra
Dirs. Hutchie, Mildon, Phung · 10:57
Ezra, a killer gay vampire, takes a leap of faith and enters the modern world.
Head Shop (Papa Guillotine)
Dir. Namaï Kham Po · 18:14
In a post-apocalyptic world, Anna must defy her father's brutal legacy.
D Dot H
Dirs. Fairbrother, Galloway · 18:02
Struggling artist Doug is visited by the beautiful enigmatic H, who claims he can visit inconceivable places.
Creepy Bits: "Last Sonata"
Dir. Ashlea Wessel · 21:08
A celebrated cellist with a terminal illness retreats to a secluded house to finish her opus.
Tales from the Void: "Whistle in the Woods"
Dir. Francesco Loschiavo · 24:36
Horror anthology based on r/NoSleep, blending genre thrills and social commentary.
🏆 Best Sound Design
9:30 PM

Self Driver

— Feature · 90 minDir. Michael Pierro
Horror ThrillerCanada 🇨🇦

A down-on-his-luck cab driver is lured onto a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. As his first night unfolds, he's pulled into the dark underbelly of society — a journey that tests his moral code and understanding of free will.

Opens with

Northern Escape
Dirs. Sanci, Korotash · 10:38
A couple on a cottage getaway discovers something sinister lurking beneath the surface.

Thursday, November 21

7:00 PM

Funny Frights & Unusual Sights

— Shorts Program · 92 min

A collection of Canadian shorts covering the unusual, the surreal, and the lighter side of horror.

Comedy HorrorCanada 🇨🇦
Midnight Snack
Dir. Sandra Foisy · 1:41
Hunger always strikes in the dead of night.
Hell Is a Teenage Girl
Dir. Stephen Sawchuk · 15:00
Every Halloween, a small town is terrorized by a masked serial killer targeting sinful teenagers.
Gaslit
Dir. Anna MacLean · 10:36
A woman goes to dangerous lengths to prove she wasn't responsible for a fart.
Bath Bomb
Dir. Colin G Cooper · 9:55
A possessive doctor prepares a bath for his narcissistic boyfriend — things take a deeply disturbing turn.
Any Last Words
Dir. Isaac Rathé · 14:22
A crook paid an untimely visit by former colleagues — what would you say staring down the barrel of a gun?
Papier Mâché
Dir. Simon Madore · 4:30
A whimsical depiction of the hard and tumultuous life of a piñata.
The Living Room
Dir. Joslyn Rogers · 9:59
After a call from Lady Luck, Ms Valentine must choose between her sanity and her winnings.
🏆 Best Short Film
A Divine Comedy: What the Hell
Dir. Valerie Lee Barnhart · 8:55
Dante's Hell is falling into oblivion. Sharp-witted Harpy Charlotte navigates chaos toward a new destiny.
Mr Fuzz
Dir. Christopher Walsh · 2:30
A long-limbed, fuzzy-haired creature will do whatever it takes to keep you watching his show.
Out of the Hands of the Wicked
Dirs. Sargent, Hackman · 5:00
Old Pa boasts of his triumph over evil and how he came to lock the devil in his heart.
The Shitty Ride
Dir. Cole Doran · 9:13
Hoping to impress the girl of his dreams, Cole buys a used car but gets more than he bargained for.
9:30 PM

Invited

— Feature · 73 minDir. Navin Ramaswaran
🧏 ASL / Open CaptionsHorrorCanada 🇨🇦

When a reluctant mother attends her daughter's Zoom elopement, she and the rest of the family quickly realize the groom is part of a Russian cult with deadly intentions.

Opens with

Defile
Dir. Brian Sepanzyk · 11:40
A couple's getaway is interrupted by a strange family who exposes them to horrors beyond the treeline.
A Mother's Love
Dir. Lisa Ovies · 2:29
A young girl deals with the consequences of trusting someone online.

Friday, November 22

7:00 PM

Creepy Bits

— Horror Anthology · 90 min

Set among forests, lakes, and small towns — a horror anthology series from five innovative filmmakers exploring human vs. nature, isolation, and a landscape that isn't afraid to fight back.

Horror AnthologyCanada 🇨🇦
The Massacurra Man
Dir. Adrian Bobb · 10:35
Hitman Jamie targets the owner of a roadside monster attraction — who turns out far tougher than expected.
Bonded
Dir. Ashlea Wessel · 13:53
A father and son at a remote cabin discover they may be more connected than they know.
Hors d'Oeuvre
Dir. David J. Fernandes · 10:42
Vicky's downtime on her houseboat is interrupted by something sinister lurking below.
Black Empanadas
Dir. Sid Zanforlin · 11:33
A couple's empanada bakery dream meets a ghostly ancestor and a supernatural recipe.
Route 17
Dir. Kelly Paoli · 7:54
A ride-share driver and his passenger may both have ulterior motives.
Wretch
Dir. Sid Zanforlin · 9:55
Two boys dare each other to spend three nights in an abandoned warehouse — an ancient demon awakens.
Leave No Trace
Dir. David J. Fernandes · 8:50
A proposal in the wilderness is interrupted when nature itself comes to life.
Below
Dir. Adrian Bobb · 11:15
Spreading ashes at a family lake, Yara and her son find the dark history refuses to stay submerged.
Horticulture for Beginners
Dir. Kelly Paoli · 7:27
A tour group in the forest witnesses a rare flora — and possibly the mythological creature that brought it there.
9:30 PM

Pins and Needles

— Feature · 81 minDir. James Villeneuve
Horror ThrillerCanada 🇨🇦

Max, a diabetic biology grad student, is entrapped in a devilish new-age wellness experiment and must escape a lethal game of cat and mouse to avoid becoming the next test subject extending the lives of the rich and privileged.

Opens with

Adjoining
Dirs. Houde, Daulby · 11:42
A couple's motel stay takes a chilling turn when they discover they're being observed.

Saturday, November 23 Closing Night

4:00 PM

Emerging Screams

— Shorts Program · 94 min

Short films from brilliant first-time directors and the most promising student filmmakers in Canadian horror.

HorrorCanada 🇨🇦
Apnea
Dir. David Matheson · 14:58
A single mother finds her career and son's safety in jeopardy when her late mother begins possessing her in sleep.
Nereid
Dir. Lori Zozzolotto · 7:48
A mysterious woman escapes from an abusive relationship with earth-shattering results.
Bedlamer
Dir. Alexa Jane Jerrett · 15:00
A lonely settlement of men captures otherworldly creatures that were never meant to be tamed.
🏆 Best Cinematography
Blocked
Dir. Aisha Alfa · 6:30
A new mom is literally consumed with the futility of cleaning up after her kid.
Dance of the Faery
Dir. Kaela Brianna Egert · 10:23
A woman cleaning her great aunt's home realizes the obsession with fairies was born not of love, but of fear.
Deep End
Dir. Juan Pablo Saenz · 7:36
A gay couple's heated hike argument spirals into a nightmare when one of them vanishes.
Ojichaag — Spirit Within
Dir. Rachel Beaulieu · 11:21
An emotionally devastated woman faces death in spirit form and must decide whether to let go or fight.
Lure
Dir. Jacob Phair · 9:56
A tormented father awaits the return of the man who saved his son's life.
Let Me In
Dirs. Buxton, Smith · 10:00
A reluctant man interviews an unusual immigration candidate: himself from a doomed dimension.
7:00 PM

The Silent Planet

— Feature · 95 minDir. Jeffrey St. Jules
🏆 Best Screenplay🏆 Best Supporting Acting — FeatureSci-fiCanada 🇨🇦

An aging convict serving a life sentence alone on a distant planet is forced to confront his past when a new prisoner shows up and pushes him to remember his life on earth.

Opens with

Ascension
Dir. Kenzie Yango · 3:57
Two friends on a hike hear a strange humming emanating from somewhere in the woods.
9:30 PM

Scared Shitless

— Feature · 73 minDir. Vivieno Caldinelli
🏆 Best Picture🏆 Special Makeup EffectsHorror ComedyCanada 🇨🇦

A plumber and his germophobic son are forced to get their hands dirty to save the residents of an apartment building when a genetically engineered, blood-thirsty creature escapes into the plumbing system.

Opens with

Oh…Canada
Dir. Vincenzo Nappi · 6:20
A musical look into the artifice surrounding Canadian identity.

2024 Bloodies — Award Winners

BITS 2024 Winner Laurels

Best Picture

🏆 Scared Shitless — dir. Vivieno Caldinelli

Best Director

🏆 Markian Tarasiuk (Hunting Matthew Nichols)

Best Lead Acting — Feature

🏆 Ayisha Issa (Dark Match)

Best Supporting Acting — Feature

🏆 Elias Koteas (The Silent Planet)

Best Screenplay

🏆 Jeffrey St. Jules (The Silent Planet)

Best Cinematography

🏆 Nigel Markham (Bedlamer)

Best Editing

🏆 Arielle Skolnik (How to Stay Awake)

Best Music Score

🏆 David Arcus, Terry Benn, Michelle Osis & Stew Kirkwood (Dark Match)

Special Makeup Effects

🏆 Scared Shitless

Best Short Film

🏆 The Living Room — dir. Joslyn Rogers

Best Lead Acting — Short

🏆 Nhi Do (The Sorrow)

Best Sound Design

🏆 Tales from the Void: "Whistle in the Woods"

Vanguard Award

🏆 Chelsea Clark

Festival Info

🎭 Venue

Isabel Bader Theatre
93 Charles St W
Toronto, ON
Nightly Nov 18–23 · Filmmaker Q&As to follow.

🍻 After-Parties

Tranzac Club
292 Brunswick Ave, Toronto
9:30 PM – close · Nov 18–23

🎬 Industry Events

Deadly Exposure Industry Conference
deadlyexposure.ca

📬 Contact

Kelly Michael Stewart
Festival Director
info@bloodinthesnow.ca