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Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival

Film festival in Toronto, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival (BITS), also known as Blood in the Snow, is an annual film festival held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1] It was founded in 2012.[2][3]

StatusActive
GenreFilm festival
VenueIsabelle Bader Theatre
LocationToronto, Ontario
Quick facts Status, Genre ...
Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival
StatusActive
GenreFilm festival
VenueIsabelle Bader Theatre
LocationToronto, Ontario
CountryCanada
Inaugurated2012; 14 years ago (2012)
Most recent
November 17–22, 2025
Websitebloodinthesnow.ca
Close

The festival has taken place every year in November since 2012.[4][5] Each year, they present awards dubbed "Bloodies." Described as an event that "fills the seasonal gap between Halloween and Christmas,"[3] the festival's programming focuses on Canadian films, horror films, and underground films.[5][6][7]

The most recent festival was held from November 17 through November 22, 2025,[8] with Influencers winning the award for Best Film.[9]

History

2012—2021

The festival began in 2012 as spinoff of the monthly film night hosted and programmed by Kelly Micheal Stewart called "Fright Nights at the Projection Booth," which were held at the former Projection Booth Cinema (later re-opened in 2019 as the Grand Gerrard[10]) in Toronto.[2][3] Running from November 30 to December 2, 2012, the program that year included 6 feature films and 13 shorts, such as Sick: Survive the Night, In The House of Flies, Beyond The Black Rainbow, Devil's Night, Famine, and Blood for Irina.[2][11][12]

The 2013 festival, running from November 29 to December 1, 2013, marked the first year the festival utilized a traditional festival submission layout with the introduction of a full programming team.[13] The lineup featured 7 feature films and 16 shorts films, including Evangeline, Thanatomorphose, Ghostkeepers, Blood Riders: The Devil Rides with Us, Clean Break, Criminal, and Discopath.[13] The 2014 festival ran from November 28 to 30, 2014, and saw the lineup expanded to 8 feature films and 15 short films, including Queen of Blood (starring Skinny Puppy's Nivek Ogre), Ejecta, and Black Mountain Side.[14][15]

The 2015 edition of the festival saw the expansion of the Industry Panels but also saw the shrinking down of the vendor village; the lineup included 8 feature films and 15 shorts, running from November 27 to 29, 2015, with screenings of Night Cries, Secret Santa, White Raven, Farhope Tower, The Dark Stranger, Save Yourself, Bite, and Larry Kent's controversial She Who Must Burn, which won best picture at the festival that year.[16][17][18]

From 2017 until 2021, Blood in the Snow was held at the 390-seat Royal Cinema in Toronto

The 2016 festival moved to the Cineplex cinema at Yonge—Dundas Square and was held from November 24 to November 27, with an expanded 9 features and 24 shorts. The festival also launched its first DVD compilation of short films entitled Blood in the Snow presents: Bloody BITS Shorts Compilation. Films hosted included 3 Dead Trick or Treaters,[19] Streamer,[20] Inspiration,[21] Capture Kill Release,[22] The Sublet,[23] 24 x 36: A Movie about Movie Posters,[24] Holy Hell,[25] Kidnap Capital,[26] and winner of the best picture at that year's festival, The Unseen.[27][28]

The 2017 edition of the festival saw another venue change as BITS moved to it new home at the Royal Cinema.[29] The move meant the elimination of the traditional midnight show that had been part of the programming since 2012, but saw the festival stay at 4 days in length, running November 23 until November 26, 2017. The move also added another 100 seats in capacity for the festival and attendance numbers continued to grow. Films hosted included Red Spring,[30] Blood Child,[31] Fake Blood,[32][33][34] The Child Remains,[35][36] Buckout Road,[37] Art of Obsession,[38] Kill Order (aka Meza),[39] Darken,[40][41] and the holiday slasher Once Upon a Time at Christmas.[42] In 2018, the festival was held from November 22 to November 27.[7] That year, it was described as "Canada's largest celebration of Canuck genre film."[7] In 2019, the festival was held from November 21 to November 26,[43] with Gruesome Magazine describing the event as "a unique and imaginative showcase of contemporary Canadian horror, genre, and underground cinema..."[44]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the festival partnered with Super Channel Fuse to hold virtual screenings for its 2020 edition.[45] In 2021, the festival launched a development lab for under-represented filmmakers,[46] and it also ran virtual screenings in tandem with limited in-person screenings at the Royal Cinema as the COVID-19 pandemic continued.[6]

Since 2022, Blood in the Snow has been held at the 500-seat Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto

2022—present

In 2022, the festival moved to the 500-seat Isabel Bader Theatre at the University of Toronto and ran from November 22 until November 26.[3] Since 2022, the festival has been held at the Isabel Bader Theatre.

The 2023 festival ran from November 20 until November 25 and the lineup included the Sundance Film Festival selection My Animal starring Bobbi Salvör Menuez and Amandla Stenberg and other films such as The Last Video Store and The Hyperborean.[4]

The 2024 festival ran from November 18 until November 23 and the lineup included horror films such as Pins and Needles starring Chelsea Clark and Scared Shitless starring Steven Ogg.[47][48] In 2025, the festival was held from November 17 until November 22, 2025.[8]

The 2025 festival opened with Houston Bone's Son of Sara: Volume 1 starring Chloe Van Landschoot,[49] and it closed with the sequel to Kurtis David Harder's Influencer starring Cassandra Naud ahead of the latter's December 12, 2025 release on Shudder.[50][51] Influencers won the festival's top award for Best Film.[9]

Bloodies

Each year since 2012, the festival has organized a small jury of film and show business professionals to determine winners of awards called "Bloodies" or "Bloodie Awards."[52][53][54]

Award nominations and winners

Winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface. Between 2012 and 2019, no nominees were announced publicly. Since 2020, nominations have been announced in most categories.

2012

Best Feature Film
  • In the House of Flies
Best Director
  • Gabriel Carrer, In the House of Flies
  • Panos Cosmatos, Beyond the Black Rainbow

(tied)

Best Actor
  • Ryan Kotack, In the House of Flies
Best Actress
  • Lindsay Smith, In the House of Flies
Best Cinematography
Best Screenplay
  • Angus McLellan, In the House of Flies
Best Editing
  • Nicholas T. Shepard, Beyond the Black Rainbow
Best Musical Score
  • Chris Alexander, Blood for Irina
Best Short Film
  • The Post-Lifers

2013

Best Feature Film
Best Director
  • Karen Lam, Evangeline
Best Actor
  • Jeremie Earp-Lavergne, Discopath
Best Actress
  • Kayden Rose, Thanatomorphose
Best Cinematography
  • Michael Balfry, Evangeline
Best Screenplay
  • Renaud Gauthier, Discopath
Best Special FX
  • David Scherer and Remy Couture, Thanatomorphose
Best Musical Score
  • Elliot Dawson-Clark, Criminal
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Tasha and Friends
Best Short Film
  • Tasha and Friends


2014

Best Feature Film
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
  • Alyssa King, Berkshire County
Best Cinematography
  • Cameron Tremblay, Black Mountain Side
Best Screenplay
  • Matt O'Mahoney, Bloody Knuckles
Best Special FX
  • Bloody Knuckles
Best Musical Score
  • Chris Alexander, Queen of Blood
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Kyle Hytonen, Massacre at Femur Creek
Best Short Film
  • Greater Than



2015

Best Feature Film
Best Director
Best Actor
  • John White, Farhope Tower
Best Actress
Best Cinematography
  • D. Gregor Hagey, The Dark Stranger
Best Screenplay
  • Andrew Cymek, Night Cries
Best Special FX
  • Jason Derushie, Bite
Best Musical Score
  • Andre Becker, Secret Santa
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Brandon Marsh, Bite
Best Short Film
  • Chiral
Vanguard Award
  • Greg Kovacs, Stephanie Christiaens, Nathan Hawkins, Darren Hutchings, Brad McMillan

2016

Best Feature Film
Best Director
  • Kevin Burke, 24x36: A Movie Poster about Movie Posters
Best Actor
  • Aden Young, The Unseen
Best Actress
  • Tianna Nori, The Sublet
Best Cinematography
  • Greg Biskup, The Sublet
Best Screenplay
  • Felipe Rodriguez, Kidnap Capital
Best Special FX
  • Carolyn Williams, Madre De Dios
Best Musical Score
  • Stephen Schooley, 3 Dead Trick or Treaters
Best Editing
  • Kevin Burke, 24x36: A Movie Poster about Movie Posters
Best Ensemble Cast
  • Kidnap Capital
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Paul Ainsworth, Joshua Budich, Sara Deck, Gary Pullin, Matt Tobin, 24x36: A Movie Poster about Movie Posters
Best Short Film
  • Cauchemar Capitonne
Vanguard Award
  • Greg Kovacs, Stephanie Christiaens, Nathan Hawkins, Darren Hutchings, Brad McMillan
Rising Star Award

2017

Best Feature Film
Best Director
Best Actor
  • Jeff Sinasac, Red Spring
Best Actress
Best Cinematography
  • James Griffith, Darken
Best Screenplay
  • Matthew Currie Holmes and Shahin Chandrasoma, The Curse of Buckout Road
Best Special FX
  • Kill Order
Best Musical Score
  • Jim McGrath, Darken
Best Editing
  • Rob Grant, Fake Blood
Best Ensemble Cast
  • Art of Obsession
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Darken
Best Short Film
  • Bestia
Vanguard Award
  • Ry Barrett
Rising Star Award
  • Alyx Melone, Blood Child and Talking Heads

2018


Best Feature Film
  • Montreal Dead End
Best Director
Best Actor
  • Josh Collins, Hammer of the Gods
Best Actress
Best Cinematography
  • Michael Jari Davidson, SuperGrid
Best Screenplay
  • Danishka Esterhazyv, Level 16
Best Special FX
  • Alive
Best Musical Score
Best Editing
Best Ensemble Cast
  • Montreal Dead End
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Small Dog Design, Altered Skin
Best Short Film
  • Lay Them Straight
Best Web Series
  • Necessary Evil
Most Promising Debut
  • Frostbite
Vanguard Award
  • Jesse Thomas Cook
Rising Star Award
  • Danishka Esterhazyv, Level 16

2019

Best Feature Film
Best Director
  • Brandon Christensen, Z
Best Actor
  • Heston Horwin, Dead Dicks
Best Actress
Best Cinematography
  • Julian Garofalo, The Nights Before Christmas
Best Screenplay
  • Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer, Dead Dicks
Best Special FX
  • Ryan Nicholson, Puppet Killer
Best Musical Score
  • Joee Cons and Mike Bistani with Hatiras, Raveage
Best Editing
  • Jeremy Lutter, Giltrude's Dwelling
Best Ensemble Cast
  • Happy Face
Best Web Series
  • Deep Six
Best Podcast
  • Witch Finger Horror Podcast
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • One in Two People
Best Short Film
  • Romi
Vanguard Award
  • Audrey Cummings, She Never Died
Rising Star Award
  • Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer, Dead Dicks

2020

[55]

Best Feature Film
Best Director
  • Francesco Giannini, Hall
  • Amelia Moses, Bloodthirsty
  • Anthony Scott Burns, Come True
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Cinematography (Feature or Short Film)
Best Screenplay (Feature or Short Film)
  • Anthony Scott Burns, Come True
  • Derrick Adams and Adam Colony, Hall
  • Hugo Chetelat, Rembobine (Rewind)
Ryan Nicholson Special Makeup Effects Award
  • Boriana Karan, Come True
  • Remi Couture, Hall
  • Dera Veinot and The Butcher Shop, For the Sake of Vicious
Best Musical Score
  • Anthony Scott Burns, Come True
  • Gabriel Carrer and Foxgrndr, For the Sake of Vicious
  • Cédric Martel, Rembobine (Rewind)
Best Editing
  • Steve Villeneuve, Hail to the Deadites
  • Anthony Scott Burns, Come True
  • Lucas Villegas, Hall
Best Ensemble Cast
  • For the Sake of Vicious (awarded to the stunt team)
  • Anything for Jackson
  • Hall
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Hail to the Deadites
  • Clout
  • Fade
Best Short Film
  • Toto
  • Freya
  • Rembobine (Rewind)
Best Digital Series
  • Eslura: The First Monolith
  • All The Wrong things in the Right Places
  • Zahara: The Return

2021

[56]

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Cinematography
  • Scott McClellan, The Righteous
  • Billy Buttery, Flee The Light
  • Kevin A. Fraser, Tin Can
Best Screenplay
  • Rueben Martell and Gerald Wexler, Don't Say Its Name
  • Anton Jøsef and Lisi Purr, Break Any Spell
  • Seth A. Smith and Darcy Spidle, Tin Can
Best Special FX
  • The Chamber of Terror
  • Tin Can
  • Vicious Fun
Best Editing
  • Jason William Lee, Funhouse
  • Mike Gallant, Vicious Fun
  • Seth A. Smith, Tin Can
Best Poster (Feature or Short Film)
  • Peppergrass
  • He Comes at Night
  • Kweskosiw (she whistles)
Best Short Film
  • They're Here
  • That Halloween
  • We All Dream
Best Micro-Short Film
  • Little Red
  • Babysitting
  • Breakfast
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Sera-Lys McArthur, Kweskosiw (she whistles)
  • Onna Chan, Red String of Fate
  • Mya McNair, Ella
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Short Film
Best Digital Series
  • Narcoleap: Season Two
  • Creepy Bits
  • Revenge of the Snowflakes

2022

Poster for Influencer, 2022 award winner

[57][58]

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Feature Film
  • Gabrielle Graham, Relax, I'm From the Future
  • Liv Collins Cook, Cult Hero
  • Madison Walsh, Dark Nature
Best Cinematography
  • David Schuurman, Influencer
  • Jaryl Lim, Dark Nature
  • Liam Meredith, Darkside
Best Screenplay
  • Kurtis David Harder and Tesh Guttikonda, Influencer
  • Jason Brennan, The Inhuman
  • Lukas Higgenson, Relax, I'm From The Future
Best Special FX
  • Daniel Baker and Chris Cooper, The Breach
  • Shantel Capri and Kyra Macpherson, Dark Nature
  • Benjamin McGregor, Darkside
Best Editing (Feature or Short Film)
Best Musical Score
  • Adrian Ellis, Cult Hero
  • Alain Auger, The Inhuman
  • Avery Kentis, Influencer
Best Poster
  • Cult Hero
  • The Breach
  • Shifted
Best Short Film
    • Angakusajaujuq: The Shaman's Apprentice
    • Darkside
    • Death & the Mysteries of Raising Powerful Children
    • L'Abattu des Vents (The Wind Down)
    • One of Those Good Lives
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Blakely David, Darkside
  • Sean Depner, One of Those Good Lives
  • Miley Haik, Last Christmas
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Daniel Coo, Vicinal
  • Madison Cheeatow, Last Christmas
  • Donald Sales, One of Those Good Lives
Best Digital Series
  • Shadow of the Rougarou
  • CCF's Solstice Stories
  • The Forest King

2023

[59][9]

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Cinematography
  • Bryn McCashin, My Animal
  • Daniel Everitt-Lock, Purgatory Jack
  • Benji Irwin, The Last Video Store
  • Patrick McLaughlin, Romi
Best Screenplay
  • Jae Matthews, My Animal
  • Sean Kohnen and Matthew Kohnenl, Last County
  • Tim Rutherford, Joshua Roach, The Last Video Store
Best Editing
  • Cody Kennedy, The Last Video Store
  • Mikaela Bodin, Scott Richter, Last County
  • Bridget Durnford, Romi
  • Rémi Fréchette, The Dam
Best Sound Design
  • Sylvain Bellemare, White Noise
  • Frank Laratta, Romi
  • Dean Hurley, My Animal
Ryan Nicholson Special Makeup Effects Award
    • ZIP
    • My Animal
    • The Last Video Store
    • Saint-Sacrifice
Best Short Film
    • Orest Leere and His Marvelous, Mysterious, Malicious Empathy Machine
    • Saint-Sacrifice
    • T-Bone
    • White Noise
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Short Film
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Tyler Grace, The Suckamoto Sales Incident
  • Sean Baek, Cold
  • Kelly Hope Taylor, Ivan

2024


[60][61]

Best Picture
Best Director
  • Markian Tarasiuk, Hunting Matthew Nichols
  • Joslyn Rogers, The Living Room
  • Jeffrey St. Jules, The Silent Planet
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Cinematography
  • Nigel Markham, Bedlamer
  • Karim Hussain, Dark Match
  • Kaayla Whachell, The Sorrow
Best Screenplay
  • Jeffrey St. Jules, The Silent Planet
  • Monica La Vella, Invited
  • Joslyn Rogers, The Living Room
Best Editing
  • Arielle Skolnik, How To Stay Awake
  • Tiffany Beaudin and Jeffrey St. Jules, The Silent Planet
  • Vincent Ruel-Côté, Mean Ends
Best Sound Design
  • Tales from the Void: “Whistle in the Woods”
  • Pins and Needles
  • How To Stay Awake
Special Makeup Effects Award
  • Scared Shitless
  • Dungeon of Death
  • Night Lab
Best Musical Score
  • David Arcus, Terry Benn, Michelle Osis, Stew Kirkwood, Dark Match
  • Vincenzo Nappi, Oh... Canada
  • Benjamin Hackman and Anthony William Wallace, Out of the Hands of the Wicked
Best Short Film
  • The Living Room
  • Defile
  • The Sorrow
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Nhi Do, The Sorrow
  • Celestine Caravaggio, Apnea
  • Corrine Koslo, Shiva
Vanguard Award
  • Chelsea Clark

2025

Poster for Son of Sara: Volume 1, 2025 award winner

[62][63]

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Feature Film
Best Cinematography
  • David Schuurman, Influencers
  • Vincent Biron, Violence
  • Dmitry Lopatin, Son of Sara: Volume 1
  • Saarthak Taneja, Foreigner
Best Screenplay
  • Ava Maria Safai, Foreigner
  • Kurtis David Harder, Influencers
  • Simon Glassman, Buffet Infinity
Best Editing in a Feature Film
  • Robert Grant & Kurtis David Harder, Influencers
  • Kevan Byrne, Nash the Slash Rises, Again
  • Mark Hussey, Violence
Best Special FX (Makeup) in a Feature Film
  • The Butcher Shop, Fresh Meat
  • The Butcher Shop, Violence
  • Daniella Pluchino, Son of Sara: Volume 1
Best Musical Score
  • Nowhere2run, Violence
  • Avery Kentis, Influencers
  • Spencer Creaghan, Son of Sara: Volume 1
Best Short Film
  • Zoé
  • Echo
  • He
Best Lead Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Nisha Coleman, Zoé
  • Jordan Alexander, Echo
  • Jane Moffat, Time Eater
  • Chloe Van Landschoot, Heirloom
Best Supporting Acting Performance in a Short Film
  • Patrice Dubois, Hammer, Wrench and Screwdriver (Marteau, clé anglaise & tournevis)
  • Hannah Klamann, Tingling
  • Heather Gardner, My Friend Saabe
Best Digital or Web Series
  • Ominous
  • Ghosting
  • Jeff Dotter: Space Courier
The "Indestructible" Award for Best Promising Filmmaker
  • Morningstar Derosier
  • Dylan Pun
  • Rémy St-Michel

Associated projects

Late Night Double Feature

Main article: Late Night Double Feature

In 2014, the team behind the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival made an anthology film called Late Night Double Feature. The film premiered at the 2014 New York City Horror Film Festival,[64] and it was later picked up for distribution by Parade Deck Films in North America.[65] Late Night Double Feature won "Best in Horror" at the 2015 Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival, and it received a 3 out of 4 rating from Fangoria.[66]

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