🇨🇦 Fearless Canadian Horror

Film Festival · Deadly Exposure · Horror Development Lab

🩸 Isabel Bader Theatre · Toronto · Nov 16–21, 2026

🩸 Submissions Now Open

Submit on FilmFreeway Get Your Pass
Blood in the Snow Film Festival + Deadly Exposure · November 16–21, 2026 · Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto Blood in the Snow Film Festival + Deadly Exposure · November 16–21, 2026 · Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto

BITS 2026 poster illustration by Andrew Barr @apb_art

2026 Blood in the Snow Festival poster by Andrew Barr — click to enlarge

Our Yeti isn't walking the bloody red carpet alone this year… He's dragging something out of the frozen snow. Ghosts, ghouls, reapers, witches—a chainsaw-wielding beaver—and a bubbling alien—made the guest list. Blood in the Snow 2026 is crawling with monsters. All Canadian. All dressed to kill. All welcome.

2026 Festival Artwork

🩸 We're thrilled to announce the artwork for the 2026 Blood in the Snow Film Festival was created by Canadian illustrator:

Andrew Barr

November 16–21, 2026 · Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto

GET YOUR PASS EARLY

Across 6 nights of bold Canadian genre cinema — filmmaker Q&As, after parties, and the moments behind the scenes that connect fans, filmmakers, and horror fiends alike — plus live pitches & development work at the Horror Development Lab, and networking, industry panels & round tables at Deadly Exposure — Canada's premier horror & genre film festival returns for its
15th edition.

🩸 Early bird passes are available now — save up to 25% before prices go up.

2026 Festival Passes · Early Bird Pricing
Deluxe Deadly Exposure Pass — BITS Industry Conference, November 16–21, 2026
Most Inclusive

Deluxe Deadly Exposure Pass

  • Industry round tables (Nov 20–21)
  • Deadly Exposure industry panels (Nov 21–22)
  • Priority access to all 8 feature films (TBD) Nov 16–21
  • All 5 short film programs — Dark Visions, Monsters & Martians, BITS and Bytes, Funny Frights & Unusual Sights, Bloody Spirits of Winter
  • Watch Dev Lab Micro Panels (Nov 16–17) — exclusive
  • Watch Dev Lab pitches (Nov 17) — exclusive
  • Industry Cocktails invite
  • 15% off all BITS merch
Early Bird
$180
reg. $240
Get Pass →
Deadly Exposure Industry Pass, November 16–21, 2026
Industry

Deadly Exposure Industry Pass

  • Industry round tables (Nov 20–21)
  • Deadly Exposure industry panels (Nov 21–22)
  • Priority access to all 8 feature films (TBD) Nov 16–21
  • All 5 short film programs — Dark Visions, Monsters & Martians, BITS and Bytes, Funny Frights & Unusual Sights, Bloody Spirits of Winter
  • Industry Cocktails invite
  • 15% off all BITS merch
Early Bird
$135
reg. $180
Get Pass →
Blood in the Snow Film Festival + Deadly Exposure Festival Pass, November 16–21, 2026
🍁 Best Value Film Festival + Deadly Exposure

BITS 2026 Screening Pass

  • Priority access to all 8 feature films (TBD) Nov 16–21
  • All 5 short film programs — Dark Visions, Monsters & Martians, BITS and Bytes, Funny Frights & Unusual Sights, Bloody Spirits of Winter
  • 15% off all BITS merch
Early Bird
$90
reg. $120
Get Pass →
BITS 2026 Short Film Pass — Dark Visions, Monsters and Martians, BITS and Bytes, Funny Frights and Unusual Sights, Bloody Spirits of Winter
Short Film Programs

BITS Short Film Pass

  • Dark Visions — horror shorts
  • Monsters & Martians — sci-fi shorts
  • BITS and Bytes — web/digital series, proof-of-concept & music videos
  • Funny Frights & Unusual Sights — comedy, genre & animation
  • Bloody Spirits of Winter — Indigenous, Métis & Inuit horror shorts
  • Priority access to all 5 programs at Isabel Bader Theatre (Nov 16–21)
  • 15% off all BITS merch
Early Bird 25% off
$41.25
reg. $55
Get Pass →
My Bloody Valentine 45th Anniversary Screening – National Canadian Film Day
National Canadian Film Day National Canadian Film Day

My Bloody Valentine

45th Anniversary Screening · Uncut Version (93 min)

Kelly Michael Stewart invites you to the 45th anniversary screening of the 1981 Canadian slasher classic — the director-approved 93-minute uncut version, screened as part of National Canadian Film Day. Directed by George Mihalka, starring Paul Kelman, Lori Hallier, and Neil Affleck.

A special 45th anniversary poster by artist Gary Pullin . Stay for a Q&A with Director George Mihalka and Producer Bob Presner, hosted by Kelly Michael Stewart.

Wed, April 15, 2026 9:00 PM Scotiabank Theatre, Toronto
Tickets Sold Out — Rush at the Door
📢

Guest update: Actor Neil Affleck is unfortunately unable to attend. We're thrilled to welcome actor Thomas Kovacs, who played Mike in My Bloody Valentine, joining Director George Mihalka and Producer Bob Presner for the Q&A.

Confirmed Guests · Q&A Panel
Kelly Michael Stewart, Festival Director
National Canadian Film Day In partnership with canfilmday.ca

Hosted by Kelly Michael Stewart · Scotiabank Theatre · Wed Apr 15 · 9 PM

George Mihalka, Director
George Mihalka Director

Recipient of the Canadian Trailblazer Award (Fantasia 2025) and the Directors Guild of Canada's Lifetime Achievement Award — honours recognizing a lasting impact on Canadian film and genre cinema. A proud BITS alum.

Bob Presner, Producer
Bob Presner Producer

Producer of My Bloody Valentine (1981) and Keeping Track (1986). Joins the Q&A to share behind-the-scenes stories from one of Canada's most beloved horror films. Offering rare insight into its production, legacy, and enduring cult status.

Thomas Kovacs, Actor
Thomas Kovacs Actor · Mike

Appeared in My Bloody Valentine (1981) before building a career as a live performer. Joins the Q&A to share behind-the-scenes experiences from the film and reflect on its lasting cult legacy.

Latest

NEWS

🩸 Updates & announcements from BITS

BITS Radio podcast season art
🎙 Podcast · Featured

BITS Radio — New Season is Live

A brand-new season of BITS Radio has dropped, recorded live at BITS 2025. Go behind the scenes with Canadian genre filmmakers in this exclusive podcast series.

BITS Radio · 2025
Listen now →
Announcements
2026 Blood in the Snow Festival artwork by Andrew Barr
🎨 Festival Artwork

2026 Festival Artwork by Andrew Barr

We're thrilled to announce the artwork for the 2026 Blood in the Snow Film Festival was created by Canadian illustrator Andrew Barr. Known for his work in a major national newspaper, album covers, comics, and pinup art. @apb_art · apb-art.com

apb-art.com
My Bloody Valentine 45th Anniversary Screening poster
❤️ Special Event

My Bloody Valentine — 45th Anniversary Screening at National Canadian Film Day

Wednesday April 15 · 9 PM · Scotiabank Theatre. Kelly Michael Stewart hosts the uncut screening followed by a Q&A with Director George Mihalka and Producer Bob Presner. Features an exclusive 45th anniversary poster by artist Ghoulish Gary Pullin. Tickets sold out — rush at the door.

Apr 15, 2026 · Sold Out · Rush at the Door
Submissions
BITS 2026 film submissions open
🩸 Submissions

2026 Film Submissions Are Now Open

Submissions are open for BITS 2026! Submit your Canadian horror, sci-fi, or genre film on FilmFreeway. The festival runs November 16–21 at the Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto — don't miss the early bird deadline!

FilmFreeway · Open now
Bloody Spirits of Winter — Indigenous horror shorts program
❄️ Indigenous Programming

Bloody Spirits of Winter — Submissions Now Open

BITS is now accepting submissions for Bloody Spirits of Winter, our Indigenous, Métis and Inuit horror shorts program exploring the supernatural and survival. Submit on FilmFreeway.

FilmFreeway · Open now
BITS 2026 Horror Development Lab submissions open
🧪 Development Lab

2026 Horror Development Lab — Submissions Now Open

Applications are open for the BITS Horror Development Lab, running alongside the festival November 16–21. The Lab is a development program focused on facilitating business and production opportunities for genre scripted projects by traditionally underrepresented BIPOC, women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadian filmmakers.

Horror Dev Lab · Open now
Upcoming
Calgary Underground Film Festival poster
🎬 Festival

BITS at Calgary Underground Film Festival

Festival Director Kelly Michael Stewart will be attending the Calgary Underground Film Festival April 16–20 as a special jury member and participating in industry round tables.

Apr 16–20, 2026 · calgaryundergroundfilm.org
BITS at Shock Stock London Ontario
💀 Convention

BITS at Shock Stock — London, Ontario

The Blood in the Snow crew is heading back to Shock Stock! Find us April 30–May 3 in London, Ontario for a weekend of horror, cult cinema, and genre mayhem!

Apr 30–May 3, 2026 · London, ON
BITS co-presenting Witching Hour at imagineNATIVE
🌙 Co-Presentation

BITS Co-Presenting "Witching Hour" at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

Blood in the Snow is proud to co-present the Witching Hour horror program at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival on Friday, June 5. imagineNATIVE is the world's largest presenter of Indigenous screen content.

Jun 5, 2026 · imagineNATIVE
Stay Connected
Northern Frights — the BITS newsletter
🫀 Newsletter

Subscribe to Northern Frights — The BITS Newsletter

Stay up to date with festival news, film announcements, and industry updates delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to Northern Frights, the official Blood in the Snow newsletter.

Mailchimp · Free

ABOUT US

🩸 15 years of fearless Canadian horror & genre cinema

🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada · Not-For-Profit
Festival Director Kelly Michael Stewart on stage
Kelly Michael Stewart Festival Director & Founder Read full bio →
Horror Sci-Fi Genre Canada 🇨🇦

The Blood in the Snow Film Festival (BITS) is a unique and imaginative showcase of Canadian horror, genre, and underground cinema that exists to challenge social boundaries, explore artistic taboos, and support and exhibit independent Canadian genre media artists. It was first created in 2012 as a non-profit organization with a mandate to highlight the best in contemporary genre filmmaking in Canada. The Blood in the Snow Film Festival is also on the eligibility list of festivals for the Canadian Screen Awards.

15
Years Running
Canadian Screen Awards qualifying festival
Canadian Screen Awards
FilmFreeway Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals
Voted Top 100
🍁
All Canadian
🎬 What We Do
  • Premiere bold Canadian horror, sci-fi & genre cinema
  • Produce the BITS Film Festival, Deadly Exposure Industry Conference & BITS Horror Development Lab
  • Connect filmmakers through Q&As, panels & industry networking
  • Champion independent filmmakers & bold storytelling
📍 Where & When
Festival Team
The People Behind the Scenes
2026
Core Festival Team
Kelly Michael StewartFestival Director & Founder
Vanessa MagicDevelopment Coordinator
Emily DixIndustry Coordinator
Sarah ParrishWeb, Digital Media Coordinator
Adam ReichPrint Traffic Coordinator
Frederica Black, Cassandra JohnFrederica Black Events
Shanice BowrinLab & Industry Assistant
Cebastian RobertsFront of House
Stephane AllardTheatre Traffic Editor & Production
Film Programmers
Nadine L'Esperance
Norman McGlashan
Dara Jade Moats
Heidy Morales
Kelly Michael Stewart
Jessie Robbins
Dallas Soonias
Melanie Turner
View full bios →
Development Lab
Leads
Heather Buckley
Anelle Dehghani
Rueben Martell
Jury
Joanne Belluco
Joel H. Brewster
Theresa Cutknife
Raine Petrie
Chloe Navaretnam
Bloodies Awards Juries
Features
Trey Anderson
Dre Boulet
James Dixon
August Kyss
View full bios →
Shorts
Ashli Agate
Rachel Beaulieu
Luis Ceriz
Kevin Cormier
Creative & Support
DesignSmall Dog Design
LogisticsSanjay Mohanta
Radio HostRobert Bellamy
Photography (Festival)Colleen Yates
Photography (Industry)Megan Robinson, Jordan Probst
AnimationLance Fernandes
MusicJoshua Love
DJDJ D-Rock, DJ Osaze
Indigenous Advisory Committee
James Dixon
Nadine L'Esperance
Rueben Martell
Dallas Soonias
Dawn Wells
View full bios →

Partners & Services
InsuranceMarquee Insurance
Legal (IP)Shift Law
BookkeepingMichelle Herscu, MLHC
AccountingWilson Woo, Oasis LLP
Board of Directors 2025–2026
Kelly Michael StewartChair
Cindy HindsVice Chair
Jen GormanSecretary-Treasurer
Sarah ParrishMember at Large
Melanie TurnerMember at Large
Film Screening Programs
Our Programming
2026

We are thrilled to open submissions for the 15th annual Blood in the Snow Film Festival running at the Isabel Bader Theatre, November 16–21, 2026. BITS is a Canadian Screen Award qualifying festival consistently listed as one of the Top 100 reviewed festivals in the world on FilmFreeway.

🩸 At BITS, we curate five distinct short film programs each year, in addition to our feature film lineup and opening shorts. All submitted films are reviewed by our programming team. We accept submissions exclusively through FilmFreeway.

Screening Programs
Feature Films
Feature Films

Canadian horror, sci-fi, action & thrillers. Toronto Premiere required.

Opening Shorts
Opening Shorts

First-time directors & promising student filmmakers opening each feature.

Dark Visions
Dark Visions

The festival's most terrifying horror shorts.

Monsters & Martians
Monsters & Martians

The best in short-form science fiction.

BITS and Bytes
BITS and Bytes

Web & digital series, proof-of-concept shorts and music videos.

Funny Frights
Funny Frights & Unusual Sights

Comedy & genre shorts with a light or offbeat tone.

Bloody Spirits of Winter
Bloody Spirits of Winter

Indigenous, Métis & Inuit horror shorts exploring the supernatural & survival.

Film Programmers
Nadine L'Esperance
Nadine L'Esperance@xbluegirlx
Norman McGlashan
Norman McGlashan@balinknaut
Dara Jade Moats
Dara Jade Moats@moatsie
Heidy Morales
Heidy Morales@hyemusings
Jessie Robbins
Jessie Robbins@jessievergreens
Dallas Soonias
Dallas Soonias@soonias
Kelly Michael Stewart
Kelly Michael Stewart@kellymichaelstewart
Melanie Turner
Melanie Turner@melanieturner777
View full programmer bios & screening details →
Submission FAQ

Sorry no. We are a non-profit run mostly by volunteers and we need the fees to help run the festival. However we try to keep submission fees low and encourage you to submit early to take advantage of early bird rates.

No, we strongly encourage you to wait until the film is 100% done before submitting. Our programmers won't have time to rewatch the finished version, so it's best to give us final work.

If you think it would be a good fit for Fantasia, CUFF or Fantastic Fest then it will likely fit our programming. We play a wide mix of horror, sci-fi, thrillers, action and underground films — including animated films, documentaries and even films with puppets!

Our venue at the Isabel Bader Theatre seats 500 and we need the best chance to fill it. Historically when we have played films without a premiere, it has impacted attendance.

We have an International-Canadian category for titles that are partly Canadian. Just tell us how it is Canadian — for example: "Canadian director and crew but shot in the U.S."

No, all submissions need to be submitted through FilmFreeway to be considered.

Every feature and short film is watched by at least two programmers. If it scores well it is passed on to the others. All programmers and the Festival Director meet 2–3 times a year to discuss submissions. Once films are selected in early/mid October, the Festival Director sends a personal letter of acceptance.

Yes we can share programmer notes, but if asked in October/November we might not get back to you until after the festival. Please be patient.

The top two reasons historically have been issues with sound and/or colour design, or issues with length/pacing.

  • Screening in a 500 seat theatre with 5.1 surround sound
  • A complimentary screening pass to all 13 programs
  • Invites to networking cocktails throughout the week
  • An invite to be on BITS Radio for an interview
  • Guest list tickets (3 for shorts, 9 for features)
  • On-stage introduction or Q&A
  • Filmmaker pin presented on stage & guest book signing
  • Photos in front of our 17.5 ft photo wall with our mascot

BITS films are also eligible for the Canadian Screen Awards (CSA).

Submit on FilmFreeway
2025 Partners & Funders

We gratefully acknowledge the support of our 2025 funders & partners.

Interested in sponsoring BITS? Read More + Get in touch →

What Filmmakers Say

Testimonials

"The BITS Development Lab was one of the best industry support programs I've ever attended. I am honoured to have been selected. The talent, projects, connections, atmosphere, access was invaluable. Everything was well done. Kelly and the team were welcoming and helpful. I can't recommend this festival and lab enough."

Kim Barr
Kim BarrBITS 2025 Lab Alum

"Blood in the Snow was very supportive and professional. The communication from the festival team was excellent, and I felt supported as a filmmaker. It's obvious that Blood in the Snow cares about Canadian genre filmmakers and works hard to create a strong, filmmaker-friendly environment. I would definitely submit again and recommend the festival to other filmmakers."

Dawn Wells
Dawn WellsBITS 2025 Alum

"What a beauty! The passion for film and empowering filmmakers is highly apparent at this festival. Was blown away by the programming, the stunning venue, the after parties and so much more. The networking was absolutely insane here. Very enthusiastic hats off to the organizers and HIGHLY encourage genre filmmakers to make submitting to this festival a priority!"

Norm Coyne
Norm CoyneBITS 2024 Filmmaker

"Awesome festival! Great location and venue. The staff and volunteers are incredible. Hands down one of the best genre festivals to check out."

Sean Oliver
Sean OliverBITS 2024 Alum

"Loved my experience at BITS 2024! The team, the venues and the crowd were great! Hope to be selected again in the future."

Simon Madore
Simon MadoreBITS 2024 Alum

"Incredible community, amazing program, and just wonderful people."

Olivia Loccisano
Olivia LoccisanoBITS 2023, BITS 2024 Lab Alum

"Can't say enough about this fest. It's fun, inviting and inclusive. Kelly and his team have dialed this thing in and it's clear they care about the details. I'd recommend this fest to anyone and everyone."

Dallas Soonias
Dallas SooniasBITS 2024 Lab Alum

"A top-tier film festival and development lab. It was such a pleasure to be there and I saw so many great films!"

Joel H. Brewster
Joel H. BrewsterBITS 2023 Alum

"Such a fun festival! Festival staff, volunteers, and filmmakers are all as passionate about genre films as the audience. Amazing energy at the screenings, fantastic filmmaker panels, pitching, and education events, and a great selection of high-quality films in a high-quality venue."

Peter Szabo
Peter SzaboBITS 2023 Alum

"It was an honor to have my film Spiritt be a part of this festival. I got great feedback from one of the attendees who said he will go again next year!"

Kelly Roulette
Kelly RouletteBITS 2023 Alum

"I absolutely love this festival — a celebration of Canadian genre films that have a lot to say. Being part of the horror lab and the festival helped me make so many lasting connections."

Ray Raghavan
Ray RaghavanBITS 2022 Lab Alum