BEST FEATURE: She Who Must Burn (Larr Kent, Director)
BEST SHORT: Chiral (Karen Lam, Director)
BEST ACTOR: John White - Farhope Tower
BEST ACTRESS: Elma Begovic - Bite
BEST DIRECTOR: April Mullen - Farhope Tower
BEST SCREENPLAY: Andrew Cymek - Night Cries
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: D. Gregor Hagey - The Dark Stranger
BEST SPECIAL FX: Jason Derushie - Bite
BEST MUSIC SCORE: Andre Becker - Secret Santa
BEST POSTER: Brandon Marsh - Bite
VANGUARD AWARD (in honour of being the first filmmakers to play five times at BITS):
Post-Lifers Productions, Dir. Greg Kovacs, Stephanie Christiaens, Nathan Hawkins, Darren Hutchings & Brad McMillan, Producers.

AWARDS 2015

The Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival is proud to announce the prizes donated for their yearly awards “The Bloodies” including free (or massively discounted) postproduction, press, editing and consulting. The awards were announced at the closing party of the festival on Sunday November 29th, 2015.

BEST SHORT FILM WINNER AWARD:

George Flores Sound
Free sound post production, surround sound 5.1, for a short film that is less than 10 minutes running time.
Courtesy of George Flores - Sound Editor, Sound Designer, and Re-Recording Sound Mixer.

Smak Studios
Free colour grading and online session, with 2-4k output, for a short film that is less than 10 minutes running time.
Courtesy of Scott McIntyre - Cinematographer / Digital Colourist / Motion Graphics Artist.

BEST FEATURE FILM WINNER AWARD:

George Flores Sound
50% off (up to $7,500) towards sound post production of a 90 minute film.
Courtesy of George Flores - Sound Editor, Sound Designer, and Re-Recording Sound Mixer.

Smak Studios
50% off (up to $7,500) towards colour and online finishing of a 90 minute film.
Courtesy of Scott McIntyre - Cinematographer / Digital Colourist / Motion Graphics Artist.

BEST SCREENPLAY WINNER AWARD:

Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada
Screenplay analysis and notes on their next feature film project.
Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada.

BEST ACTOR & ACTRESS WINNER AWARD:

Free demo reel editing. A free professionally demo reel edit (maximum 5 minutes) that can be used for public or private use.
Courtesy of Stephane Allard - Post Production Specialist and Editor.

50% off (up to $7,500) towards colour and online finishing of a 90 minute film.
Courtesy of Scott McIntyre - Cinematographer / Digital Colourist / Motion Graphics Artist.

(The awards were announced at the closing party of the festival on Sunday November 29th, 2015)

2015 LINEUP

Friday, November 27th

7:00 pm - FARHOPE TOWER (Dir. April Mullen) CANADIAN PREMIERE
A team of Paranormal Investigators venture into the infamous Farhope Building with the dreams of landing a TV deal, but get more than they bargained for when they come up against the most powerful spirits they have every faced. Once inside the building the spirits begin manipulating the team members, and the higher they climb the more everything spirals out of control.

with the short film CHIRAL (Dir. Karen Lam) CANADIAN PREMIERE
An anxiety-ridden art dealer (Nelson Leis) confronts a thief (Vanessa Walsh) at his art gallery reception, only to come face to face with his own Shadow Self.

9:30 pm - NIGHT CRIES (Dir. Andrew Cymek) CANADIAN PREMIERE
After his world crumbles, Joseph will stop at nothing to find his wife while battling demons, psychopaths, and the ruler of this new apocalypse... a warlord known only as The Hat.

with the short film GRACE (Dir. Karen Nielsen) CANADIAN PREMIERE
A young girl, her dog and a stranger find themselves trying to hold onto their humanity when stranded together in a post apocalyptic world.

Saturday, November 28th

3:30 pm - PLEASE LIKE MY FILM: A Marketing for Distribution Seminar
In an ever-crowded marketplace it is more and more it is up to the filmmakers to market their films. Join us for a round table discussion about how you can position your film best both to attract distributors and to get your films out to the public. Join us for a panel discussion with Susan Curran (Director of Marketing at Anchor Bay Canada/ Starz Home Entertainment), Avi Federgreen (Producer and Owner of IndicCan Entertainment), and filmmaker Gavin Michael Booth (The Scarehouse).

4:00 pm - THE DARK STRANGER (Dir. Chris Trebilcock) CANADIAN PREMIERE
Haunted by a terrifying spirit out of her graphic novel, a young artist struggles to overcome her psychosis before it destroys her.

with the short film EGO NOXA (Dir. Mercedes Coyle) TORONTO PREMIERE
A girl's inner struggle with self-hate comes to life in a terrifying nightmarish form.

6:30 pm - SECRET SANTA (Dir. Mikey McMurran) WORLD PREMIERE
A Horror/Comedy that tells the story of a group of eccentric college kids, struggling to get through the hectic exam period. A liquor filled party is planned with them adding a Secret Santa exchange for fun. Little do our characters know that a killer is in town and has a special present for all the good (and bad) girls and boys. Dare to open your present? It might be your last!

with the short film O CHRISTMAS TREE (Dir. Greg Kovacs) WORLD PREMIERE
Carolers out to spread Christmas cheer get more than they bargained for at Mabel's house.

7:00 pm - BITS SHORT FILM SHOWCASE:

BIRTHDAY (Dir. Richard Lukacs) TORONTO PREMIERE
A young girl's dream of becoming the savior of mankind by giving birth to the devil comes alive in this tribute to silent-era horror.

DEATHBOX (Dir. Michael Pereira) TORONTO PREMIERE
A lonely, conflicted hobo lives an existence defined by a dark, insatiable need. On this day, he crosses paths with a mysterious man who's also defined by an all-consuming, singular drive.

KURAYAMI NO WA (Dir. Morgana McKenzie) TORONTO PREMIERE
When Hallowe'en is hijacked by a Japanese doomsday cult, a girl and her siblings are forced to flee into the harsh conditions of winter.

RETURN (Dir. Jon Hyatt) CANADIAN PREMIERE
A young couple purchase their new home to start a life together, only to find out the elderly couple next door have other plans for them.

MARTY (Dir. Gregory Fox) WORLD PREMIERE
A traveling salesman reveals himself as a psychopath when he tries to fill the void his parents left.

AESTAS (Dir. Guillaume) Comtois CANADIAN PREMIERE
A man returning from a business trip saves a teenage girl from drowning. She disappears a few moments later, leaving the man quite shaken. His girlfriend tries to cheer him up, but she disappears too, when the teenage girl suddenly comes back.

SEIREN (Dir. Kat Threlkeld) CANADIAN PREMIERE
After a supermodel is bitten in the water by a mysterious creature while on a photo shoot at the beach, an infection takes hold that changes her behaviour and appearance. Over time she turns into one hell of a demonic sea siren whose thirsty for blood.

9:30 pm - SAVE YOURSELF (Dir. Ryan M. Andrews) CANADIAN PREMIERE
Five female filmmakers en route to screen their new horror film in Los Angeles, experience their own real life terror when they cross paths with deranged scientist hellbent on using them for his mysterious experiments.

with the short film NEVER TEAR US APART (Dir. Sid Zanforlin) CANADIAN PREMIERE
Two friends try to survive an encounter with a couple of backwood cannibals.

11:59 pm - SECRET SANTA (Dir. Mikey McMurran) WORLD PREMIERE (Second Screening)
with the short film O CHRISTMAS TREE (Dir. Greg Kovacs) WORLD PREMIERE (Second Screening)


Sunday, November 29th


12:00 pm - MAKING IT LOOK GROSS: A Special Effects Makeup Seminar on Indie Films (2 hrs)
One of the keys to any great horror film big or small, is the bloody makeup effects. Join us for unique discussion with some of the top Special Effects Makeup artists in Canada today. They will talk about their experiences making indie movies and their tricks of the trade. This will follow by a practical special effects makeup demonstration by Ryan Louagie of The Butcher Shop.

2:00 pm - SHE WHO MUST BURN (Dir. Larry Kent) TORONTO PREMIERE
The Baarkers, a family group of religious fanatics who believe they are God's chosen ones, polarize a town and force it's residents to fight for their lives as their zeal turns murderous and the rule of law decays into brutish mob mentality.

with the short film CRAZY LOVE (Dir. Mathieu Charest) TORONTO PREMIERE
Pushed to her breaking point, an abused woman must decide whether to stay silent or fight back.

2:30 pm - FIX IT ON SET: Post Production Tips for Indie Films
The postproduction process is one of the most important but least understood and least planned stage for filmmakers. Join us for an in-depth panel with leading sound designer/mixer George Flores, composer Steph Copeland and filmmaker and editor Justin McConnell that will discuss with you the best way to plan your postproduction on your next film.

4:00 pm - WHITE RAVEN (Dir. Andrew Moxham) WORLD PREMIERE
Four men head into the remote woods on an annual camping trip. As one of them gradually loses his mind, the weekend of fun takes a turn for the worse and the other three must fight for their lives.

with the short film AND THEY WATCHED (Dir. Vivian Lin) TORONTO PREMIERE
A horror morality tale about the custodian of an electric chair and its last casualty. Inspired by the recent reinstatement of the electric chair in Tennessee, US.

4:30 pm - BITE (Dir. Chad Archibald) TORONTO PREMIERE
While on her bachelorette party getaway, Casey, the bride to be, gets a seemingly harmless bite from an unknown insect. After returning home with cold feet, Casey tries to call off her wedding but before she's able to, she starts exhibiting insect like traits. Between her physical transformation and her wedding anxiety, Casey succumbs to her new instincts and begins creating a hive that not only houses her translucent eggs, but feeds on the flesh of others. As her transformation becomes complete, Casey discovers that everything can change with a single bite.

with the short film A TALE OF THE BONESETTER (Dir. Brett Kelly) TORONTO PREMIERE
A woman and her child visit a Bed and Breakfast in rural Quebec unaware of the town's history of child murders at the hands of an ancient Bonesetter.

7:00 pm - BITE (Dir. Chad Archibald) TORONTO PREMIERE (Second Screening)
with the short film A TALE OF THE BONESETTER (Dir. Brett Kelly) TORONTO PREMIERE (Second Screening)

7:30 pm - SAVE YOURSELF (Dir. Ryan M. Andrews) CANADIAN PREMIERE (Second Screening)
with the short film NEVER TEAR US APART (Dir. Sid Zanforlin) CANADIAN PREMIERE (Second Screening)

10:00 pm - CLOSING NIGHT PARTY & AWARDS