The Blood in the Snow Film Festival kicked off its chilling 2023 edition on November 20th, treating horror fans in Toronto to a thrilling lineup of genre cinema on opening day. As Canada’s premier showcase of independent horror, Blood in the Snow aims to push boundaries and support the country’s community of emerging filmmakers. This year’s selections on day one delivered on that promise, with thought-provoking stories and stunning technical achievements from the next wave of horror directors.
Our team was on hand to take in the innovative shorts programs and feature presentations that launched the festival. In our day one coverage, we provide reviews and highlights of the standout films we witnessed. From surreal sci-fi to sinister slashers, Blood in the Snow’s opening day delivered nuanced perspectives on familiar horror tropes along with truly unique visions.
Join us as we recap the striking selections from emerging voices in Canadian horror that kicked off Blood in the Snow 2023. Our day one coverage encapsulates the diversity and boundary-pushing spirit that makes this festival a vital platform for the future of genre filmmaking.
T-Bone (2023) Review
The Haunting 8 Minute Horror Short T-Bone Delivers Tragedy and Emotion at Blood in the Snow 2023
Blood in the Snow’s late night selections of short films have become a hotbed for discovering some of the most creative and chilling indie horror gems. This year’s fully in-person festival held November 20-25 in Toronto is no exception. One impactful short that will stay with you is T-Bone, the latest offering from director Zachary Bennett.
In a tight 8 minutes, T-Bone delivers heavy paranormal dread and a twist ending that lands with gut-punch emotion. It focuses on Chris, trapped in a wrecked car and imagining a conversation with his girlfriend Jo. They reminisce over memories from their relationship, captured in a comfortable rapport.
However, we soon realize the conversation is not what it seems. Chris is imagining Jo in the aftermath of a devastating car accident that has claimed both their lives. The entire encounter occurs in Chris’ mind as he comes to grips with the grim reality that Jo is dead in the passenger seat next to him.
This tragic reveal hits hard, made even more devastating after witnessing the couple’s easy chemistry. Bennett wisely keeps the accident itself a mystery, avoiding on-screen violence in favor of a deeper exploration of Chris’ trauma and denial.
T-Bone proves that a long runtime is not required to craft impactful horror storytelling. Through economic writing and direction, Bennett makes the most of every minute. T-Bone’s emotive core will linger with you long after the festival ends. This burgeoning director is one to watch in the horror space.
The Monster Inside My Head (2023) Review
In the creepy, atmospheric short film The Monster Inside My Head, writer/director Maude Michaud delivers a haunting metaphor for mental anguish. Centering on a woman tormented by a sinister creature trying to take control of her body and mind, this 7-minute film manages to be both deeply unsettling and emotionally resonant.
Lead actress Karine Kerr gives a compelling performance as The Woman, capturing her escalating fear and desperation entirely through expression and body language as the monster increasingly encroaches on her. We feel her visceral terror as she’s poked, prodded, and disturbed by the parasitic creature, played with menacing physicality by Shelagh Rowan-Legg. The creature itself is kept obscured and shadowy, making its attacks all the more alarming.
Through the woman’s everyday activities like washing dishes and getting ready for bed, Michaud creates a palpable sense of dread using tight camera angles and inventive framing. Cinematographers Miguel Asselin and Julien Desrosiers choose their shots carefully to suggest the creature’s ominous presence without fully revealing it. This masterful control of atmospheric horror impressed me.
The evocative score by David Ogilvie and Anthony Valcic adds to the creeping tension, with industrial tones and distorted growls fitting the dark subject matter. And Sebastien Montpetit’s chilling practical effects as the creature makes contact with Kerr heighten the visceral impact.
While story details are sparse by design, this is clearly meant as a poetic representation of struggling with inner demons. The woman’s experiences mirror feelings of losing control over one’s mind or body – succumbing to illnesses like depression or addiction. By keeping the monster ambiguous, Michaud allows viewers to impose their own interpretations and connect it to their personal struggles.
For horror fans, The Monster Inside My Head delivers grim, gripping style reminiscent of David Cronenberg and some of the most nerve-wracking sequences from creature features. For those less genre-inclined, it’s a penetrating metaphor about the human condition and the monsters we all battle internally from time to time. An impressive achievement given its brief runtime.
I Can’t Go On (2023) Review
The short film, I Can’t Go On, by writer/director Brenna Goodwin-McCabe, is a chilling social commentary on society’s growing indifference and lack of empathy. Set in an apartment building, the film confronts the modern phenomenon of people not wanting to get involved, choosing instead to ignore or pretend that situations aren’t happening.
In the film, we are introduced to Cassandra, as she prepares to leave for work, thinking that this particular day couldn’t already get any worse. She soon learns the meaning of “dead wrong” when her world takes a grisly turn. While struggling to get to work, Cassandra heads to her apartment building’s elevator, only to find something she never could have imagined. Lying in the middle of the elevator is the dead body of an unidentified man, blindsided by the horrific scene, she attempts to get help but finds herself unable to find anyone willing to help, even 9-1-1, who appears to be uninterested in her plight.
This lack of concern reveals a disturbing truth about human nature. As the elevator doors reopen, Cassandra discovers the body still lying where she left it. But what’s most alarming is that there is another passenger in the elevator who seems unfazed by the corpse. To them, this body is akin to a child leaving behind a toy – an annoyance, but not their problem. Stricken with disbelief at this callous indifference, Cassandra soon learns the passenger is not the only one unwilling to get involved.
Cassandra herself is even guilty of the same sin at first, as she attempts to avoid the situation, hoping that someone else will resolve the problem.
As days go by and the body begins to decay, Cassandra is shocked to find more and more people overlook the situation. Some even step over and around the body to avoid being inconvenienced. This mentality stems from the assumption that someone else will handle the issue, leading many to detach themselves rather than take responsibility.
Finally, unable to bear the apathy any longer, Cassandra attempts to resolve the matter herself. But she soon discovers even those with good intentions can face consequences from an indifferent society.
Horror has always been a wonderful medium to convey deeper messages, and while not a horror movie in the typical sense, I Can’t Go On tackles a real-life situation happening in society today. The film confronts the modern mentality of people not wanting to get involved, choosing instead to ignore or pretend that situations aren’t happening. This stems from the assumption that someone else will resolve the issue, leading many to detach themselves from problems rather than take action. The film takes this passivity to an extreme by showing residents literally walking over and disregarding a dead body in an elevator, desensitized by the pervasive mentality of “it’s not my problem.”
Through this provocative premise, I Can’t Go On holds a mirror to society’s growing disengagement and moral apathy, pushing viewers to examine how far we’ve fallen in avoiding responsibility and caring for one another. The film serves as a stark reminder that this indifference comes at a great societal cost. Cassandra herself tries to take action but quickly becomes discouraged when she faces backlash for getting involved. This illustrates how even those willing to help can become indifferent, highlighting just how pervasive this societal problem has become. While not overtly horrific, I Can’t Go On utilizes its unsettling narrative to highlight an issue plaguing modern society.
With its deeper messages and at only a little over 12 minutes, this short film is one we at Horror Facts recommend checking out.
Blink (2023) Review
Blood in the Snow 2023: ‘Blink’ Provides Chilling Commentary Wrapped in Retro Horror
The horror short “Blink” screened at Blood in the Snow 2023 gifts viewers high-styled, retro-flavored chills in its brief 4 minute runtime. Directing duo Julie Bruns and Steven Kammerer immerse us in 1940s aesthetic as housewife Lucy finds herself stuck in a loop of domestic violence and death with seemingly no way out. Until she embraces her own monstrous instincts, that is.
Trapped in a cycle of abuse from her brutish husband Bill, Lucy finally fights back, putting a fatal end to his torment. But even in death, Bill’s corpse taunts her, eyes mysteriously blinking, as if an accusation from beyond. Stylishly shot black-and-white cinematography and inventive practical effects add flair to this simple setup.
When interrogated after being committed to an asylum, we learn Lucy has dispatched multiple abusive men in her quest for freedom. But rather than play as exploitation or camp, “Blink” uses its retro horror trappings to provide resonant commentary on the cyclical nature of violence, and the monstrosity that circumstances can unleash within anyone.
Anchored by a standout performance from lead actress Lucy Freyer, “Blink” ultimately sends the message that sometimes the only salvation lies in embracing one’s own darkness. Freyer nails that slow creep from battered housewife to formidable slasher with an understated intensity.
At just 4 minutes, directors Bruns and Kammerer deliver a shocking amount of blood-spattered style and thematic substance. For Fangoria-loving horror hipsters or anyone who can appreciate a good retro pastiche, “Blink” is a must-see short that would feel right at home in any grindhouse double feature. Its elegant execution and socially-conscious core ensures this compact tale of domestic terror cuts deep.
Twig + Twine (2023) Review
The 15-minute supernatural horror short Twig + Twine from filmmaker Paradox Delilah, explores the chilling consequences when grief drives someone to tamper with powerful forces beyond their control.
Twig + Twine follows Esther, a woman determined to resurrect her long-dead brother at any cost. Fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance, she returns to the woods that took him prepared to do whatever it takes to bring her brother back – even if it means making a deal with the devil.
Joining her on this camping trip are two of Esther’s friends, who have been lured under false pretenses to serve her secret agenda. After discovering Esther’s true motives one of the girls, becomes an unwilling victim in her sinister plot to resurrect her brother. As she begins to enact her plan, Esther learns that when you make deals with the devil you may not like when they come to collect.
The horror short Twig + Twine explores the desperate extremes someone will consider when driven by grief and longing. At its core, this tale has similar themes to Stephen King’s famous horror story Pet Sematary.
Twig + Twine follows Esther, a woman obsessed with resurrecting her tragically deceased brother at any cost. Fifteen years after his mysterious disappearance in the woods, she is prepared to make dubious bargains with dark forces beyond her control. In this, Esther echoes Louis Creed from Pet Sematary – both would move heaven and earth to reunite with those they lost.
Esther, like Louis, learns too late that meddling with powerful forces of death brings grave consequences. Both stories are morality tales about tampering with the natural order, no matter how noble or well-intentioned at first. Esther ultimately finds the price for her bargain far outweighs any brief reunion with her brother.
Twig + Twine serves as a grim reminder that those we love should be allowed to rest in peace and illustrates that “Sometimes dead is better.”
Greed & Gore (2023) Review
The last short film on the docket for the first day of Blood in the Snow is Greed & Gore, a fast-paced horror thriller dripping with blood from director Adam Kirkey.
Following a botched bank robbery, a group of criminals are forced to lay low at a remote safehouse for the night with their hostage in tow. As their getaway driver heads out in search of another vehicle, the rest of the team decides to celebrate their heist with booze and bravado. But it isn’t long before they realize they are not the most feared thing in this house.
As their numbers slowly start to dwindle, paranoia and infighting cause the group to turn on each other, proving there is no honor among thieves.
Watch Greed & Gore to find out if this band of crooks can get away with their score, or if they’ll end up paying the ultimate price instead.
Greed & Gore utilizes practical effects for its many graphic kills, an impressive feat considering the high body count within its short runtime. The film wastes no time on exposition, throwing the audience directly into the rising action. We never find out who the mysterious masked killer lurking in the house really is. But for this type of hardcore horror, the story takes a backseat to visceral thrills.
The majority of the runtime consists of well-staged scenes of shocking violence and brutality. If you like breakneck horror that cares more about stacking up corpses than explaining the plot, Greed & Gore will satisfy your appetite for blood and carnage.
However, viewers looking for an intricate story and well-developed characters may find the film lacks substance. The criminals are thinly sketched archetypes, and their relationships are not deeply explored. The relentless pace leaves little room for atmosphere or tension to build.
In the end, Greed & Gore delivers exactly what its title promises: a high body count and no-holds-barred gore. Fans of extreme horror will find their buttons pushed, but those seeking strong storytelling would be advised to look elsewhere. It’s a wild ride for genre enthusiasts craving blood-soaked mayhem.
Day One of BiTS in the books!
And that’s a wrap on opening day at Blood in the Snow 2023! While we didn’t have a chance to review every chilling short and feature, the festival’s first evening offered a killer lineup of provocative horror bound to unsettle even the most hardened genre fans.
The late-night “Dark Visions” block plunged viewers into an abyss of psychological dread with shorts like “High End Dying.” This foodie-slanted horror sees a chef pushed to extreme lengths for a critic’s approval. “Sanguine” and “Wake Up Frank” also toyed with twisted mindsets in thrilling ways. And “Orest Leere and His Marvelous, Mysterious, Malicious Empathy Machine” delivered fairy tale-esque chills about a memory-stealing tower prisoner.
Rounding out the evening was the intense feature “Last County” about a woman forced to violently defend her rural home from corrupt cops. Barrett Mulholland’s powder keg of a thriller left tensions high and audiences reeling.
Even with such standout reviews already covered, these additional late-night screenings underscore the diversity of provocative horror offerings that Blood in the Snow does best. The fest continues to spotlight fresh voices and boundary-pushing genre fare that gets under the skin. And if opening night is any indication, Blood in the Snow 2023 is just getting started with delivering chilling discoveries over the next five nights of disturbing entertainment. The dark visions have only just begun!
Stay tuned to HorrorFacts.com as we descend deeper into the darkness at this year’s festival. Sleep with one eye open, creeps!
More information on Blood in the Snow 2023
