The Blood in the Snow Film Festival (BITS) was first created in 2012 with a mandate to highlight the best in contemporary genre filmmaking in Canada.
The 2021 Blood in the Snow Film Festival will be a hybrid event broadcast on Super Channel October 29 to 31 and in person at the Royal Cinema in Toronto November 18 to 23, 2021.
Blood in the Snow has the reputation of being a "filmmaker’s festival". In 2019 the festival had 50 of the 62 filmmakers featured in attendance from all across Canada. There are activities all weekend long allowing filmmakers to network with other filmmakers and other important industry contacts. Filmmaker activities include a filmmakers brunch (dubbed "Breakfast with the Stars"), industry panels, a VIP industry cocktail social and after parties every night of the festival.
Blood in the Snow is generously funded in part by Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates (formally the OMDC) and the Independent Production Fund. The Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival is also on the eligibility list of festivals for the Canadian Screen Awards.
Blood in the Snow works to attract extensive press coverage. Past coverage has included reviews, interviews and profiles by outlets such as CP24, Sirius XM, The Star, NOW Magazine, Newstalk 1010 and Rue Morgue Magazine.
The festival takes place at the historic Royal Cinema, well-known for its giant screen and 5.1 surround sound— the 380 seat theatre is considered one of the best and most respected in Toronto. The Royal is located in the heart of "Little Italy" surrounded by some of the best bars and restaurants in the city.
Due to COVID-19 in 2020, we moved the festival completely online to SuperChannel. This went so well we have decided in 2021 to partner up again with them to present a hybrid version of the festival to screen select titles over the Halloween weekend across Canada to over 400,000 homes.
Features submitted to us have the option of being considered for either but you are under no obligation until after you are accepted.
Awards & Prizes
On closing night we hand out certificate mounted awards during a big awards show that we call "The Bloodies" that will be given out on closing night.
- Best Feature
- Best Short
- Best Web or TV series
- Best Lead Acting Performance
- Best Supporting Acting Performance
- Best Director
- Best Screenplay
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
- Best Ensemble
- Best Special FX
- Best Music Score
- Best Poster
