TORONTO AFTER DARK 2023 - FILM SCHEDULE & TICKETS
This October 18-22, 2023 you’re invited to Five Amazing Nights of Thrills and Chills featuring 39 new feature and short films from 10 countries, screening at the 17th Annual Toronto After Dark: Horror, Sci-Fi & Action Film Festival, taking place at Scotiabank Theatre, 259 Richmond St. West, Toronto!
This year’s thrilling highlights include the scary SXSW hit LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, Christmas horror slasher IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE featuring Justin Long, Lovecraftian horror SUITABLE FLESH starring Heather Graham, murder mystery comedy DANIEL’S GOTTA DIE with the final performance of Bob Saget, and the acclaimed new sci-fi thriller RESTORE POINT, known for its cyberpunk vibe as the ‘Czech BLADE RUNNER’!
Plus Five More Incredible Features and 29 Astounding Shorts from around the world! Scroll down for a more detailed look at the complete film lineup, schedule, trailers and tickets!
30 SECOND FESTIVAL PREVIEW!
Enjoy a quick preview of this year’s films with Toronto After Dark’s 2023 Sizzle Trailer below!
OCTOBER 18 - 22, 2023 - FILM SCHEDULE & INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
WEDNesday, OCTOBER 18 - OPENING NIGHT!
7.00 PM: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (AUSTRALIA) - Opening gala film
SOLD OUT!
Toronto Premiere. Directors - Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
Toronto After Dark 2023 opens with LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, the scary horror hit of this year's SXSW and film fest circuit, that similar to the CONJURING series, spotlights 1970s America's fascination with the occult! Facing cancellation, a late-night talk show host (THE SUICIDE SQUAD’s David Dastmalchian) tries to spike his audience ratings by producing a Halloween TV special for the ages, featuring a live to air exorcism. As the night unfolds, the chilling event spirals out of control! Alas, no trailer, but take it from Rotten Tomatoes where it's 100% Fresh, Letterboxd where it's Ranked 2nd on the Top 50 Horror Films of The Year, and the King of Horror Stephen King himself, who raves it’s "absolutely brilliant!”. There’s a very good reason this is our Opening Gala Film, and rest assured, you will curse yourself if you miss it!
Screens with short film Soul Proprietor by Scott Riopelle
9.30 PM: THE LAST EXIT (U.K.)
North American Premiere. Director - Matthias Hoene.
Director In Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
Festival alum Matthias Hoene (Audience Choice Gold Winner for COCKNEYS VS ZOMBIES) returns to Toronto After Dark with this riveting, dark, twisted thriller that expertly blends suspense, mystery, and horror. Two criminal brothers on the run seek refuge in a desolate farmhouse in the Scottish Highlands. After taking the resident family captive, they discover the house holds even darker secrets, including a fearsome family matriarch (the acclaimed Joely Richardson), who plans to turn the tables on her captors!
Screens with short film Mystery Box by Tomas Morrison, Marko Pandza, Jason Kerr
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 - SCI-FI NIGHT!
7.00 PM: UFO SWEDEN (SWEDEN)
Canadian Premiere. Director - Victor Danell.
Swedish w/English Subtitles
A fantastic Scandinavian blend of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, STRANGER THINGS, and INTERSTELLAR, with great cinematography, effects, action sequences, a killer synth score, and a heartwarming story about a group of misfits at its core, UFO SWEDEN is a sci-fi crowdpleaser not to be missed! After her extra-terrestrial obsessed father goes missing in the 1980s, a teenager persuades a local UFO-spotting society to help her unlock the mysteries of alien sightings in Sweden.
Screens with short film Rec Volton by Jack Lesarge, Michael Williams
9.30 PM: RESTORE POINT (CZECH REPUBLIC)
Ontario Premiere. Director - Robert Hloz
Czech w/English Subtitles
Director In Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
In 2041, thanks to the Restore Point Corporation, humanity can cheat death by downloading its personality to a duplicate body. But after the murder of one of the corporation's founders, an investigating young female police agent uncovers a hidden web of corruption and scandals that threatens the entire order of society. With a fantastic future dystopian noir aesthetic, this acclaimed new sci-fi thriller is the Czech Republic's must-see addition to the cyberpunk worlds of BLADE RUNNER and MINORITY REPORT!
Screens with short film Xtemplar by Paul Furminger
friday, OCTOBER 20
7.00 PM: DANIEL’S GOTTA DIE (CANADA)
SOLD OUT!
Toronto Premiere. Director - Jeremy LaLonde
Director & Select Cast & Crew in Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
Festival alum Jeremy LaLonde (JAMES VS HIS FUTURE SELF) returns with a crowd-pleasing, dark and twisted murder mystery comedy that blends KNIVES OUT with SUCCESSION! A dying family patriarch decrees his inheritance will only pass onto his squabbling adult kids if they can survive a weekend at their vacation island home. Murderous hi-jinx ensue! A fantastic cast includes cult icon Iggy Pop and fan favourite Bob Saget in his final film role.
Screens with short film *666 by Abby Elizabeth Falvo
9.45 PM: FOUNDERS DAY (USA)
Canadian Premiere. Director - Erik Bloomquist
Director & Writer in Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
Fans of masked slasher movies like HALLOWEEN and SCREAM will delight in the murderous antics of The Founder, a new horror icon in the making, stalking the citizens of a quaint New England town on the eve of the mayor's election night. Sorry, no trailer, just a clip that doesn't really show how fun this film is. But the 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes doesn't lie. Featuring some great gruesome kills, fascinating social commentary, and twists that subvert slasher movie tropes, trust us: FOUNDERS DAY is a bloody good night out at the movies!
Added Bonus: In the hour before the screening, enjoy a fun photo opp with The Founder, wearing his killer costume, at the Festival's Event Wall!
Screens with short film Camp by Bronson Allen
saturday, OCTOBER 21
2.00-3.30 PM: FILMMAKERS RECEPTION - SOCIAL EVENT
This fun film industry event is open to all active filmmakers, film industry and press representatives, festival sponsors, advertisers and programmers to attend! Join us as we celebrate the filmmakers at this year's Toronto After Dark Film Festival with a relaxed afternoon social mixer and networking event from 2pm - 3.30pm, on Sat Oct 21 at our main venue, the Scotiabank Theatre, 259 Richmond St. West. Social includes a Photo Op with Horror Movie Weapon Props and Festival Mascot Taddy Bear at the Festival Event Wall! No RSVP needed, just swing by anytime during the social, and say hi in the reserved area at The Lounge (Cash Bar).
Presented by Marquee Insurance
4.00 PM: CANADIAN SHORTS AFTER DARK
**Most of the Filmmakers will be In Attendance for Post-screening Q&A**
A Showcase of 9 amazing Canadian horror, sci-fi, action and cult short films: BIRD HOSTAGE directed by Lauren Andrews, BLOOD LINE by Richard Rotter, COLIN CARVEY’S LONG HALLOWEEN by Aaron Peacock, DEMON BOX by Sean Wainsteim, FORGOTTEN LAKE by Adam Brooks & Matthew Kennedy, GHOSTS DO NOT EXIST by Austin Birtch, NIGHT DRIVES: CAMPFIRE IN THE SKY by Jono Hunter, THRIVING: A DISSOCIATED REVERIE by Nicole Bazuin and YOUR MONEY’S NO GOOD HERE by Jakob Skrzypa. For more info on all the amazing Canadian Shorts screening this year in both this Canadian Shorts Showcase as as well as our Canadian Pre-Feature shorts visit our Canadian Shorts Page.
6.45 PM: THE DEEP DARK (FRANCE)
Canadian Premiere. Director - Mathieu Turi
French w/ English Subtitles
Director in Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
An intensely claustrophobic and utterly terrifying film, THE DEEP DARK offers a fresh spin on subterranean horror classic THE DESCENT. Here a group of miners in a remote pit in 1950s France unwittingly awaken an ancient demonic creature buried deep in a hidden catacomb. They soon find themselves in a scary battle of survival, being picked off one by one whilst trapped 1,000 feet below the surface! Having applied his trade as assistant director to genre icons Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie, and Luc Besson, it's no surprise that Mathieu Turi delivers an entertaining thrill ride for fans from start to finish, with this solo project. The movie has only just hit the festival circuit and already this past week was awarded BEST FEATURE FILM at Los Angeles’ top rated horror event, ScreamFest! Now it’s your chance to be the first in Canada to see this awesome new horror film on the Big Screen!
Screens with short film Black Paris by Sid Santiago Zanforlin
9.45 PM: SUITABLE FLESH (USA)
SOLD OUT!
Ontario Premiere. Director - Joe Lynch
Festival alum Joe Lynch (MAYHEM) teams up with the producers of cult horror classics RE-ANIMATOR and FROM BEYOND, adding a late-night 80s vibe to this fun adaptation of the HP Lovecraft tale The Thing at the Doorstep! Fans are in for a wildly entertaining ride in this bloody, funny, sexy, body-swop horror about a psychiatrist (the iconic Heather Graham) whose obsession with an unusual new patient unleashes a demonic force. Horror legend Barbara Crampton adds extra fire to the mix.
Screens with short film Pool Party by Ellie Stewart
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22 - CLOSING DAY!
2.00 - 3.30 PM: PASSHOLDERS PARTY - SOCIAL EVENT
Exclusive to Passholders (All-Access, Full Festival Complimentary, Filmmaker, Staff & Volunteers), join us as we celebrate the Closing Day of the 17th Annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival, with a relaxed afternoon social mixer from 2pm - 3.30pm on Sun, Oct 22 at our main venue, the Scotiabank Theatre, 259 Richmond St. West. Social includes a Photo Op with Horror Movie Weapon Props and Festival Mascot Taddy Bear at the Festival Event Wall. No RSVP needed, just swing by and say hi in the reserved area at The Lounge. (Cash Bar)
4.00 PM: international shorts after dark
A mix of English language and subtitled foreign language films
Director of APOTEMNOFILIA will be In Attendance for Post-screening Q&A!
A collection of 10 incredible International horror, sci-fi, action and cult short films will screen this year as part of our popular global short film showcase: APOTEMNOFILIA Directed by Jano Pita, BUTTERSCOTCH by Alexander Lee Deeds, CRUSHXD by Abraham EI-Makawy, Alex Futtersak, FCK'N NUTS by Sam Fox, NAP by Javier Chavanel, ORIGINAL SKIN by Mdhamiri á Nkemi, THE HERITAGE by Andrew Rutter, THE OLD YOUNG CROW by Liam LoPinto, TOAD BOY by Phillip J. McLaughlin and WAYWARD GODS by Nate Pantumsinchai. For more info on these amazing films visit our International Shorts Page.
6.45 PM: LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP (USA)
SOLD OUT!
Ontario Premiere. Director - Teresa Sutherland
Director In Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
After co-writing the hit Netflix horror series MIDNIGHT MASS with Toronto After Dark alum Mike Flanagan (ABSENTIA, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE), Teresa Sutherland makes her directorial debut with a stunning new mystery horror. While searching for a missing child, a young female park ranger (BARBARIAN star Georgina Campbell) encounters a series of increasingly unsettling supernatural events as she travels deeper into the woods. Her fellow park rangers begin to doubt her sanity, but it's not long before things take a darker turn. Stunningly shot on-location, with intricate sound design, this mesmerizing horror film is inspired by chilling true events: the unexplained disappearance of hundreds of people each year in America's national parks. Sadly, no proper trailer, just a tiny clip, but trust us (and the close to 90% Rotten Tomatoes Score), this is one creepy horror gem you'll enjoy discovering!
Screens with short film Bye-Bye by Freddy Chávez OImos
9.15 PM: IT’S A WONDERFUL KNIFE (USA / CANADA) CLOSING GALA FILM
SOLD OUT!
Canadian Premiere. Director - Tyler MacIntyre
Director & Producer In Attendance for Post-Screening Q&A!
Festival alum Tyler MacIntyre (TRAGEDY GIRLS, PATCHWORK) wonderfully blends IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and SCREAM into a fun Christmas Slasher movie! Working off another clever horror script from Michael Kennedy (FREAKY), the fantastic cast includes YELLOWJACKET's Jane Widdop and fan favourites Justin Long and Joel McHale. Hurry to get tix, as we expect this Gala to sell out early!
Screens with short film Gamesmanship by Doug Cook
