TORONTO AFTER DARK 2019 SCHEDULE
Scroll down this page to browse the complete film schedule to screenings at the 14th Annual Toronto After Dark: Horror, Sci-Fi & Action Film Festival! The fest ran Oct 17-25, 2019 at the Scotiabank Theatre at 259 Richmond St. West in downtown Toronto. Below you’ll find a listing of all 20 shows, including trailers.
WATCH THE 1 MINUTE SIZZLE TRAILER!
To get you in the mood for Toronto After Dark 2019 check out our one minute Sizzle Trailer featuring Highlights of this year’s awesome films!
OCTOBER 17 - 25 FILM SCHEDULE
For a compact version of the schedule, download our Schedule Flyer PDF!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 - OPENING NIGHT!
7.00 PM: EXTRA ORDINARY (IRELAND) - Opening gala film
& SAT, OCT 19, 11.30 PM SECOND SCREENING
Toronto Premiere. Director - Mike Ahern & Enda Loughman
Join us for this award-winning supernatural comedy about ghostly hijinks in smalltown Ireland! When Martin, a frazzled single dad enlists the help of Rose a part-time mystic to find out why he's being haunted, all hell breaks loose! It's not long before the pair find themselves attracting the attention of another occultist (played by SNL star Will Forte) who has more sinister plans. Full of charming Irish humour and spooky shenanigans, EXTRA ORDINARY lives up to its name!
Screens with short film We Three Queens by Chris Agoston
9.30 PM: WITCHES IN THE WOODS (Canada)
North American Premiere. Director - Jordan Barker.
In this chilling new horror flick, a bunch of students take a Winter roadtrip to the remotest woods they can find looking for the perfect untouched snow for a fun snowboarding adventure. As they enter Stoughton Valley, home to a series of historic Witch Trials even more infamous than Salem, their SUV mysteriously breaks down. Soon the group realize they must not only avoid the deadly cold, but something far more terrifying in the woods: a sinister supernatural spirit, trying to possess them and lead them to their deaths!
Screens with short film Eyes Open by Jawed J.S.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 - SCI-FI NIGHT!
7.00 PM: BLOOD MACHINES (France, United States)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Seth Ickerman.
Sci-fi fans are in for a glorious treat with this stunning new space epic about a bounty hunter in pursuit of a mysterious spaceship operated by a beautiful alien intelligence. Drawing on vintage sci-fi art for its incredible visuals, and featuring an 80s inspired synth score from acclaimed synth wave maestro Carpenter Brut, your eyes and ears will delight with BLOOD MACHINE's retro-future, cyberpunk vibe! As a bonus treat we will screen a few extra sci-fi shorts before the feature, including TURBO KILLER, the viral sensation that inspired the film!
Screens with short films Far Horizon by Sara Martins, Furnace of The Birds by Arsen Arzumanyan, Flip by Jessica Grace Smith and Turbo Killer by Seth Ickerman.
9.30 PM: JAMES VS HIS FUTURE SELF (CANADA)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Jeremy LaLonde
In this hysterical new sci-fi comedy, a young scientist James (Jonas Chernick) finds his life turned upside down when he's visited by his crotchety future self (HOME ALONE's Daniel Stern) who tries to talk him out of creating time travel. When younger James won't go along with future James’ plan, they begin a wicked battle of man versus himself! A terrific script plus a fantastic cast that includes SIX FEET UNDER’s Frances Conroy equals a total crowdpleaser!
Screens with short film Make Me a Sandwich by Denman Hatch
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 - ZOMBIE NIGHT
3.30 PM: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS AFTER DARK
A collection of 8 incredible International horror, sci-fi, action and cult short films will screen this year as part of our popular global short film showcase: MAGGIE MAY Directed by Mia'kate Russell, PUZZLE by Vincenzo Alello, EJECT by David Yorke, LA NORIA by Carlos Baena, YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH by Marc Martinez Jordon, BAR FIGHT by Benjamin R. Mood, PLACE by Jason Gudasz, and THE HAUNTED SWORDSMAN by Kevin McTurk. For more info on these shorts including film descriptions visit here.
6.15 PM: THE ODD FAMILY: ZOMBIE ON SALE (South Korea)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Lee Min-jae.
Following in the footsteps of TRAIN TO BUSAN comes the latest Korean zombie crowdpleaser, except this time it's an outrageous undead comedy! Oblivious to the the upcoming zombie apocalypse, the eccentric Park family decide to adopt an undead stray and try to put the brain muncher to practical use in their rural town. As funny as it is quirky, full of bloody mayhem and silly hijinks, THE ODD FAMILY: ZOMBIE ON SALE is an absolute delight for zombie fans, not to be missed!
Screens with short film Ocimokw!! (Go Away!!) by Mattis Ottawa
9.00 PM: MUTANT BLAST (Portugal)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Fernando Alle.
Sure MUTANT BLAST has a relatively low budget and we know that’s a turn off for a some fans. But trust us, there’s a reason this little zombie action comedy from Portugal is getting into tons of film fests and winning awards! It’s a ludicrous amount of fun to watch with a crowd! We guarantee MUTANT BLAST will slay you with it’s creativity the same way it won our programmers bloody hearts! Check out the Behind the Scenes trailer above to find out more and give this bloody little zombie action flick a chance! Packed with awesome zombie kills, fantastic practical effects, characters you’ll be cheering for, great one-liners, and a fantastic 80s-inspired synth score, MUTANT BLAST is a Saturday night crowdpleaser not to be missed! For more read This Review.
Screens with short film Grave Sight by Angus Swantee
11.30 PM: EXTRA ORDINARY (IRELAND) - SECOND SCREENING!
SECOND SCREENING OF OPENING GALA FILM ADDED DUE TO DEMAND!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20
1.30 PM: FILMMAKERS AFTER DARK RECEPTION (NEW)
Join us as we celebrate the filmmakers at this year's Toronto After Dark Film Festival with a relaxed Sunday afternoon social from 1.30pm - 3.30pm at The Office Pub, 117 John Street, just 5 mins walk from the movie theatre. All members of the extended local film community welcome, especially those involved in horror, sci-fi, and action filmmaking and distribution. This event is FREE, but to give us an idea of numbers, Please RSVP by clicking Interested or Going at the Reception’s Facebook Event Page.
4.15 PM: CANADIAN SHORTS AFTER DARK
**A Number of the Directors In Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
A collection of 7 amazing Canadian horror, sci-fi, action and cult short films will screen this year as part of our popular homegrown shorts showcase: IMAGINE A WORLD Directed by Joanna Tsanis, PLAINSONG by Alexis Fortier Gauthier, ZOMBIES AND INDIANS by Keith Lawrence, MOMENT by Geoffrey Uloth, ALASKA by Chris Wilson, Brianna Templeton & Gwynne Phillips, NO ONE WILL EVER BELIEVE YOU by Frederic Chalte, and BEST FRIENDS FOREVER by Emily Gagne, Joshua Korngut. For more info including film descriptions of all the amazing Canadian Shorts screening this year, including this Canadian Shorts Showcase as as well as our Canadian Pre-Feature shorts visit here.
7.00 PM: THE FURIES (Australia)
Special Presentation. Director - Tony D'Aquino.
Australian horror makes a bloody good return with festival circuit hit slasher killer thriller THE FURIES! In this terrifying blend of THE HUNGER GAMES and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, a group of kidnapped young women wake up in a strange woodland. Soon they realize they're in a contest where they must fight for their lives against a group of masked psycho killers, each with their own signature method of killing. Full of twists and turns, shocks and incredible kills, THE FURIES will have your heart racing as though you're one of its contestants!
Screens with short film Down the Rabbit Hole by Ali Froggatt
9.30 PM: MAKING MONSTERS (CANADA)
Canadian Premiere. Director - Justin Harding & Rob Brunner
**Director, Cast & Crew in Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
Toronto After Dark Award-Winning short filmmaker Justin Harding (LATCHED) supersizes the fear with his terrifying feature debut, MAKING MONSTERS! When a couple famed for their scare-prank video channel are invited to a friend’s house in the countryside for a weekend getaway, a series of creepy events unfold. Soon the duo find turn the tables turned on them, as their lives spiral into a horrifying living nightmare!
Screens with short film Hearth by Sophie B. Jaques
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21
7.00 PM: PARADISE HILLS (Spain, USA)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Alice Waddington.
Alice Waddington's stunning debut feature is an enticing dark sci-fi fairytale. Drawing on dystopian elements from THE HANDMAID'S TALE, in the near future, a group of unruly young women are sent to a paradise island where they are trained to be better versions of themselves for society. However, it's not long before secrets at the island including its sinister conversion methods are revealed, and the group starts to think about escape. This hypnotically beautiful, suspenseful and mysterious film also benefits from its amazing cast that includes Emma Roberts, Awkwafina, and Milla Jovovich!
Screens with short film Barbara-Anne by Kat Webber
9.30 PM: CONTRACTS (CANADA)
World Premiere. Director - Alex Chung
**Director, Cast & Crew in Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
Fight choreographer Alex Chung channels JOHN WICK and JASON BOURNE with this hard-hitting action packed crime thriller about a jaded hitman who finds himself in a fight to the death with a group of vicious assassins. Packed with jaw-breaking fights, intense duels and dangerous stunts, CONTRACTS is a hardcore action movie fan's delight!
Screens with short film The Lightsaber Maker by Jeremy Brown
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22
7.00 PM: 8 (SOUTH AFRICA)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Harold Holscher
In the creepy new South African ghost story "8", a young family tries to start a new life on a remote rural farm. But soon they encounter the wrath of demonic forces that have existed on their property long since ancient times. Making full use of the stunning South African landscape, and packed with eery moments, horror fans are in for a unique and haunting treat with "8"!
Screens with short film Kakatshat by Eve Ringuette
9.30 PM: HOMEWRECKER (CANADA)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Zach Gayne
**Director, Select Cast & Crew in Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
In this dark, biting horror comedy that evokes a twisted modern update to Stephen King's MISERY, a young woman (STARRY EYES's Alex Essoe) finds herself being held against her will by an eccentric lady (Precious Chong) whose been stalking her as a potential best friend. As the duel between captive and captor escalates hysterically, one minute you'll find yourself laughing, the next minute you'll scream!
Screens with short film A Noise That Carries by Guillermo de la Rosa
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
7.00 PM: THE ASSENT (USA)
World Premiere. Director - Pearry Teo.
**Director in Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
Join us for the World Premiere of possibly the scariest film at Toronto After Dark 2019. After a series of disturbing supernatural events in his home, Joel a young single father, comes to suspect that his young son may be possessed. He finds an exorcist to help rescue his son from the devil, but there is a darkness in the house that has other ideas. THE ASSENT delivers creepiness, scares, and a visions of a demonic hell that will leave your skin crawling with fear.
Screens with short film Schism by Andrew Todd and Johnny Hall
9.30 PM: THE MORTUARY COLLECTION (USA)
International Premiere. Director - Ryan Spindell
**Producer in Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
An absolute delight for horror fans from the opening credits to the finish, THE MORTUARY COLLECTION sees the creepy mortician Montgomery Dark (played by fan favourite Clancy Brown) recount five terrifying tales of ghosts, monsters, slasher killers and more to a young woman applying for a job as his assistant. Filled with eye-popping practical effects, lots of scares and a good dose of creepy humour, it all adds up to an unmissable cinematic love letter to classic 1980s horror!
Screens with short film Peel by Cameron J. Kidd
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
7.00 PM: WEREWOLF (POLAND)
Canadian Premiere. Director - Adrian Panek
At first glance a film set during the last days of World War II about a group of kids trying to avoid Nazi soldiers and rabid wolves in the woods might not seem like Toronto After Dark fare. But trust us: this award winning Polish film gets so intense we think it delivers more terror per minute than just about any other film in our lineup! And we’re not the only ones, The Guardian calls WEREWOLF “a mix of LORD OF THE FLIES and ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13”! if you are looking for a more original horror experience that pushes you to the limit, look no further than WEREWOLF!
Screens with short film Eilid and Damh by Neil Cavalier
9.30 PM: ENHANCED (CANADA)
EXPECTED TO SELL OUT SOON!
World Premiere. Director - James Mark
**Director and select cast and crew members in attendance for a lively Q&A with fans following the screening**
Packed with kick-ass action and super-powered throw downs, James Mark's ENHANCED is a thrilling new sci-fi action flick set to delight fans. In the vein of X-MEN, when a sinister government organization declares them illegal, a group of 'enhanced' mutant outcasts including a young woman (CARDINAL'S Alanna Bale) go on the run. Soon, a super-enhanced serial killer emerges on the scene, and the dynamics between hunter and prey changes. Adding extra action to the cast is Canadian Olympic icon and martial artist Elvis Stojko!
Screens with short film Dark Before Dawn: Convoy by Brodie Spaull and Paul Krysinski
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 - CLOSING NIGHT!
7.00 PM: COME TO DADDY (New Zealand, Canada & Ireland)
Toronto Premiere. Director - Ant Timpson.
While visiting his estranged father at a remote cabin by the woods, fan favourite Elijah Wood (LORD OF THE RINGS) gets caught up in all sorts of bloody trouble thanks to his dad's criminal tendencies! Strap in for a fun crazy, terrifying, wild ride in this horror thriller, the latest crowdpleaser from the twisted mind of Ant Timpson who previously gave us festival hits DEATHGASM and HOUSEBOUND! Sadly no trailer, but trust us you won't want to miss it. Check out some of the rave press quotes by clicking on the image above!
Screens with short film Patterns by B.J. Verot
9.30 PM: THE WRETCHED (USA) CLOSING GALA FILM
Toronto Premiere. Director - Brett & Drew Pierce.
**Directors in Attendance for Intro & Q&A!**
Join us for a scary fun time with THE WRETCHED, from horror filmmakers Brett and Drew Pierce who last delighted us with their zombie comedy DEADHEADS. After she brings a dead animal home form the woods, a young mom and her family become possessed by the spirit of an evil force. In the mould of FRIGHT NIGHT, only the teen boy next door notices and decides to fight the evil back! Alas all we can share is a teaser that doesn't represent how awesome this film is. Trust us when we say there's a reason Sam Raimi (THE EVIL DEAD) loves this film and calls it "Wicked Fun!". It's packed with scary fun moments and the perfect Toronto After Dark closing movie, don't miss it!
Screens with short film The Changeling by David Hamelin & Neil Macdonald
ABOUT TORONTO AFTER DARK 2019
Toronto After Dark Film Festival is one of the world’s leading showcases of New Horror, Sci-Fi and Action cinema. Each October, the critically acclaimed event screens over 50 films, both features and shorts from around the world in front of over 10,000 attendees. The 14th Annual festival ran Oct 17-25, 2019 at the Scotiabank Theatre, the biggest cinema in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada. Get more info on the fest at our About Us and More About Us Pages.
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?
To get in touch, please email: info@torontoafterdark.com
2019 FESTIVAL POSTER GRAPHICS GALLERY
Please feel free to use any of the images in the gallery below for any posts you are doing about our event! Just click on the images to expand and download them.
