Downtown Toronto was frightened this Halloween season, as the Toronto After Dark Film Festival (TADFF) embarked on its 17th annual edition. Beginning Wednesday, October 18 and running until Sunday, October 22, critically acclaimed and anticipated new horror, sci-fi, action and cult features and short films from this year’s international film festival circuit screened at the Scotiabank Theatre (259 Richmond Street West) in the Canadian city.
Film Factual was generously given the opportunity to participate in this month’s TADFF. Check out the standout features and shorts we watched while attending and covering the festival below:
Standout Features
Wednesday, October 18 – Opening Night
7:00 PM: ‘Late Night with the Devil’ (Australia) – Toronto Premiere – Opening Gala Film – Sold Out – Won the Following TADFF Awards: Best Feature Film – Gold; Best Lead Performance (David Dastmalchian); Best Screenplay; Most Original Film; and Best Editing
Directors: Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes
TADFF 2023 opened 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!
9.30 PM: ‘The Last Exit’ (U.K.) – North American Premiere – Won the Following TADFF Awards: Best Villain (Joely Richardson as Mama) and Best Supporting Performance (Harry Cadby)
Director: Matthias Hoene, who was in attendance for a post-screening Q&A
Festival alum Matthias Hoene (TADFF Audience Choice Gold Winner for 2012’s action horror comedy, ‘Cockneys Vs Zombie’s) returns to the festival 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!
Friday, October 20
7:00 PM: ‘Daniel’s Gotta Die’ (Canada) – Toronto Premiere – Sold Out – Won the Following TADFF Awards: Best Comedy Film; Best Ensemble Cast and Best Title Sequence
Director: Jeremy LaLonde, who was in attendance with select cast members for a post-screening Q&A
Festival alum 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! The fantastic cast includes cult icon Iggy Pop and fan favorite Bob Saget in his final film role.
Watch Film Factual’s exclusive Zoom video interview with LaLonde about ‘Daniel’s Gotta Die’ here.
Honorable Mentions – Features
Friday, October 20
9.45 PM: ‘Founders Day’ (USA) – Canadian Premiere – Won the Following TADFF Award: Film Most Want to See a Sequel To
Co-writer-director-producer-editor: Erik Bloomquist, who was in attendance for a post-screening Q&A with his brother, co-writer-producer-editor Carson Bloomquist, and cast members
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. Featuring some great gruesome kills, fascinating social commentary, and twists that subvert slasher movie tropes, ‘Founders Day’ is a bloody good night out at the movies!
Film Factual originally spoke to the Bloomquist brothers about ‘Founders Day’ in an exclusive Zoom video interview when the project had its World Premiere during the Popcorn Frights Film Festival in August.
Saturday, October 21
9.45 PM: ‘Suitable Flesh’ (USA) – Ontario Premiere; Now Playing in Limited Theaters and On Video on Demand, courtesy of RLJE Films – Sold Out – Won the Following TADFF Awards: Best Fight (Heather Graham vs. Barbara Crampton) and Best Kill (Death by repeated car reverse)
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 (Heather Graham) whose obsession with an unusual new patient unleashes a demonic force. Horror legend Barbara Crampton adds extra fire to the mix.
Film Factual originally reviewed ‘Suitable Flesh’ in a capsule review when it had its World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival in June. We reviewed the project in a full review during TADFF.
Sunday, October 22
6.45 PM: ‘Lovely, Dark, and Deep’ (USA) – Ontario Premiere – Sold Out – Won the Following TADFF Awards: Best Cinematography and Best Sound Design
Director: Teresa Sutherland, who was in attendance for a post-screening Q&A
After co-writing the hit Netflix horror series ‘Midnight Mass’ with TADFF 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. This is one creepy horror gem you’ll enjoy discovering!
Film Factual spoke to Sutherland about ‘Lovely, Dark, and Deep’ in an exclusive Zoom video interview when the project had its World Premiere during the Fantasia International Film Festival in July.
Standout Canadian Shorts
Wednesday, October 18 – Opening Night
7:00 PM: ‘Soul Proprietor,’ 12minutes – Played in Front of Opening Gala Film ‘Late Night with the Devil’ – Sold Out
Director – Scott Riopelle
A priest gets more than he bargains for when he encounters multiple demons during an exorcism.
9.30 PM: ‘Mystery Box,’ 7 minutes – Played in Front of ‘The Last Exit’
Director – Tomas Morisson
While searching the dark web, a curious man orders a mystery box to be delivered to his home.
Film Factual 