HELPING ADVANCE DIVERSITY IN GENRE
The Blood in the Snow Film Festival was established to push boundaries in Canadian genre cinema, dedicating the past decade to promoting independent films in this niche area. The festival strives to lead the way in championing diversity within the genre, showcasing stories that celebrate a range of cultures and identities. Over the years, the festival has featured films exploring diverse folklore and traditions, including Indigenous and French-language works, as well as productions highlighting actors with disabilities. Our mission is to amplify voices from underrepresented communities within the already underserved genre film space. With a strong focus on content, representation, and quality, the programming team carefully curates selections to ensure our diverse audiences feel seen and valued.
Diversity is also at the heart of our industry-focused initiatives. During the Deadly Exposure Industry Conference - a highly anticipated event connecting filmmakers with industry professionals - we've hosted panels featuring esteemed voices from Black, Asian, Indigenous, and Latinx communities. These panels foster open, transformative discussions aimed at driving change within the industry. Past topics have included "Kickass Women in Canadian Horror," "Diversity in Genre Film," and "Undoing Tropes with Cultural Sensitivity." These conversations encourage Canadian filmmakers to create more inclusive narratives, challenge stereotypes, and inspire individuals from marginalized communities to find their place in genre filmmaking.
To further boost visibility for diverse genre films, Blood in the Snow partners with other film festivals to reach broader audiences. Recent collaborations include presenting the South African horror The Tokoloshe with the Toronto Black Film Festival and co-presenting the midnight horror shorts program with the ImagiNATIVE Film Festival, a partnership spanning several years.
While we've made significant strides, there remains a pressing need for greater representation within Canadian genre cinema. In response, the Blood in the Snow Horror Development Lab was launched as part of the 2025 Deadly Exposure Industry Conference. This initiative supports BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, and other underrepresented creators, providing them with resources to bring their projects from script to screen. By connecting filmmakers with industry professionals, the program ensures these voices are empowered to tell their stories and contribute meaningfully to Canada's genre film landscape.
(Photography by Anais Are, Horror Development Lab 2022)
2025 HORROR DEVELOPMENT LAB SUBMISSION INFORMATION
COMING SOON
The BITS Horror Lab is a development program focused on facilitating business and production opportunities for genre (horror, sci-fi, action, thriller) scripted projects and shorts films by traditionally underrepresented BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ Canadian filmmakers and content creators. The Horror Lab will support 12 short-form film concepts or web series in development with the intention of moving these concepts into a feature film or a web series project.
This program is less aimed at mentorship and more about access to business development. Accepted participants will meet with top industry professionals during the Blood in the Snow Film Festival from November 17 to 22, 2025. Horror Lab participants will have scheduled workshops with established industry professionals focusing on developing their projects. All participants will also have access to the Deadly Exposure Industry Conference during the festival.
The Horror Lab participants will receive the following:
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Filmmakers will receive advice and feedback on their short-to-feature pitches from established directors, producers, and broadcasters.
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Industry leads and will challenge the participants to push their vision through to the very end by identifying and navigating through any development obstacles and changes.
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A curated itinerary including a focus on marketing and distribution, scheduled market meetings with attending industry advisors and leads, and short film screenings and pitch feedback.
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Participants will leave with advice on how to revise their package and move forward with it.
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Participants will leave with important film business insights and connections.
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Industry/peer networking opportunities.
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Participants will receive a free Screening & Industry Pass to attend the 2025 Blood in the Snow Film Festival + Deadly Exposure.
Who can apply?
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Black
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Indigenous, Metis or Inuit
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Person of Colour
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LGBTQ2IA+*(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual, and other identities that fall outside cisgender and heterosexual paradigms.)
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Women*
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Disabled (visible and invisible)*
* For all applicants, priority acceptance will be given to projects with BIPOC representation in front and behind the camera.
If you applied to the 2023 Horror Lab and DID NOT make the program, you can apply again. Please DO NOT apply again if you were accepted last year. You are, however, able to apply for the 2026 program.
The lead Lab particpant also must:
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Must be a Canadian citizen
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Must plan to shoot their film project primarily in Canada
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Must have completed at least one polished, completed short film (3 to 30 minutes in length)
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Must feel that they are ready to make a feature film or web/TV series.
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This is a HORROR development lab, so the film needs to be some type of "genre" project that is horror, sci-fi, action or thriller
What do you need in your application?
All applications this year will be submitted through
Film Freeway and must include the following:
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At least one previous completed short film that is either its own project or short done as proof of concept. (under 30 minutes)
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A 2 to 3 page pitch book/proposal (in pdf) uploaded to Film Freeway describing the project. Please include a story description, bios of the team attached, a general budget summary and anything else you'd like to tell us about the project.
Other important details:
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The attendee can be the Producer/Director and/or primary writer of the project and have the full rights to the proposed project.
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All rights remain with the filmmaker, and BITS has no proprietary interest in any of the projects.
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Although the mentor lab will be in English, Francophone, Indigenous language, and other language projects are welcome and encouraged.
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Applicants must commit to attending the program in person from November 17 to 22, 2025, in Toronto, Canada.
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Applicants must be Canadian citizens and reside in Canada.
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Up to two people per project will be allowed to attend the program.
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You DO NOT need to be alumni of the Blood in the Snow Film Festival to be a part of the program.
- You can apply for both the festival and the lab with the same application on Film Freeway. There is an option when you apply for the lab to also be considered for the festival.
- We strongly suggest that you upload a second version of your film on Film Freeway if it's already there so that the file for your pitch isn't visible for your other festival submissions you may be doing.
KEY DATES
September 15, 2025
Final Application deadline.
October 15, 2025
Notification date to know if you were accepted.
November 17-22, 2025
Horror Development Lab in downtown Toronto. Three days of development and two days of intensive Deadly Exposure events (including panels and round tables). Your pass to the lab will also include a screening pass to all the films in the evenings.