James Villeneuve’s Pins and Needles will have its world premiere at the genre-focused Blood in the Snow Festival (BITS) in Toronto.

Written, directed and edited by Villeneuve (Vicious Fun), the horror-thriller follows a diabetic biology student who must escape a deadly cat and mouse game. The film is produced by Vortex Media’s Bill Marks as well as New Mountain Films and East Liberty Entertainment’s Khaled Sabbour. Vortex CEO Justin Rebelo, CCO Jesse Ikeman and SVP, production Christopher Giroux are executive producers.

The film stars Chelsea Clark (Ginny and Georgia, pictured), Kate Corbett (The Righteous) and Ryan McDonald (Black Conflux).

Following its festival screening, the Super Channel Fuse Original will be available on the channel Nov. 29.

The 13th edition of BITS includes a lineup of seven feature films, as well as multiple collections of horror shorts and digital series. The event is presented by Super Channel and takes place at the Isabel Bader Theatre from Nov. 18 to 23.

Hunting Matthew Nichols (Dropshock Pictures, Play Mgmt Media), from director, writer and star Markian Tarasiuk, will be making its Canadian premiere. The mystery thriller, co-written by Sean Harris Oliver, follows a filmmaker who suspects her brother may still be alive 23 years after his disappearance.

Another Canadian premiere is Navin Ramaswaran’s Invited (105ive Films, Splice Films). The Monica LaVella-written horror is about a mother who realizes her daughter’s groom is part of a deadly Russian cult.

One of the three films making their Toronto premiere is Michael Pierro’s directorial debut Self Driver (Made by Other People, Summo Duo), about a driver who joins a new ridesharing app that lands him in danger.

Then there’s Jeffrey St. Jules’ The Silent Planet (Good Movies, JoBro Productions, Panoramic Pictures). The film, starring Elias Koteas, follows two convicts sentenced to labour on a distant planet.

BITS will close with the Toronto premiere of Vivieno Caldinelli’s Scared Shitless (Happy Cat Productions), starring Steven Ogg, Julian Richings and Kids in the Hall’s Mark McKinney. The film focuses on a plumber who teams up with his germaphobic son to fight a genetically engineered monster.

Image courtesy of Vortex Media