For a 24-hour period, many children find themselves hunted by their crazed parents—including a pair played by Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair—in Brian Taylor's Mom and Dad, one of ten films featured in this year's Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness program:

Press Release: TORONTO — Tomb it may concern: strap in, secure your spooktacles, and feel free to let loose a mighty battle cry, because Midnight Madness has just launched its lineup for the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival®, presented by new programmer Peter Kuplowsky. Screening for near-riotous crowds into the wee hours, this year's films are guaranteed to melt minds, split sides and drop jaws. Midnight Madness is generously sponsored by Cineplex Entertainment.

"We can't wait to unleash Peter on Midnight Madness audiences," said TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. "He's tracked down 10 films that preserve the section's legendary kick-out-the-jams approach, while still putting his own ruthless stamp on it. Just watch."

Midnight Madness opens with Joseph Kahn’s provocative World Premiere of Bodied, and also presents the World Premiere of The Disaster Artist, directed by James Franco and based on the making of Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cult film, The Room. Kuplowsky also welcomes back several Festival alumni, including David Bruckner, Ryuhei Kitamura, S. Craig Zahler, Hélène Cattet, and Bruno Forzani. A new film directed by Canadian musician Seth A. Smith of Dog Day will also screen, as well as the Canadian Premiere of the acclaimed short-film Great Choice, which will precede the World Premiere of Brian Taylor’s Mom and Dad, starring Nicholas Cage and Selma Blair. Finally, the section will introduce two new feature filmmakers with Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge and the section’s Closing Night presentation of Sôichi Umezawa’s Vampire Clay.

"With my inaugural lineup, I’ve sought to assemble an eclectic group of films that expand and explode traditional definitions of genre and shock cinema,” said Peter Kuplowsky, Programmer for Midnight Madness. “Starting with Joseph Kahn’s proverbial mic-drop Bodied, a transgressive and self-critical battle rap satire produced by Eminem, and ricocheting between occult rituals and brutal brawls, the tropes across these 10 Midnights may be familiar, but the execution always innovates, be it in their distillation, fragmentation or subversion. Some will terrify, and others may mystify, but all will electrify audiences well past the witching hour."

Under Kuplowsky’s new direction, Midnight Madness will continue to showcase the classically terrifying, as well as boundary-pushing, stylized and innovative films — wiring up and energizing its loyal late-night fang-club!

The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.

Films screening as part of the Midnight Madness programme include:

Midnight Madness Opening Film
Bodied Joseph Kahn, USA
World Premiere

Brawl in Cell Block 99 S. Craig Zahler, USA
North American Premiere

The Crescent Seth A. Smith, Canada
World Premiere

The Disaster Artist James Franco, USA
World Premiere

Downrange Ryuhei Kitamura, USA
World Premiere

Great Choice Robin Comisar, USA
Canadian Premiere

Let the Corpses Tan Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, Belgium/France
North American Premiere

Mom and Dad Brian Taylor, USA
World Premiere

Revenge Coralie Fargeat, France
World Premiere

The Ritual David Bruckner, UK
World Premiere

Midnight Madness Closing Film.
Vampire Clay Sôichi Umezawa, Japan
World Premiere

Festival ticket packages start at $105. See all the Midnight Madness films using your 10-ticket regular flex pack. Purchase packages online at tiff.net/tickets, by phone (416.599.TIFF or 1.888.599.8433), or in person at TIFF Bell Lightbox until August 13 while quantities last.

TIFF prefers Visa.

Social Media:
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#TIFF17 | #MidnightMadness
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Facebook.com/MidnightMadnessTIFF

  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.