Alireza Khatami’s The Things You Kill, which had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where it picked up the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award, has been selected to be Canada‘s entry to this year’s Best International Feature Film Oscar race.
The pic centers on Ali (Ekin Koç), a university professor who is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. As long-buried family secrets resurface, the police tighten their noose, and doubts begin eroding Ali’s conscience. Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü and Ercan Kesal also star.
U.S. rights were acquired by Cineverse earlier this year, with a fall release date planned.
Khatami, a Canadian writer, director and producer who was born into the Indigenous Khamse tribe in Iran, wrote, directed and produced the pic, which is co-produced by Tell Tall Tale, Fulgurance, Remora Films, Lava Films, Band With Pictures and Sineaktif. It is being distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media, while Best Friend Forever reps international sales.
His past credits include 2017’s Oblivion Verses, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and 2023’s Terrestrial Verses co-directed with Ali Asgari which premiered at Cannes.
The Things You Kill was selected among 16 films submitted to a pan-Canadian selection committee organized by Telefilm Canada. The country has eight previous nominations in the International Feature category, winning once in 2004 for Denys Arcand’s Les Invasions barbares.
The Oscar shortlist in the International Feature category will be revealed December 16, with nominations announced January 22, 2026.
