Blood In The Snow 2026 - Official Selection - CUTS Directed By Dallas Harvey
Vancouver filmmaker Dallas Harvey’s brutal Halloween horror short joins the Dark Visions opening-night program in Toronto on November 16, 2026.
VANCOUVER, BC – October 30, 2026 – Transfigure Films is proud to announce that CUTS, the independent slasher horror short film written and directed by Vancouver filmmaker and special effects artist Dallas Harvey, has been named an Official Selection of the 2026 Blood in the Snow Film Festival (BITS) in Toronto, Ontario.
The film will screen as part of the festival's highly anticipated Dark Visions opening-night program on Monday, November 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM EST, at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Blood in the Snow is a prominent Canadian genre film festival dedicated to showcasing independent horror, science fiction, thrillers and dark genre cinema. The festival is also a Canadian Screen Award-qualifying event, providing an important platform for emerging and established Canadian filmmakers.
CUTS joins nine other Canadian horror shorts selected for Dark Visions, a program dedicated to some of the year's darkest, most terrifying and intense short-form horror films.
About the Film
Set against the darkness of Halloween night, CUTS follows a group of young friends whose evening takes a horrifying turn when they encounter a mysterious figure wearing a cracked clown mask, a black butcher's apron and carrying a bloodied sledgehammer.
What initially appears to be an elaborate Halloween prank quickly descends into a desperate fight for survival as the group realizes they have crossed paths with a relentless and unpredictable killer.
Blending the atmosphere of classic slasher cinema with contemporary independent horror filmmaking, CUTS emphasizes practical gore, violent set pieces, unsettling character design and a menacing new masked antagonist.
At the centre of the film is CUTS the Killer Clown, portrayed by performer and musician Thrillhouse, whose disturbing physical performance gives life to the film's central villain.
Produced by Transfigure Films, with practical special effects created by DHFX Studio, the film draws on Harvey's extensive background in prosthetic makeup, creature effects and cinematic horror.
From Short Film to Feature Development
Beyond its festival debut, CUTS has been conceived as the foundation for a larger slasher horror property.
Transfigure Films is currently developing a feature-length version of the project, expanding the killer's mythology, characters and violent world into a full-length theatrical horror experience.
The completed short serves as both a standalone horror film and a proof of concept, demonstrating the creative direction, practical effects capabilities and visual identity of the proposed feature.
The project is currently being positioned for potential production, financing, distribution and strategic partnerships within the Canadian and international genre film industry.
About Director Dallas Harvey
Dallas Harvey is a Vancouver-based filmmaker, writer, producer and special effects artist with more than 15 years of experience working in film and television.
As the founder of DHFX Studio and Transfigure Films, Harvey specializes in practical creature effects, prosthetics, animatronics, realistic anatomical effects and horror filmmaking.
His work spans independent films, television productions and original genre projects, with an emphasis on combining practical craftsmanship with modern filmmaking technology.
His previous short film, The Archivists, screened at the 2025 Blood in the Snow Film Festival, making CUTS another selection at the festival for the Vancouver filmmaker.
Through Transfigure Films, Harvey continues to develop a slate of original horror and science-fiction features, including CUTS, The Archivists, GOAT and Metamorphose.
Cast and Key Creative Team
Starring
Thrillhouse – CUTS the Killer Clown
Vials – The Influencer
Anthony Valdez – Leo
Andrea Vela – Maya
Jedrek Scorda – Jax
Asia Watters – The Witch
Isabel Klapwyk – The Doll
Chris Macklin – The Pumpkin Man
Key Creative Credits
Director / Producer: Dallas Harvey
Screenplay: Dallas Harvey & Aidan MacAulay
Production Company: Transfigure Films
Director of Photography: Kirk Gilchrist
Editor: Nadav Santo
Colourist: Melissa Trottier
Sound & Original Music: Pablo Gomez
Practical Special Effects: DHFX Studio
Special Effects Department Head: Dallas Harvey
Head of Hair & Makeup: Yvonne Champion
Screening Information
Blood in the Snow Film Festival – 2026 Official Selection
Film: CUTS (2026)
Program: Dark Visions – Opening Night
Date: Monday, November 16, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern
Venue: Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles Street West, Toronto, Ontario
Runtime: 9 minutes, 38 seconds
Tickets & Festival Information: https://bloodinthesnow.ca/index.html#mon
About Transfigure Films
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Transfigure Films is an independent production company dedicated to developing and producing original horror, science fiction, thriller and genre entertainment.
With a strong foundation in practical effects and visual storytelling, the company focuses on creating distinctive cinematic experiences, memorable characters and original intellectual properties for Canadian and international audiences.
Website: https://www.transfigurefilms.com
Media Inquiries, Interviews & Screeners
Dallas Harvey
Writer / Director / Producer – CUTS
Founder – Transfigure Films / DHFX Studio
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Website: https://www.transfigurefilms.com
Email: dallasharveyfx@gmail.com
Interviews, film stills, promotional materials, private screening links and information regarding the CUTS feature film currently in development are available upon request.
