TADFF XIX: FROGMAN RETURNS, I LOVE PARIS, And More As Fest Reveals First Wave!

The Toronto After Dark Film Festival endured it share of trials a few years ago with the passing of founder Adam Lopez. Since then, the festival has been in the good graces of Peter Kuplowsky, serving as legacy director of the festival since its return last year, and the festival is well on track to keep the pace going once more for its nineteenth edition in October.

There are four titles on deck out of the films dozen-plus pending program, with Javier Ruiz Caldera’s Five More Minutes, Nicky Murphy’s I Love Paris, Anthony Cousins’s Frogman Returns, and Casey Donahue’s My Love For You is Deep But The Devil Loves Me Deeper headlining the first wave launching as of Wednesday. The festival will also host a trio of screenings at the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre’s CineCyle as part of its late night programme.

More details will come with the festival now a little over a month out, so scroll below and feel free to visit the official website of the festival to get into the mix!

TORONTO AFTER DARK FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS FIRST WAVE OF 2026 TITLES AS FEATURE LINEUP EXPANDS

The 19th edition will feature 14 titles from Canada and around the world, including new late-night programming at CineCycle

TORONTO, September 9, 2026: Toronto After Dark Film Festival (TADFF) is thrilled to officially unveil the first four titles of its upcoming 19th edition. Running from Oct. 14-18 in downtown Toronto, this year’s festival will further see its core feature line-up grow from 10 premiere features to 14 exciting titles from across Canada and around the world!

Headlining the festival’s first full day of programming is the Canadian Premiere of 5 MORE MINUTES (d. Javier Ruiz Caldera). With the whole world thrust into an endlessly-repeating 5 minute loop, one bickering couple must navigate their way home while the consequences of their increasingly destructive decisions carry forth into each of the time loop’s next permutations. Caldera’s thrilling reinvention of the time-loop concept breathes new life into a beloved subgenre and is expected to be a fall season standout for genre fans.

Representing one block in this year’s After Dark Vampire Night is Nicky Murphy’s Fantasia Film Festival Award-Winning hit I LOVE PARIS (Gold Audience Award for Best International Feature). Announcing himself as a confident new voice in the world of low budget horror, Murphy’s mockumentary follows a brash Parisian musician (Aminata Thiboult) on her soul-draining pursuit towards music supremacy. 

TADFF’s Closing Night features the hotly anticipated FROGMAN RETURNS (d. Anthony Cousins). An After Dark Alumnus (2016’s WHEN SUSURRUS STIRS), Cousins returns to the festival with the sequel to his 2023 cult hit FROGMAN. Fans of the first film and Frogman neophytes alike will appreciate the film’s blast of practical-effects gooeyness and creative cryptid lore in this new evolution for the already-beloved found footage franchise.

And finally, the World Premiere of Casey Donahue’s feature debut MY LOVE FOR YOU IS DEEP BUT THE DEVIL LOVES ME DEEPER will kick off TADFF’s new Late Night Programme. Produced by Doughboys Media & Devil Business, this glitched-out, low-budget deal-with-the-devil phantasmagoria features a murderer’s row of special appearances from alt-comedy faves like James Urbaniak (THE VENTURE BROTHERS), Mike Mitchell (THE NAPA BOYS), Kyle Mooney (BRIGSBY BEAR) and Beck Bennett (GREENER GRASS).

These four titles represent Toronto After Dark’s first wave of announcements for their exciting new expansion of festival programming. In addition to this year’s 11 feature film premieres and 2 short film programmes at Scotiabank Theatre, the festival will be holding 3 feature film screenings at the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC)’s CineCycle (129 Spadina Avenue) as part of its new Late Night Programme; a selection that spotlights more esoteric and experimental genre film programming. 

The 2026 edition of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival was programmed by Festival Legacy Director Peter Kuplowsky; Director of Programming Shannon Hanmer; Festival Manager/Programmer Adam Bovoletis; Programmers Kassy Gascho, Justin McConnell, and Bridget van Voorden; and Programmer at Large Carolyn Mauricette. Further programming support was provided by Jay Clarke, Dara Jade Moats and Ben Whyte.

More than 50% of this year’s passes have been sold during the festival early-bird pricing window. The remaining CINE-MANIAC passes are priced at $150.00 CAD, and the ALL-NIGHTER passes, which include the 3 late night screenings, plus exclusive festival merch, are $220.00 CAD. Single tickets will also be available for $16.99 and will go on sale on September 23rd, following the announcement of the full festival lineup and schedule.