Canada’s Oscar submission ‘The Things You Kill’ sells to key territories

EXCLUSIVE: Best Friend Forever has agreed distribution deals to multiple territories for Alireza Khatami’s The Things You Kill, which has just been selected as Canada’s Oscar entry in the international feature film category. 

The Brussels-based sales company has sold the film to Benelux (Mooov), Spain (Filmin), Greece (Danaos Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery Film), Taiwan (Filmware), Indonesia (PT Falcon), India (BookMyShow). Sales to Italy, Germany and Scandinavia are in discussions.

Le Pacte will release the film in France, Cineverse has taken it on for North American distribution, and Mongrel Media will release it in Canada on September 19.

The dramatic thriller is about a university professor, haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, who coerces his enigmatic gardener into a cold-blooded act of vengeance.

It stars Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, and Ercan Kesal. Producers are France’s Fulgurance and Remora Films, Poland’s Lava Films, Canada’s Tell Tall Tale and Band With Pictures, alongside co-producer Turkey’s Sineaktif.

The Things You Kill made its world premiere at Sundance 2025 where Khatami took home the prize for best director in the World Cinema Dramatic category. It is the filmmaker’s follow up to Cannes 2023 Un Certain Regard title Terrestrial Verses and 2017 feature Oblivion Verses that won the best screenplay prize in Venice’s Horizons competition and the Fipresci prize. 

Best Friend Forever is headed to TIFF with Pella Kågerman & Hugo Lilja’s Egghead Republic (Discovery) and Valentyn Vasyanovych’s To The Victory! (Platform).

• Canada selects ‘The Things You Kill’ as Oscar submission