Telefilm Canada on Tuesday announced The Things You Kill is representing Canada in the nomination process for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, to be held on March 15, 2026.
Directed, written and produced by Alireza Khatami, The Things You Kill 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, with international sales being handled by Best Friend Forever.
Khatami is a Canadian writer, director and producer, born into the indigenous Khamse tribe in southeast Iran. The Things You Kill is his third feature film.
The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and will be released theatrically on Sept. 19. The film stars Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, and Ercan Kesal.
“Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor 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 his conscience. Ali has no choice but to look into the abyss of his own soul,” reads a synopsis in a Telefilm Canada press release.
As the appointed non-voting chair of the committee, Telefilm Canada organizes the annual pan-Canadian Selection Committee for Canada’s submission to the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards. This year, 16 films were submitted for consideration as Canada’s choice. The committee met Tuesday morning to select the film.
“The films in selection this year demonstrate the vitality of our film industry. They are diverse, compelling, and resonate with audiences at home and abroad. From these remarkable films, a jury of peers has chosen The Things You Kill to represent Canada in the Oscar race,” said Julie Roy, executive director and CEO of Telefilm Canada, in a statement. “This choice highlights not only the exceptional talent of its creative team but also the strength of Canadian cinema as a whole. We are thrilled to celebrate this achievement and wish Alireza Khatami, (producer) Michael Solomon and the entire creative team the best of luck on this journey.”
“I am truly delighted that our film The Things You Kill has been selected to represent Canada at the Oscars,” Khatami said. “Eight years in the making, this film is a labour of love shaped by the dedication and generosity of so many extraordinary souls. What makes this moment especially meaningful to me is that Canada is making space for stories that BIPOC filmmakers have to share. I warmly thank the pan-Canadian Selection Committee on this important step, and I hope our selection marks the beginning of many more to come.”
So far, 12 countries have submitted their entries for the Best International Feature Film category, according to Telefilm’s press release. Last year, 89 countries submitted a film. The deadline for country submissions is Oct. 1.
The academy will announce its shortlist of 15 titles selected to move forward on Dec. 16. The Academy Award nominations will be announced on Jan. 22, 2026.
Photo of Ekin Koç in The Things You Kill courtesy of Telefilm Canada
