Alireza Khatami’s The Things You Kill will represent Canada in the nomination process for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.
Directed, written and produced by Khatami – a Canadian writer, director, and producer born into the Indigenous Khamse tribe in southeast Iran – the drama surrounds a university professor who solicits his gardener to seek vengeance after the suspicious death of his mother. Starring Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, and Ercan Kesal, the film had its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award. It’s set for release Sept. 19.
Telefilm Canada coordinates and chairs the pan-Canadian Selection Committee, comprised of 24 members representing key government agencies and national film industry associations. Sixteen films were considered this year.
“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, Telefilm, in an announcement. “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,” said Khatami. “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.”
The Academy will unveil a shortlist of 15 titles selected to move forward in the category on Dec. 16, with nominations to be announced Jan. 22 ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony on March 15.
In the history of the Oscars, eight Canadian films have been official nominees in the Best International Feature Film (formerly the Best Foreign Language Film category). Denys Arcand’s Les Invasions barbares is the only Canadian film to have won an Oscar in the category in 2004.
