Programmers' Picks: Colleen O’Holleran on SIFF 2026
Body Blow
Lots of raucous sex, a murder mystery, and a heartfelt romance weave through Body Blow. It’s impossible not to sense the influence of Adrian Lyne, and of course I love that.
The Restoration at Grayson Manor
If a soap opera melodrama and a “Tales from the Crypt” episode had a love child, you would get The Restoration at Grayson Manor. Chris Colfer and Alice Krige are superb as a dysfunctional mother-son duo in this campy queer horror-comedy.
Camp
Camp is a dreamy and melancholic exploration of grief, witchcraft, and friendship at a Christian summer camp in the woods. Zola Grimmer's performance is one of the best I've seen this year.
Obsession
Sketch comedian turned horror filmmaker Curry Barker takes “The Monkey's Paw” scenario and runs with it in Obsession — a wish fulfillment horror perfect for a midnight movie.
Fifteen
Fifteen follows two outsiders whose dream quinceañera takes a horrifying turn when one's pregnancy reveals something decidedly not human. I recommend this one for anyone who craves a mashup of Heathers, and Dead Alive!
The Furious
The Furious delivers exactly what you'd expect from acclaimed action choreographer-turned director, Kenji Tanigaki,— and then some. See it loud.
Gaua
From the director of Errementari and Irati comes Gaua, a Basque folk horror anthology set during the Inquisition. Three women gather in the woods to tell scary stories, and what follows is both strange and surreal.
Boorman and the Devil
Boorman and the Devil is the definitive account of one of the most infamous sequels ever made. A deep dive into the making of Exorcist II: The Heretic, this documentary is a must for both fans and rebukers of the original film.
Mārama
Mārama follows a young Māori teacher in 1859 who makes the journey from Aotearoa, New Zealand to Yorkshire, England in search of her family's buried past. What she finds is a gothic reckoning with colonialism, blood, and fury.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Come and see SIFF & CFC present A Nightmare on Elm Street with DJ NicFit. Don’t sleep on it!