‘The Things You Kill’ selected as Canada’s submission to the Oscars

By Canadian Press on August 26, 2025.

TORONTO — Canada will submit a Toronto professor’s autofictional psychological thriller for Oscar consideration.

Telefilm Canada says “The Things You Kill,” written and directed by Alireza Khatami, is Canada’s pick for best international feature at the Academy Awards.

The Turkish-language movie, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, follows a university professor named Ali who enacts revenge following his mother’s suspicious death.

The film is a co-production of Turkey, France, Poland and Canada, and is set for theatrical release on Sept. 19.

Khatami is an associate professor in the department of image arts at Toronto Metropolitan University. His first feature, “Oblivion Verses,” premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2017, where it won best screenplay.

To decide which film wins the best international feature, each country chooses one movie to submit to the Academy of Motion Pictures. Those are then narrowed down to a short list, which in turn is whittled down to the final five nominees.

Last year, Canada submitted Matthew Rankin’s “Universal Language,” which was shortlisted but not nominated.

The 15-film short list will be announced in December, followed by the nominations in January.

The Academy Awards are set for March 15.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2025.

Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press