Guillermo del Toro is hosting a horror film festival in Toronto this summer

Renowned director Guillermo del Toro is launching a new Canadian horror film festival in Toronto this summer.

You can't spell Toronto without Toro, and the Oscar-winning director of The Shape of Water and Pan's Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro, ranks alongside Drake in publicly showing his affection for the city.

From praising local businesses like Meeplemart, Vinegar Syndrome, and Acadia Bookstore to dining at places like Hastings Snack Bar and Pai, the Guadalajara-born director and longtime Toronto resident consistently expresses his enthusiasm for the city and Canada as a whole.

Now, he's bringing his passion to the big screen with a new horror film festival from July 9 to 13, titled From Rabid to Skinamarink: Canadian Movie Madness, all happening at the TIFF Lightbox.

The event includes a selection of films by Canadian filmmakers chosen by del Toro himself, featuring David Cronenberg's Rabid (1977), Vincenzo Natali’s Cube (1997), and Kyle Edward Ball's debut Skinamarink (2022).

Expect everything from eerie camp to truly chilling experiences as Guillermo del Toro explores and analyzes the elements that make a horror film exceptional.

Adding to the spooky atmosphere, TIFF and the Harbourfront Centre have partnered with del Toro to present a special screening of The Shape of Water to launch their season of free outdoor movie screenings on July 8.

Tickets for the film series become available to TIFF members on June 11 and to the general public on June 13. If you have a strong stomach and a high tolerance for jump scares, you'll want to get them quickly.