Golam filmmaker Samjad P S’s Half has made history as the first Malayalam film to screen in the Midnight Madness section of the recently concluded Toronto International Film Festival 2026. The world premiere drew a packed house and an energetic response from the audience.
The vampire actioner follows twin siblings Ethan (Ranjith Sajeev) and Ivy (Aiswarya Raj), whose mixed human and revenant parentage gives them supernatural abilities. After a brutal ambush by marauders in the Rajasthan desert, the pair recover and set out for violent revenge.
The Q and A that followed featured director Samjad, producers Anne Sajeev and P K Sajeev, lead actors Ranjith and Aiswarya, composer Mithun Mukundan and sound designer Vishnu Govind. The team discussed the film’s themes, visual approach, music, sound design and performances. The action sequences, choreographed by Very Tri Yulisman, emerged as a particular talking point. Cinematography by Pappinu, editing by Mahesh Bhuvanend and sound design by Vishnu Govind were also noted for heightening the film’s tension and atmosphere.
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment and AA Films are presenting and distributing Half across North India, while Best Friend Forever has acquired its international sales rights.
Midnight Madness has previously introduced international audiences to films such as Curry Barker’s horror sensation Obsession, and the Hindi actioners Kill and Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota.
