Species // Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2026 Review

We had the opportunity to see Species (Sanguine) by Marion Le Coroller at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, and it did not disappoint. On the surface, it looks like other French body horrors of its ilk, like Titaine or The Substance. Species sets itself apart by focusing on Gen-Z (and let’s be honest, Millennial) burnout. 

Species takes place in a hospital in France and follows Margot Loiseau as she enters a highly competitive ER residency. Led by Dr. Virgile, known for being hard and unforgiving, he doesn’t hold back with Margot or her peers. This puts her well on the path to burnout. That’s when a patient with a strange bleeding disease turns Margot’s world upside down.

The cinematography and music help set the constant tension throughout the entire movie, highlighting the body horror in sharp crescendos. When the body horror itself is seat-squirmingly good. Not a single body part was exempt, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The entire theatre was viscerally affected by all the rips, burns, and blood. 

Burnout

Burnout being a major theme in this movie was interesting to explore. It’s been on the rise for the last few years, if not a decade, and could be classified as an epidemic. I myself went on stress (read: burnout) leave a few years ago, and I was very lucky and privileged to do so. With more and more mental health resources being defunded and eradicated, stress leave is a luxury people don’t have, even though it’s needed now more than ever. This is abundantly clear with Margot and her peers not having this option, let alone any options other than quitting, to deal with burnout.

It was a refreshing and delightful watch, and definitely not one to miss if you love body horror. Species comes to Shudder in 2027.