The young Sasha has a problem: Even at the age of 68, the sharp vampire teeth are simply not showing yet. This is certainly due to her general reluctance to kill innocent people. Instead, she satisfies her hunger with blood from the refrigerator of her vampire parents, who, however, no longer want to feed their daughter. The solution to her dilemma is finally presented to the young woman in the title of the charming fantasy film: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person – the humanistic vampire goes in search of a suicidal victim.
Wonderful coming-of-age vampire film turns Twilight on its head
Sent to live with her tough cousin, who is supposed to teach her how to hunt, it is only a matter of time before thirst becomes a real problem for Sasha (Sara Montpetit). Even the blood bag her father secretly slips her is of little help. But then Sasha meets Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard) when the teenager is about to throw himself off the roof of a bowling alley. When they meet again in a support group for people at risk of suicide, the question inevitably arises: is their encounter a sign of fate?
The reverse twilight situation The story of a female vampire who meets a male teenager skilfully avoids romantic clichés in this Canadian fantasy tragicomedy. Not least because the basis of their meeting is the planned death of the victim. Blossoming feelings and the possibility of a different outcome to this suicidal euthanasia only gradually become apparent.
The timid approach of the two outsiders avoids graphic bloodbaths and instead prefers to present the real teenage challenges in a fantasy contextThe “first bite” planned at Paul’s house, for example, is staged like the first time having sex and makes you smile while still empathizing with the difficult situation of the two young people: sweater on or off? Head tilted and eyes closed? And what happens if there are performance problems when baring the teeth for the “act”?
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person: A fantasy film with subtle humor in its veins
In her feature film debut, French-Canadian director Ariane Louis-Seize demonstrates a flair for the right mood for her characters, mixing humour, fantasy and a dash of melancholy. dreamy-funny tone
her sensitive vampire seems like a delightful mix of Amélie and What We Do in the Shadows.
While Sara Montpetit’s shy protagonist with her doe eyes and dark hair could be a captivating Amélie with a Goth twist, the film’s humor comes from the absurdly funny everyday situations in the life of a vampire familyWhether it’s a serious educational conversation with mom and dad about how dangerous human food is for vampires, or a marital dispute between the parents in which Sasha’s mother complains that she has been responsible for procuring food for 200 years: Humanist Vampire puts scenes that every relationship knows into a delightful fantasy framework.
Stuck in the vampire genre without resorting to too many clichés, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person goes its own way. Paul’s human story is not neglected either, as he is bullied by his classmates and is even accused of serial killer tendencies by his headmistress after he puts an injured bat out of his misery during gym class. The way he rises above himself in the face of his agreed demise as a shy party crasher is just as beautiful to watch as Sasha, who finally finds a route through (undead) life that suits her.
Because whether human or vampire: In the end, this fantasy film is a delight for everyone who sometimes feels out of place. Despite the seemingly morbid initial idea, Humanist Vampire is in fact a joy as a stubborn Feelgood canine entertainment.
How and where you can watch Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person:
Pre-sales have already started: Humanist Vampire will be shown at the Fantasy Filmfest in September 2024: on Sunday, September 8, 2024, first in Berlin; then on September 17 in Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Hamburg and on September 23 in Frankfurt and Cologne.
For all those who can’t make it to the cinema, the fantasy highlight will be released under the German title Sensitive vampire seeks suicidal victim on October 24, 2024 on DVD and Blu-ray.