Canadian cinema is something that I found myself not really taking seriously in the past. Despite being Canadian, I felt that there wasn’t anything there for me. Fast forward to my four years in film school, I started to get more into Canadian cinema. Through that journey, I discovered how much I was missing and realized that in some cases, Canada was doing certain things better than others. That is the case with a little film from Quebec called “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person”. A film that let me experience the angsty teenage vampire girl phase that I missed.
That title is bound to interest many as it did get the film onto my TIFF watchlist based on pure interest. I wasn’t able to catch it at TIFF, but I was able to get a screener afterwards and i’m glad I did. Humanist Vampire is a film that lives in its own world. A film that has some clear inspirations, like What We Do In The Shadows and the works of Tim Burton, but it also has so much to offer that is new and exciting. The movie follows a girl who’s entire family is vampires. She’s someone who from a young age knew that the idea of killing innocent individuals for food was not her idea of a good time. When she comes of age, her family expects that she will begin killing people with them. She gets shipped off to live with her cousin and meets a kid that has been depressed his whole life. The two form a bond and they discover things about themselves and the world that they didn’t know before.
This comparison is gonna sound wild at first but it will make sense. Humanist Vampire is very much in the same camp as something like Kiki’s Delivery Service but with a more gothic paint job. Both films are about girls coming of age, discovering their place in the world and slowly accepting it. It’s very much a film about accepting oneself for who they are, especially at a tough transition like when one comes of age. You could also say that this film is about the happiness that we find in others and how we don’t realize it fully sometimes.
The lead performance by Sara Monpetit as Sasha is truly standout. The whole film is anchored on her character and this important transition period in her life and she does a killer job with it. She brings a certain nuance that isn’t present all the time in terms of younger performances. I could see her being a big player when it comes to performance at the Canadian Screen Awards this year, especially after her recent success with Falcon Lake. She’s an actor that isn’t the most known but should be on everyone’s radar.
As stated before, the way the film looks is very reminiscent of something that Tim Burton would do. The cinematography and the color grading associated with it give that quirky gothic aesthetic already put in place with some of his older stuff, but also keeps it unique enough to bring something interesting to the table. If I were to take a look at the script, I have a feeling that all these choices were very much infused into the story from day one.
On the note of the script, the film does the interesting balancing act of super dark humor and some true heart. There’s some wildly dark comedy moments in this film like one where Sasha is in her room and you can hear two people being absolutely ripped apart in the background. There’s also some well crafted dramatic moments that showcase the talents of those in front of and behind the camera like a scene where Sasha and Paul discuss how long he has been depressed. There’s also a scene at a support group that is a bit reminiscent of what they tried to do in Renfield but absolutely butchered. This film takes that idea of someone going to a support group and saying some wild stuff and perfects it in a way where films like Renfield absolutely bomb. All of these points are indicative of a fantastic script.
The sound in this film is also well executed. With the scene in Sasha’s room, the mix is perfectly suited to bring out the dark humor of the situation. The way this film blends the sounds and the score is something that definitely took a lot of time and thought. Watching it with AirPods was a great idea as you can hear all the intricacies in the mix that elevates it into more of an experience territory as opposed to just a flat mix. The score is also quite engrossing as it’s perfectly suited for every scene. I would consider this one of my favourite film scores of the year with films like AGGRO DR1FT, Barbie, Bottoms and Will and Ben Versus Time but I don’t expect it to be nominated for anything in terms of the big awards shows as i’m not sure how serious they take Canadian cinema. The score for the film is fantastic.
All of these elements are wrapped up perfectly with the directing from Ariana Louis-Seize who does a fantastic job taking all of these components and putting them together to bring a truly unique and wonderful experience. I can’t wait to see what she does next because this film was a very singular vision that oozed of talent and passion.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is one of the more interesting films that i’ve been able to check out this entire year. A singular vision that oozes gothic horror and dark humor in a way that is reminiscent of other pieces of art that have come before while also being unique. With a fantastic lead performance, a strong script, a compelling visual storytelling style and a truly breathtaking score, this is one that you can’t miss this year. The film is coming to theaters on October 13th just in time for the spooky season which is perfect placement for it. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is a gothic cinematic revelation that everyone needs to check out! See it when it comes out in your area! Some fresh genre cinema that truly rocks. A film on its own wavelength and it’s an absolute trip. A film for those who were once emo vampire girlies and those who still are!
The Rating
