A Vampire’s Tale of Compassion: “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person”
As debut director Anna Louis-Seize explains, the film began with its intricate title. The striking phrase “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” immediately captivates and wins you over: firstly, the bloodsucker doesn’t want to kill, and secondly, someone has found reasons to die. These two are destined to meet and sort out their priorities, leading to the moral that there are no hopeless situations. Not so much through tragic errors, but through a series of absurd and charming situations that inevitably lead to closeness.
Lilas-Rose Cantin as Sasha in a still from “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person”
The Struggles of a Vegetarian Vampire
Separation from parents is almost always painful, but often painful in different ways. Sometimes it’s not about the cost of renting an apartment, but about the hunting instinct, which young Sasha (Sara Montpetit) doesn’t seem to possess. As a scion of a vampire family, she has steadfastly refused to engage in murder, even for sustenance, since childhood, and is therefore dependent on the blood that her parents obtain. The couple (Steve Laplante and Sophie Cadieux) are tired of tolerating their daughter’s selective vegetarianism, and therefore forcibly send their child into independent life. Instead of fangs and bloodlust, Sasha develops depression, apathy, and even suicidal tendencies: at a support group meeting, the girl gets a chance to find a desperate volunteer who is consciously ready to sacrifice themselves on the dinner table.
Sara Montpetit as Sasha in a still from “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person”
A Genre-Bending Delight
“Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” is very easy to recommend to anyone whose lungs are already filled with spring air, and whose pale cheeks are blushing with shy smiles. The film by the Quebec debutante instantly won over audiences and juries during festivals: the premiere took place in Venice, and the next stop on the tour is Toronto. There are many reasons for the ardent sympathy, but they are all very understandable and simple. The construction is based on recognizable genre combinations – one can look back at the colorful “Submarine” by Richard Ayoade, the hypnotic “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” by Ana Lily Amirpour, and even “Twilight” by Catherine Hardwicke or “Amelie” by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. A rom-com falls in love with a gothic novel, and comedy can’t wait outside the door.
Sara Montpetit as Sasha in a still from “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person”
Coming-of-Age with a Bite
Like other horror films written by female filmmakers, “Humanist Vampire” touches on issues of the body and corporeality: growing up is always a transformation and new feelings inside. Thirst, attraction, hunger of various calibers, and a previously unknown force tear apart the teenage girl. Sasha, in the usual coming-of-age interpretation, goes from being a child to an independent personality, free from family attitudes and beliefs. Even if you belong to an ancient family of vampires, it is not at all necessary to follow the beaten path – it is quite possible to adapt your identity to the world around you in accordance with moral principles (even if you have to disobey your mother for this!). The randomly found volunteer Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard) also fails to fit in at first – the teenager suffers from bullying at school, his mother is at work all the time, and his bowling colleagues refuse to take the guy seriously. The rapidly emerging feeling for Sasha heals the soul, but not immediately: first you need to come to terms with yourself.
A Delicate Balance of Darkness and Light
The search for self-expression and self-determination does not seek to suffocate viewers with existential questions or depressingly peer into the vampire eternity (Sasha is only 68 years old!). Dramatic conflicts and the frighteningly relevant topic of suicide among teenagers are presented in a richly romantic color and comedic key. Perhaps the skill of the aspiring director lies in the approach of speaking easily about complex things that are painfully relevant. “Humanist Vampire” is full of hooligan antics, teenage mischief, and the feeling that anything is possible until the night is over – falling in love (and especially the first time) always inspires, even when there is no strength to stand on your feet. Magic happens in a duet: Sara and Félix-Antoine create some amazing harmony in their joint awakening in a new chapter of life. In general, perhaps, the main merit of the picture lies in the meeting of two hearts (one of which does not beat): today it is quite rare to find a romantic comedy, albeit not purebred, but convincing even in its direct naivety.