2023 was an excellent year for Quebec cinema, and it's great to see more of these films getting release outside my province. And it's especially great to see more genre fare, lending new twists to old tropes.
Coming in with a lengthy yet apt title, Ariane Louis-Seize' Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is not your average vampire film, nor comedy, nor romance. It finds the humour in some of the more mundance logistics of how vampires have to life, while looking at two teens who are still figuring out if life is worth living at all, especially if one is immortal.
Sasha (Sara Montpetit, Falcon Lake) is a young vampire with a serious problem: she’s too sensitive to kill! When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul (Félix Antoine-Bénard), a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before day breaks.
In my own review from TIFF last year, I summarize the film as "a sweetly wistful coming of age story, that asks what it means to be a part of the world that rejects you, and finding the good you can put into it." It's such an enjoyable teen romcom, and sets the pair high with both performances and inventive story. Plus, some excellent Quebec actors such as Montpetit, Steve Laplante, and Marie Brassard lend their talent.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person opens in NYC and LA theaters starting June 21st, followed by a nationwide rollout, from Drafthouse Films. Check out the new poster and trailer below.