‘Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person’; ‘Through The Night’ & ‘Photophobia’ Scoop Venice Giornate Degli Autori Awards
08.09.2023 - 15:45
/ deadline.com
Canadian director Ariane Louis-Seize’s comedy-drama Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person has scooped the Director’s Award at Venice parallel section Giornate degli Autori.
The jury was composed of young European cinephiles from the 27 Times Cinema program, a joint initiative between the GdA, the European Parliament’s LUX Audience Award and Europa Cinemas.
It was presided over by Portuguese director João Pedro Rodrigues and coordinated by Karlovy Vary International Film Festival director Karel Och.
The Director’s Award is GdA’s top award and carries a cash prize of €20,000, to be split equally between the filmmaker and the film’s international distributor, to promote its circulation.
The coming-of-age tale revolves around a teenage vampire Sasha, who is too sensitive to kill. When her concerned parents decide to cut off her blood supply, her life is in peril.
Fortunately, she crosses paths with Paul, a desolate teenager with suicidal tendencies who willingly offers his life to save hers. However, what begins as a mutual agreement soon evolves into a nocturnal journey to fulfil Paul’s final desires before the break of day.
“This film deserves to be celebrated for its strong directorial vision and consistent style in its various aspects, such as editing, cinematography, acting and art department. It bravely addresses crucial themes such as depression, mental health, euthanasia and neurodiversity,” the jury said in a statement.
In other GdA prizes, the Audience Award went to Delphine Girard’s Through The Night, with Tommaso Santambrogio coming in a close second with Los Océanos Son Los Verdaderos Continentes, followed by Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person.
The Label Europa Cinemas award