My first short film experience was an enchanting one. Transylvanie, the French short film from writer and director Rodrigue Huart, is a dark, beautiful little story, straddling the world of Let the Right One In, of how children are already a little like vampires: secretive, creative, and a bit creepy sometimes. The tale follows young Ewa (Katell Varvat), who believes she was recently transformed into a vampire and longs for company in the lonely nights of eternity. The days are spent mocked by her peers, and her time spent alone unsupervised leads her to unorthodox blood consumption. She prays into the wind, to her master, to allow her to turn a human victim to walk the earth with her for eternity, and out in her courtyard spots a boy that might fit the bill for one fit to rule the province alongside her…
All hands are on deck here to provide stellar performances, especially our young lead with the Cheshire cat smile that carries her gift with grace. The stony score and muted colors are perfect accompaniments to a story following our macabre little hero to find her equal. This story fits so perfectly into the genre, with youth and eternity at odds and the feelings of childhood isolation played with heartfelt devotion. Minimal but effective use of practical effects and makeup add a little more horror to the otherwise dark fairytale of a child caught between two worlds, adorned in a cape no less. With references from Bram Stoker to Twilight, and some classic vampire lore like invitations inside and a tradition I haven’t seen in a while – vampires being repelled by crosses – all generations might see their vampire genre represented in this short.
This mighty little film sinks its teeth in and does not let go for its short runtime, engaging the viewer from its very first shots and whispered dialogue. This film and its gleeful ending begs for more, leaves you wanting more, and I would love to see a full length tale of Ewa on her journey to find a companion and lead a very adult life in the body of such a young girl. I’m so grateful that this was my first short experience, seeing the magic that can be packed into just a few minutes of runtime. I strongly encourage you to make a small space in your schedule for Transylvanie. It is a fast, transformative experience (much like being turned into a vampire) that might get you interested in the sometimes dull and overplayed world of vampires, bringing the brightness of a child’s eyes to the darkness, and telling a story of how we all might have felt as children: longing for a friend, burdened with all the time in the world.
Transylvanie (2023) featured at the Fantasia International Film Festival 2023 as part of the Small Gauge Trauma short film collection.