Transylvanie - Fantasia 'Small Gauge Trauma' Review
Director: Rodrigue Huart
Starring: Katell Varvat, Lucien Le Ho, Emma Gautier
Written by: Rodrigue Huart, David A. Cassan, Axel Wursten
Produced by: Lucie Vigier
Cinematography by: Julien Ramirez Hernan
Original Score by: The Psychotic Monks
Synopsis:
Ewa is convinced she is a vampire and ready to act in the creepiest, sickest ways to prove her identity to her bullies and the world.
Thoughts:
At just over 13 minutes long, Rodrigue Huart's amazingly powerful film about a bullied young girl's lonely existence receives it's World Premiere in the Small Gauge Trauma programme, Fantasia’s international showcase of cutting-edge genre featuring ten films from five countries that positively astonish. And the short film is stunning.
Ewa is 10 years old and lives in a high rise apartment somewhere in France. She is reclusive and the other kids that hang out outside her building bully her on a regular basis. But Ewa has a goal. She wants to find a long lasting companion that will help her rule the world for eternity. You see Ewa believes she has recently been turned into a vampire and there's a handsome boy that she has her eyes on.
'Transylvanie' on the surface shares a fair amount in common with Thomas Alfredson's 'Let The Right One In' in that both stories revolve around a lonely child desperately seeking for something to make their lives feel worth it who both happen to live in tall apartment buildings and are partly driven by their desire to relinquish the hold their bullies have on them.
Both are modern takes of vampiric folklore but although Huart's film also has superb performances from the child actors and is naturally a bit tragic, it has moments that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face. A difficult achievement to attain in such a short runtime. Katell Varvat is phenomenal in her lead role here and is certain to be a future star.
Poignant storytelling with a pounding soundscape of synths and drums and full of beautifully artistic shots, Rodrigue Huart has created something very special that perhaps could be the origin for something even more special on a larger scale in his future.
Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Gavin Logan
'Transylvanie' received it World Premiere at Fantasia '23 on August 2nd