Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person follows teenage vampire Sasha (Sara Montpetit) as her efforts at becoming a full-fledged bloodsucker are eventually assisted by a depressed fellow teen (Félix-Antoine Bénard’s Paul). First-time filmmaker Louis-Seize, armed with her and Christine Doyon’s screenplay, delivers an exceedingly (and sometimes excessively) quirky and deadpan endeavor that grows more and more involving as it unfolds, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the movie benefits considerably from Montpetit’s compelling, likeable work as the mostly stone-faced protagonist – with the strength of her efforts eventually heightened by the palpable chemistry between her character and Bénard’s Paul. And while Louis-Seize’s relentlessly off-kilter approach to the material is occasionally a little on the suffocating side (ie the movie ultimately feels like a Tim Burton film filtered through Wes Anderson’s sensibilities), Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, which eventually builds towards a seriously satisfying finale stretch, generally comes off as a better-than-average debut that puts an intriguing, original spin on one of the hoariest genres around and certainly bodes well for Louis-Seize’s future endeavors behind the camera.

**1/2 out of ****