Vampir

I genuinely can't understand the bad reviews. This is a really thought provoking horror that mixes the psychological with the hairs on the backs of the arms creepy. It's well paced, exquisitely acted from our lead and all supporting, including non speaking parts. It also places the genre in an unfamiliar environment of the countryside of Serbia which in many ways acts almost as another character. We manage slowly slip into this Groundhog Day world, where even the use of one outfit that doesn't change much on our lead actor gives us a sense of being trapped in a world we are desperate to escape. 10/10.

I saw this not knowing what to expect. And I was pleasantly surprised to see something so different from what's currently being offered in mainstream cinemas. This film is art, beautiful cinematography, haunting soundtrack, original directing ideas, no CGI and very subtle and honest performances.

Above all, this film will take you on a journey and suck you in deeper and deeper into this small Serbian village and its dark secrets.

The atmosphere and suspense that Tomovic creates in his film will get under your skin.

Vampir is quite an interesting movie to watch and something a bit different from other films on a low budget range.

This is one of those films that you really feel got everything out of its budget. A bit slow in parts but still interesting to watch with some bits quite intentionally comical.

There is also at least one moment that is very gory and quite difficult to watch, definitely an image that will stay with me for some time.

A basic premise with a great eerie atmosphere. I'd be very interested to see what this director does next. Certainly there is the suggestion there that he can go on to bigger and better things.

Brooding folk horror from Serbia (with an English script) as a familiar tale is given a downbeat (not sparkly not glamorous) vampire in a small rural village.

The central character arrives to look after a cemetery, but its not long before rumours of the undead begin to affect his dreams.

Beautiful simplicity without many of the sfx or hammy performances we've cone to expect from vampires. Dark and delightful soundtrack too.

The main story is told by a handful of characters, but the villagers (living and dead) create an otherworldly environment to scare our hero. But is he a Harker, a Van Helsing or a Renfield?

This film was part of the Screamdance section at Raindance Film Festival and I had a beautiful evening discovering this unique film there. The presentation was followed by a Q&A with writer/director Branko Tomovic and producer Jean-Louis Alexandre where they gave the audience insight information on how and why this film was shot.

It was interesting to hear that Vampir is deeply connected to Tomovic's upbringing and that haunting village really exists in real life. The film is about so much more than just a silly horror film with lots of scares. For those who understand what being an immigrant child means this film raises interesting topics about your heritage and being confronted by traditions and superstitions of the locals. All this is cleverly masked by the filmmaker with great local characters and suspenseful metaphors.

Tomovic did a great job in making you feel for the character, the entire story is told subjectively through Arnaut's eyes. The film makes you feel the isolation of that place, the loneliness and paranoia. The claustrophobia kicks in as there is no way out. It's beautifully shot and acted. A sensitive authentic subtle performance. The film's strength is the atmosphere and doom that slowly creeps in. Once you realise there is no escape it is too late.