As the vampire, actor Paul Hubbard portrays Bolivar as a demanding, capricious wannabe alpha with a deep core of insecurity. But it also shapes Sam's story into a relatable tale of someone trapped in a toxic, thankless job with no room for growth or advancement, and an abusive, neurotic boss at the helm.Īctor Torrance Coombs is the film's center and anchor, and his descent into work-induced boredom and listlessness gives the film its narrative spine. That downward spiral offers the storytelling the chance to send up vampire mythology with clever, often understated wit, whether it's deployed through Sam's superbly written voiceover or arch, tart dialogue. He has clear expectations of what the vampire life will be, but as he gets acclimated to his new job as the familiar, those expectations deflate. But it has fun with the lore, particularly through Sam, who is positioned as the ultimate vampire fanboy. The storytelling knows its genre bona-fides, as it's packed with references to classic vampire stories. With wry humor and cheeky knowingness, it chronicles one young man's adventures into the underworld only to discover it's just another mundane grind. Written and directed by Kody Zimmermann, this clever horror-fantasy short is an entertaining mix of old-school vampire drama and dark workplace comedy.
But when he realizes that day may never come and he's wasting his life in a dead-end job, he takes matters into his own hands. Sam hangs in there for the promise of otherworldly power.
And worst of all, Bolivar is an abusive jerk and horrible boss. The work is drudgery the days and nights are long. But life as a personal assistant to the vampire Bolivar doesn't quite live up to its initial promise.
On his 21st birthday, he meets a mysterious older gentleman at a movie theater, who offers him a rare opportunity as a vampire's human caretaker and assistant, otherwise known as a "familiar."Įager to experience the vampiric life himself, Sam accepts, seeing it as his route to becoming a creature of the night. Sam has always been obsessed with vampires, fascinated by the magnetism and dark power of the creatures. The Familiar is used with permission from Kody Zimmermann. » Subscribe for the world's best short films: NOMINATIONS: Best Short Screenplay & Best Lead Actor at KASHISH Mumbai // Best Sound Design at Fastnet Film Festival // Best UK Short, Best Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design at Southampton International // Best Short Film at Merlinka Festival International // Shortlisted for Best Short at the Performance Film & Media Awards OFFICIAL SELECTIONS: Edmonton Film Festival // Norwich Film Festival // Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival // OUTshine Miami // QFlix Philadelphia // KinoFILM Manchester // Exit 6 Film Festival // QFest St Louis Film Festival // Tallgrass Film Festival // Fastnet Film Festival // Merlinka Festival International Queer Film // 26th Pride Pictures Karsruhe // Tallahasse Film Festival // Connecticut LGBT Film Festival // KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival // Southampton International Film Festival // Long Island Film Expo // Shorts Out! Brighton FilmPride LGBTQ Film Festival // Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival // Bute Street Film Festival // Barnes Film Festival // Winter Gardens Film Festival // Jefferson State FLIXX FestĪWARDS: Best Short Film a QFlix Philadelphia // Audience Award Runner Up at OUTshine Miami // Best Short Film at the Bute Street Film Festival // Best Make-Up Design at Southampton International Film Festival But he harbours ambitions to become a drag queen, which may set him on a collision course with his family and the school bully. SYNOPSIS: Paul Bigsby is just trying to get through his teenage years in Blackpool, 1997. PRODUCED BY: Organised Chaos Films, Genera Film Fund & the Stefan Allesch-Taylor FundĬAST: Robbie Gaskell, Ben Willbond, Nicole Louise Lewis, Joanne Heywood, Marcus Geldard and James Dreyfus