Midnight Cinema has consistently favored films that convey the director’s message through the medium of genre or present new hybrid genres by twisting genre conventions, rather than adhering to traditional genre films. Continuing this trend, the six films of this year span seemingly typical genres-horror tales of possessed people, vampire sagas, time-slip science fiction, and fantasy action epics-yet each one is embedded with pronounced individuality and the director’s authorial voice.
Argentine director Demián RUGNA’s horror film, When Evil Lurks, begins with the discovery of a demon-possessed individual in a rural village. The situation that will plunge the village into terror is entrusted not to the authorities or those with power and money, but to two brothers lacking in presence. In the movie, the possession spreads like a virus, reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tragedy, unfolding amid the indifference of both the community and public authorities, is brutally depicted, exceeding the boundaries of ordinary horror films. Some scenes are particularly shocking and warrant caution.
Embryo Larva Butterfly, directed by Cypriot director Kyros PAPAVASSILIOU, is a type of time-slip film. In this movie, which revolves around a couple, people cannot predict when tomorrow will be. For instance, a couple who are happily together today in 2005 may find themselves divorced tomorrow in 2036. Rather than constructing the story with intricate scientific imagination, this is a philosophical and comteplative science fiction movie that explores elements such as love, capitalism, and technology, through unpredictable time flows. It encourages the audience to reflect on the meaning of human existence.
SHE IS CONANN is the latest film by French director Bertrand MANDICO, known for his unconventional and subversive works like The Wild Boys (2017) and After Blue (Dirty Paradise) (2021). This film serves as a mythmaking rooted in femininity and an offering of a fresh interpretation of barbarity by presenting the character Conan, who has existed within the extreme macho tradition since its creation in 1932, as a woman. Overturning conventional Conan narratives with its theatrical composition, bold imagery, and the highlighting of female characters and female actors, SHE IS CONANN represents yet another daring venture by Bertrand MANDICO.
A woman finds herself alone on a remote road, unexpectedly encountering five men gathered for a bachelor party. The Canadian Quebec film Hunting Daze defies the expected storyline within this context. The woman seems to become part of their group, rather than being dominated by them. The men appear to protect her independence; however, their hypocrisy is gradually revealed as another presence emerges. This film skillfully explores issues of race, gender, and class within the suspenseful thriller genre, making it worthy of attention for its debut female director, Annick BLANC.
This year’s Midnight Cinema introduces two films, each creatively interpreting the vampire theme in the directors’ distinctive styles. The first film, Bitten, directed by French director Romain DE SAINT-BLANQUAT, combines elements of a youth movie with the vampire motif. The story follows a girl who, convinced of her impending demise the next day, escapes from a boarding school with a friend and stays out for a night. The visuals and soundtrack, imbued with the ambiance of the late 1960s, evoke Italian giallo films and romance films of the era, captivating the audience. Through the lens of the vampire motif, the film adeptly explores the desires and fears related to sex, the inherent anxieties of youth, and the absurdity. The second is another Canadian Quebec film, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, directed by Ariane LOUIS-SEIZE. It features a vampire girl who harbors an aversion to killing as its protagonist. As implied by the title, the film revolves around the girl encountering a young man willing to offer his blood voluntarily, distinguishing itself from other films with similar settings. This black comedy also incorporates elements of fairy tales and coming-of-age romance. The beauty of its imagery, set against darkness, leaves a deep impression.

Programmer MOON Seok

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