The Vourdalak

Le Vourdalak

64th TIFF: Greek Premiere
Genre cinema lends itself to fruitful experimentation and The Vourdalak is a prime example, offering ample opportunities for it along with dark, profound chills and a delightful gothic atmosphere. A father returns from the war to his children (now as a vourdalak), dead yet alive, while simultaneously, an envoy of the King of France arrives at their secluded forest home. Profoundly atmospheric and endlessly unsettling, The Vourdalak is a genuinely unique horror film plunges into the origins of cinema to give birth to something drastically new. Shot in 16mm, with the father-vourdalak as a menacing, foreboding marionette and Ariane Labed embodying an eerily beautiful and enigmatic daughter, the film is as paradoxical as it is magnetic. A debut that reveals the tremendous talent of a filmmaker (with a background in the arts and production design), capable of crafting a world filled with shadows, nuances, and depth using the simplest yet unexpected materials.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Adrien Beau
Script: Adrien Beau, Hadrien Bouvier
Cinematography: David Chizallet
Editing: Alan Jobart
Sound: Charlotte Comte, Laura Chelfi, Simon Apostolou
Music: Martin Le Nouvel, Maïa Xifaras
Actors: Kacey Mottet Klein, Ariane Labed, Grégoire Colin, Vassili Schneider, Claire Duburcq, Gabriel Pavie, Erwan Ribard
Production: Les Films du Bal, Master Movies
Producers: Adrien Beau, Judith Lou Lévy, Eve Robin, Lola Pacchioni, Marco Pacchioni
Costumes: Anne Blanchard
Make Up: Julie Lahrer
Format: DCP
Color: Color
Production Country: France
Production Year: 2023
Duration: 90'
Contact: Wtfilms
Awards/Distinctions: Grand Prize Venice International Critics’ Week Jury Special Mention – Venice FF 2023

Adrien Beau

Born in Paris in 1981, Adrien Beau studied Performing Arts at Paris 8 University. From 2005, he worked as a designer for John Galliano and Christian Dior. After a stint as a theater director (Andromaque) in 2008, he directed two short horror films in 2009 and 2011, La Petite sirène and Les Condiments irréguliers. As a visual artist, he often collaborates with agnès b., who regularly exhibits his work. The Vourdalak is his first feature film

Filmography

2011 Les Condiments irréguliers (short)
2011 La Petite sirène (short)
2023 The Vourdalak