Heartwarming and burlesque film about a strange family. Head of the incomplete family is 27 year-old Mike. Much of his time is taken up by his brother Josch, who is mentally handicapped: he has the body (and the lusts) of a man, but the mental capabilities of a child. He is the vampire from the title. His altar ego is the Prince of Darkness, as a result of which he regularly walks around with a black cape and vampire teeth. Then we have the rather lonely sister Nic, aged 14. She records everything with her digital camera. Nic wants to go to bed with someone as soon as possible to get `the first time’ over and done with. She takes a fancy to the burly leader of a street gang, but that doesn’t work out. Josch is also obsessed by his first time and chooses Nadine, Mike’s new (and basically first) girlfriend. Mike has other ideas. He panics when Nadine decides that she will give Josch his first time as a birthday present.
The film is an occasionally frenzied, but always clever and engaging comedy. Especially the difficult role of Josch, the backward vampier, is played extremely well and convincingly by Roman Knizka. Camera and dressing are virtuoso and make the fantasy world of this film wonderfully probable.
Filmfestival Rotterdam 2002
Cast: Roman Knizka, Hinnerk Schönemann, Marie Luise Schramm, Julia Jentsch, Alexander Scheer, Marie-Lou Sellem
Directed by Sven Taddicken / Written by Matthias Pacht
Produced by Gambit Film- und Fernsehproduktion / Teamworx Television & Film
Awards:
Hofer Filmtage 2001: Eastman Förderpreis
Rotterdam 2002: FIPRESCI, Preis der internationalen Filmkritik
Max Ophüls Festival Saarbrücken 2002: Publikumspreis + Darstellerpreis für Marie Luise Schramm
Valenciennes 2002: Grand Prix du Festival + Prix de la Mise en Scène (Regiepreis)
Schwerin 2002: Drehbuchpreis für Matthias Pacht
Brooklyn 2002: Best Cinematography für Daniela Knapp
Pifan/Korea 2002: Hauptpreis, Regiepreis + Darstellerpreis für Roman Knizka
Ghent 2002: StuBru Award, Flanders Int. Film Festival
London 2002: Best Feature in the official selection, Raindance Film Festival
Get the DVD here.