Foreign Fangs
The familiar image of the bloodsucking vampire comes from Western European interpretations of Eastern European folklore. But cultures across the world have their own versions of the undead, from the asanbosam of West Africa to the jiangshi of China.
This October, Calgary Cinematheque invites you for a month of vampiric horror cinema from around the globe! See this classic monster with new eyes through the reinterpretations of three cult classics of genre film.
Art by Madison Armagost.
Series Films
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour
October 3, 2024
Exploring issues of feminism, religion, and horror, Iranian-American filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour exploded onto the international cinema scene with this critically acclaimed indie horror classic. The lonely vampire, The Girl, stalks the streets of Bad City, her status as a monster affording her a freedom not found in the life of a typical Iranian woman as she hunts down men.
Ganja & Hess (1973)
Directed by Bill Gunn
October 10, 2024
Amidst the "Blaxploitation" trend of early 70s American cinema, African-American filmmaker Bill Gunn found the opportunity to take a commercial project, a "Black vampire" movie, and use it to talk about the African diaspora, drug addiction, and other issues affecting the Black community of the time.
Thirst (2009)
Directed by Park Chan-wook
October 31, 2024
South Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, The Handmaiden) explores themes of faith, morality, and the nature of desire in this acclaimed erotic horror inspired by the works of Émile Zola. When a Catholic priest becomes a vampire as the result of medical experimentation, he must balance his faith with his desire for the wife of his best friend.
Ganja & Hess (1973)