So Vam: Queer Vampires Bite Back
Kurt in So Vam
Alice Maio Mackay’s queer teen vampire film So Vam is a must-watch.
So Vam follows Kurt, a queer teen drag queen in a small town. Kurt gets turned into a vampire by a predatory older vampire named Landon who targets Kurt and his friends. April, the iconic it-girl vampire, saves Kurt and teaches him the vampire ways. Kurt gets his found family with the vampires, they love him for who he is and never ask him to be different. The film balances humor and horror flawlessly and is so much fun!
So Vam is a beautiful take on what it’s like to grow up queer. It showcases the importance of accepting yourself and finding the people that truly accept you. As a gay drag queen in a conservative town, Kurt is mercilessly bullied by his peers. But when he’s turned into a vampire he gets the ability to fight back. His vampire friends, April and Harley, help him to learn to love himself. Vampires have always been queer, but Mackay takes this narrative and turns it on its head. Rather than making queerness a monstrous trait of blood-thirsty murderers, Mackay makes it a superpower. Kurt and his vampire family use their vampiric abilities to get back at homophobes and the people that prey on queer teens. It’s a beautifully cathartic film about the struggles of being a queer teen, by a queer teen.
The film is visually-stunning and all the actors absolutely kill it. Kurt’s drag performance is worthy of the Boulet Brothers’ Dragula. Mackay’s eye for cinematography is incredible, with gorgeous shots one after the other. Xai, who plays Kurt, perfectly portrays the ambitious queer teen that we can all root for. Grace Hyland is absolutely legendary as the pink bimbo vampire April. Chris Asimos is terrifying as Landon and horrifyingly embodies the dangers facing queer youth. Tumelo Nthupi is amazing as Kurt’s wonderfully supportive and caring boyfriend Andy. The representation in this film blew me away. Not only does it feature a huge cast of queer actors, but it was written and directed by a teen trans woman!
Mackay wrote and directed the film at just sixteen, and finished post-production at seventeen. If you’ve seen her other productions like The Serpent’s Nest or Tooth 4 Tooth, it’s no surprise that she’s been able to create such a phenomenal feature. I can’t wait to see the films she directs in the future. There is no doubt in my mind that Alice Maio Mackay is the future of horror, especially queer horror cinema. Be on the lookout for So Vam’s release by keeping up with Mackay’s production company One Manner Productions on YouTube.
