Show Me Your Teeth  Film Season

Vampires have long been synonymous with seduction, sexuality and irresistibility, but male vampires have dominated the genre. Still, vampire films have invited many feminist readings over the years and, more recently, the female vampire has taken a vital role in reconsidering the power dynamics. Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night completely redefined the genre with its western noir aesthetic and its heroine with a moral compass. The film is the centrepiece of our season and will be accompanied by a panel discussion.

The vampire genre has known somewhat of a resurgence with the success of the Twilight series. Twilight cannot be celebrated for its representation of women, but its magnitude makes it unavoidable when looking at the genre through this lens. Where Twilight fails, others thrive as vampiric tales have often been an outlet for desire, and especially female desire. Lambert Hillyer’s Dracula’s Daughter portrays a female vampire failed by men, alive and undead, and hints at a lesbian relationship as early as the 1930s. Decades later, Tony Scott’s The Hunger gave us Miriam Blaylock, a creature to die for (quite literally), making mere mortals want to be her and desire her all at once. Meanwhile, young Lucy ponders why a woman may not marry all of her suitors, in Guy Maddin’s exquisite expressionistic ballet, Dracula – Pages from a Virgin’s Diary. 

Just as the vampire genre is dominated by men, it is also dominated by Caucasian vampires. And yet, Black vampires have left an indelible mark on the screen. Bill Gunn revolutionised the genre with Ganja & Hess which features a heroin so assured in her choices and whose strength resides in her vulnerability. And without Ganja, there would be no Michael Rymer’s Queen of the Damned. Aaliyah’s performance as the Mother of all vampires is the main reason why this film reached cult status – unforgettable, regardless of what you may think of the film as a whole. 

Over the last few months, we’ve worked with artists, writers and filmmakers from across the Midlands and beyond to put together this season and an exclusive zine. We hope you will come with us on this journey of discovery and that you’ll enjoy the ride, even if you must watch through your fingers from time to time. 

Melissa Gueneau

Cinema and Screen Producer and Show Me Your Teeth Curator

Screening as part of In Dreams Are Monsters: A Season of Horror Films, a UK-wide film season supported by the National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network. 

indreamsaremonsters.co.uk