Vampirism has always been tied to queerness, for better or for worse. In the original Dracula and Carmilla, the titular vampires are alluring to their respective protagonists (and in Dracula’s case, his wife too) but are explicitly labeled as monstrous and deviant — pretty much the blueprint for a queercoded character. But the same characteristics that make vampires scary in the popular consciousness are what make them endearing to us. Their otherness is what makes them easy to relate to, their power and agency are what solidify them as iconic.
So Vam, the feature debut of 17-year-old Alice Maio Mackay, is another stellar addition to the steadily growing pantheon of horror films made for LGBTQ people by LGBTQ people. Every element of the film, from the humor and the settings to the deep-rooted themes of existing outside the norm, are explicitly and unabashedly a celebration and a deep dive into what it means to be gay and/or trans. It’s both a coming-of-age tale about a found family as well as a bloody vigilante story in a world that’s nothing but disrespectful.
Kurt (Xai) is an aspiring drag artist trying to survive on his own in his small, conservative town. He’s constantly bullied at school, his dad (Brendan Cooney) is more focused on protecting Kurt’s bigoted rapist of an older brother than making sure he’s safe, and his only friend Katie (Erin Paterson) is stuck in a horrific minimum wage job to supplement her family’s bills. One night, he makes the mistake of going out alone and runs into Landon (Chris Asimos): a predatory vampire whose bite makes their victims rot from the inside out. Luckily, he’s saved by April (Grace Hyland) and Harley (Ethan McErlean) who are two members of a vigilante vampire group, killing the scum in the community that threaten their existence. Kurt’s readily accepted into their group, but Landon still remains as the primary threat.
Over its 72 minute runtime So Vam tackles a plethora of themes surrounding queerness, bigotry, and what it means to be “othered.” The human juice boxes April and her friends feast on and dissolve are all the lowest of the low: white supremacists, conversion therapists, and a group of bigots that hate crime Kurt. But when the scumbags are reported missing, their news coverage is nothing but positive. The teacher that sees Kurt getting blatantly harassed yells at him instead. April, a trans woman, informs Kurt that this behavior is why they kill who they kill — because nobody else will do it. There’s also a heavy emphasis on being stealth; vampires, much like trans people, have to hide their identities for protection lest they risk being attacked and killed. That’s why the vampires, much like LGBTQ people, find community in each other.
Alongside the deep and all-too-real explorations of living as the “other”, the film also offers moments of levity and joy; something rare for queer horror characters in my viewing experience. Drag Race alum BenDeLaCreme provides voice overs at the beginning and end of the film. Harley provides a fair amount of comic relief especially when debunking vampire mythology. Kurt’s relationship with Andy (Tumelo Nthupi), as well as his friendships with Katie and April and their effects on his self-confidence, are so heartwarming. The pièce de résistance of the film is the full neon-bathed drag performances by drag queens Dolly (Vonni) and Chic (Alixxx), as well as Kurt’s big finale piece — as a drag artist themself, Xai’s experience shines through.
Everything about So Vam speaks to me on a deep level: the found family, the low budget sensibilities, and especially the unabashed lack of sympathy for bigots and their sympathizers. The film covers the inherent monstrosity of queerness in a way an LGBTQ horror fan can. It doesn’t shy away from the dark truths of life as someone out of the closet, but it revels in the moments of bloody revenge against those who deserve comeuppance. Despite her age, Mackay is an incredibly proficient writer and director who balances tension and humor with ease. It’s nothing short of a queer cult classic in the making.
