Much excitement, and a little chill in the air, saw the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival roar back to life for its eleventh year this past Thursday October 15th. Hordes of horror hounds descended on Williamsburg’s Nitehawk Cinema for this inaugural eve. Kicking things off were three sold out, (for an entirely sold out festival at this juncture), showings of the horror comedy I LOVE PARIS.
Set against the backdrop of its namesake, I LOVE PARIS is a mockumentary of vampiric proportions, following a would-be popstar named Paris, completing the double entendre of the title. As Paris jumps through the hoops of fledgling success, a strange turn of events sees the vocalist sprout fangs, cursed to embrace her lifestyle of the night forever. Obviously, hilarity ensues.
The laughs don’t fly hard and fast here, and the film strays away from other vampire mockumentaries that may come to mind. Instead, I LOVE PARIS comes into its own as a charming bit of horror cinema. Aminata Thiboult brings the titular Paris to a quirky life, and plays well against her maker Lutece (Leanor Oberson) and artistic peer Mimi (Louiza Aura). Director Nicky Murphy knows when to keep the action moving and when to let the blood fly in a film mostly
ruled by improvisation. In fact, in a Q and A with the director and the star, it came to light that many sequences in the film were shot guerilla style, roping bystanders into the action. At times the actors seem to be having as much fun as the audience, as the vampires navigate finding victims, wooing success, falling out with other vampires, and, of course, mastering social media.
In the end, I LOVE PARIS is a worthy film to kick off this year’s Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, if the crowd reaction was any indicator. And there’s so much more to come.
