Movie – Bloodsucker Castle
Written and Screenplay by – Tanner Bushell
Hi Tanner! Welcome to SIFF!
1.Tanner, after your animation classes at Alberta University of Arts you have changed your field and taken an interest in film theory and history – why?
I had a more devoted interest in film history and film theory than animation, but I also believed having some education in art practices (animation/ drawing) would be valuable. I like studying film techniques and the history of Hollywood, and learning about the performers and directors from that classic era. At the end of my studies, I got ambitious to make my own work, so my art experience and knowledge of film history came in handy. So I’ve been working my way into the filmmaking industry and learning and working with people in Calgary’s film community.
2.Tell us something about Bloodsucker Castle?
Bloodsucker Castle is inspired by actual events that happened at Herlufsholm school in Denmark in regards to the culture of abuse and bullying that occurred there. It’s a modern gothic tale full of the gloomy tone that fans of the genre love.
3.What’s so special about Rene the protagonist?
René has recently come out as a trans boy and is about to begin classes at the fictional Prince Kristofer school. Speaking from a North American perspective, trans males are less common in our media than trans females. So having a character like René provides visibility to those in the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and for straight/ cisgender people who want to learn more about the community.
4.Rene started liking an older female and also danced with Astrid – what were his romantic goals?
René would’ve loved to have had someone as bold and kind as Leyli as a girlfriend, but she’s too old for him. Kids getting crushes on teens/ older people is common, even if those feelings aren’t acted upon or their crush doesn’t return their feelings. As for Astrid, there weren’t romantic feelings in their relationship, they’re friends, and Their dance was a moment of fun amid the chaos they endured.
5.What are your favorite parts of this movie?
My favorite parts scenes with René and Tony, because watching their relationship change through the film and see how each navigates Prince Kris’ rotten culture provides the meat to the story.
6.There is a Dracula angle to your story, isn’t it? How does the play relate to Bloodsucker Castle?
‘Dracula,’ and vampirism in general is like bullying, it drains the life out of you. Part of what inspired the ‘Dracula’ angle is a real- life event of how Bram Stoker wanted ‘Dracula’ to be turned into a stage play. Unfortunately, his manager, Sir Henry Irving, belittled the idea. By some accounts, Irving was a good actor, but a terrible person, who-
like a vampire- fed off the energy of other people.
7.Did Rene deserve to be Jonathan Harker or did he make a perfect Renfield?
In René’s mind, he deserved to be Jonathan Harker, especially if it meant doing more scenes with Leyli. Renfield was a character that was too ‘close to the bone’ for René, and that was intentional. Like Renfield, René is a victim of people bigger than him, and wouldn’t want to look weak, creepy, or unattractive in front of them. Renfield reminded René of his own weaknesses.
8.What is the main takeaway from this movie?
The takeaway is that bullying doesn’t just exist as schoolyard punches and immature insults. It exists in wealthy settings where parents teach their kids to prioritize success, status, and tradition over personal- development and emotional intelligence. It exists as dealing with selfish energy vampires who are protected by systemically- corrupt institutions. It’s essential to stand up to abusers and the systems that enable them, even if it means becoming a target and the unknown outcome is scary. Anybody who believes that bullying ‘toughens us up,’ teach people that suffering in silence is more important than challenging an unfair status quo. A status quo that doesn’t care about LGBTQIA2S+ people, immigrants, or those from lower socio- economic classes.
9.Was Rene’s approach right towards the school bullies at the beginning? Is it good to stay silent and bear the brunt?
Silence is never good, but for a lot of kids being bullied, speaking out is scary, too. They’re told if they talk, nobody will believe them and/ or nobody will care. For the three main kids: René, Tony, and Astrid, I wanted them to have their own approaches to Prince Kris’s bullying. René wants to keep his head down and stay quiet, hoping he wouldn’t be targeted again; Tony wants stay and fight, even if it meant getting a target on his back; and Astrid wants to flee, sometimes being able to physically get away from an abusive environment is the first step towards self- recovery.
10.Do you think Tony should have resorted to counseling to change his attitude? Is a fighting spirit always necessary to face all odds?
Yes, counseling would’ve been preferable for Tony, but convincing him to do so is another matter. He and Astrid were raised by a mean dad, so Tony would’ve had to develop this fighting spirit to protect himself, Astrid, René, and other students at Prince Kris. As a teenager, Tony’s still immature, so he’s impulsive and his rough upbringing hampers his emotional/ mental development, he doesn’t trust authority figures. Also, I wanted to show a con of this ‘fighting spirit’ mentality: if you spend your time taking care of other people, you don’t take care of yourself, and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of other people.
11.Do you support Rene’s Dad when he is unhappy with his son’s move at the end of the movie?
Mattias, no matter how much he says he accepted René’s transition, still prioritizes the family name. René stands up to him at the end and says ‘I know the challenges at Prince Kris will be hard, but I’m willing to stay and deal with it as it comes. I want to stay.’
12.Will Rene become a prefect in future?
Unlikely, René is too refined to be a prefect. That sounds like something Tony would do.
13.Did Rene gain a lifelong friend in Tony?
They were always friends, and friends have relationships that have ups and downs. As much as Tony was hurt by René’s betrayal, he knows that it was under duress and that René’s not used to fighting. Tony does forgive René, but they both know that their relationship needs time to repair.
14.While the movie makes Rene a Hero, the bullying seems to continue – what’s your take on it?
I didn’t want a ‘Hollywood ending’ that says that now that Kasper’s gone, the bullying will stop. Bullies will always exist in every environment, and the best we can do is call it out when it occurs, because it will. That’s realistic: you deal with one problem, but you got another one to deal with, and another one after that.
15.The movie is motivational yet realistic – what made you write such a masterpiece? Your personal experiences?
First of all, tusen takk for calling it a ‘masterpiece.’ I was inspired by multiple sources: Tod Browning’s ‘Dracula,’ Bong Joon- ho’s ‘Parasite,’ and gothic stories by the Brontë sisters and Daphne du Maurier. My only personal experience is that I have friends/ family who are transgender, and I intend to make a story that doesn’t just focus on victimhood, discrimination, and suicide, even if they’re real- life concerns for the community. They’re unique people who should have full, vibrant, active lives full of mischief, adventure and challenges like the cisgender characters we see onscreen.
16.Share with us how you loved working with SIFF?
I love SIFF because, personally, you’ve been so supportive and that’s motivated me to keep working and challenge myself to become a better filmmaker.
