PROUD OF KICKING BLOOD @TIFF2021

After speaking with director Blaine Thurier on a Zoom call about Kicking Blood, there was much emotion on my part. It’s already been an emotional TIFF where strict protocols took place. The return of in person but masked seating was back after having a predominantly digital version last year. I gained a better understanding of what it means to have a film premiere at this year’s festival. Our call reminded me of how we all felt when the lockdown begun and how all of our big plans just where halted. And that we had to remain hopeful.

Which was the case for Thurier and his crew who had to put a stop to the production of his film Kicking Blood. He mentions the day of lockdown was now considered to be one of the greatest days for him. Thurier explains that he went back to the story and script. There were changes that would help make the movie that he did and he knows that now. It was an important period becasuse many like Thurier thought that everyone was going to perish from COVID-19. But he saw how the human spirit can be easily taken away but much inspiring work to get it back.

Kicking Blood is not your average vampire movie. Lead by actress Alanna Bale who plays Anna, the story surrounds her who is looking for her next victim. She along with her swinging vampire pals like to prey on the weak and the dirty rather than the innocent. As Anna puts in they like to “get high as fuck” in their debaucheries. She finds Robbie (Luke Bilyk) on the street who is a suicidal alcoholic as her next victim. But Anna this time around does not have it in her to feed her addiction. She lets Robbie live and starts to realize how much she would like to become human again. Also basically stop killing.

Thurier mentions that he uses the vampire folklore as lure to his film. This is a film about addiction and he wanted to show a human side of the dispossessed. The Vancouver based director spoke of the addicts in his home town and despite their issues they still have a story to tell. He did not want this film to be about blood and gore. Rather he wanted to show a lighter side of addiction which shows up in both of his main characters Robbie and Anna. There is hope in this film against a dreary and isolated backdrop which makes for a beautiful contrast.

With the help of cinematographer Jonathan Cliff, Thurier was able to film this thematic tone in the town of Sudbury under lockdown. Shots of the isolated Canadian town helps the audience feels the loneliness in his characters. Even the bar scene where these vampires find their victim is empty. But their is color to their loneliness displayed in Kicking Blood. It is the sign of hope for their issues and becoming human isn’t so bad after all. The story of these characters and the journey of Blaine Thurier’s of making Kicking Blood during a pandemic is of resemblance. That is the wait and sacrifice to feel human again.

Resilience was the keyword that Thurier spoke about when he was talking about how he felt about his film being part of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. It speaks so much about Canadian filmmakers who found it within themselves to dig deep and not only to inspire themselves but everyone else to make a film during lockdown. This film says a lot about the character of Canadians. But the fact that Thurier wanted to also show the human side of people who were struggling with addiction makes this film speak volumes. It gives hope for all those who are struggling. Hence which is why Kicking Blood is a film that we here on FERNTV are proud of at TIFF.