Vampirism, chastity and sexuality form the basis of Alex Epstein’s horror/comedy short, You Are So Undead, the opening film of the Dead by Dawn horror film festival. Which follows an everyday group of teenage girls as they reveal how far they have gone with boys, which leads the only ‘virgin’ among them to make a decision that will affect the rest of her life.
While Epstein’s short may seem like another teen drama fuelled by angst, rejection and unrequited love, You Are So Undead is different, as instead of sex, the characters are engaging in their first experiences of vampirism. This clever twist, coupled with the usual teenage issues of rebellion, regret and the fear of being grounded, make this a witty and funny little piece that everyone can relate to. As teenagers, we all experimented and did things that we shouldn’t have done, but Epstein’s film shows that things aren’t always that bad, and, no matter what you did as a teenager, it will never cause you to become immortal. A light-hearted season opener, You Are So Undead gives the vampire genre some much needed bite.