Dracula fuels festival talk

Radu Jude pushes Dracula into a maximalist, provocative form that blends AI gimmicks with political bite, provoking strong reactions at festivals.

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Radu Jude premiered Dracula at Locarno after a Berlinale presence, delivering a sprawling, chaotic feature that many describe as maximalist. The film blends styles from silent cinema to TikTok clips and refuses a single clear narrative. Adonis Tanța plays a blocked filmmaker who leans on AI to imagine a Dracula project, a setup that lets Jude pack jokes, violence, sex, and satire into one long, unruly piece.

Production is deliberately cheap looking, shot on basic digital cameras around Transylvania and financed by a mix of backers some of whom dropped out during filming. The work features graphic AI segments and nods to classic Dracula adaptations while attacking profiteers who exploit immigrant labor. Critics say the result is ambitious but overstuffed, demanding patience from viewers while staying watchable for fans of experimental cinema. The film acts as a meta statement about the industry, using horror to question what counts as art in a market driven world.

Jude’s Dracula is a collision of ideas that challenges what a film can be. It blends a punk sensibility with a critique of modern film finance, suggesting that the boldest ideas may fight formula cinema. By embracing AI as both gag and tool, the director signals a shift in how auteurs respond to tech promises and the pressures of funding. Yet maximalism can blur a point, turning a bold project into a parade of scenes rather than a focused vision.

Beyond its festival shock value, the film emerges as a wider commentary on the industry. It suggests that art can thrive on risk and unpredictability even as financiers pull back and audiences demand clarity. For cinephiles and festival viewers, Dracula becomes a case study in endurance, taste, and the price of pushing too far. It asks where art ends and provocation begins and who gets to decide.

Highlights

The film leaves a bold imprint on the season while reminding us that risk can redefine what cinema means.