Vrykolax

Investigating his family's dark past on a remote Greek island rife with superstition, a British painter struggling with hallucinations and blackouts becomes the target of a murderous conspiracy surrounding the VRYKOLAX, an undead creature from Greek folklore, who returns for revenge.

Vrykolax is a compelling folk-horror tale intertwining murder mystery with Greek supernatural lore. Propelled by his mother’s demise, Thomas, a British painter who has forsaken art because of supposed mental illness, embarks on a journey to uncover his family's enigmatic past on a remote Greek island. There, haunted by visions and inexplicable phenomena, he starts to exhibit special powers akin to a kind of local shaman. When murder erupts, the strange, backward islanders blame the crimes on an undead vampire-like entity known as the Vrykolakas. Thomas grapples with his newfound abilities as he delves deeper into the island's dark secrets. But in a hostile, corrupt community where nothing is as it seems, where is the line between paranormal evil and simple human malice? The race is on for Thomas to uncover the truth before his loved one dies. As the tension escalates, Thomas confronts the chilling possibility that he himself may be the Vrykolax.

Keywords: superstition, alienation, rural life, folk horror

Director's note:
Vrykolax merges Murder Mystery with Greek Folk Horror, focusing on the Vrykolakas, an undead revenant predating the Slavic Vampire. Inspired by Pan’s Labyrinth, the ending offers dual interpretations, questioning reality versus the supernatural and free will versus fate. Driven by a 20-year passionate research in Greek folklore, my goal is to entertain and revive the Vrykolakas legend, reintroducing it as a significant alternative in international vampire lore. Coming from a visual background, I can paint a distinct world to complement the story and create a total artistic vision. Through colour, cinematography, costumes and music, an authentic and grounded world unfolds. The film also addresses social and cultural issues such as religion, superstition, closed communities, and the role of women in patriarchal societies. It prompts reflection on the enduring impact of these beliefs even now, which are more horrible than the myths that surround them.

Producer's note:
Vrykolax is a 16+ audience-oriented genre film with elements of fantasy, mystery and horror. We are now on our third draft as we apply to international pitching & development labs to further fine-tune our story and plan the overall strategy. I intend to follow the same financing and distribution pattern as with my feature folk horror debut ENTWINED which premiered at Toronto IFF, distributed in the USA & Canada and streamed on horror's premier service SHUDDER. We plan to set this up as a trilateral European co-production employing schemes of cash rebates and eurimages. In addition, we are looking into regional support, since the film takes place on the famous island of Santorini. Inspired by such classics as The Wicked Man and Hour of the Wolf, we aim to bring a Mediterranean flair to this new era of European Folk Horror, joining festival favourites such as Border, Lamb, Hagazussa and November in a story that can attract audiences and festivals alike.