Eduardo Casanova returned to Fantastic Fest this year after winning the main competition in 2022 with their warped comedy film, La Pietà. This time around, the provocative filmmaker tackles familial bonds, grief, and the passing of time once more, but in a wildly unique manner that turns the vampire genre on its head. Silencio, which enjoyed its North American premiere at the Austin festival, follows four vampire sisters across three very different time periods, looking at how they survive each climate.

Silencio begins in the 1300s as the sisters try to decide how to procure blood while Europe is gripped by the Black Plague. We then jump to 1989, where a vampire falls in love with a drug addict who later tests positive for HIV. Silencio ends in 2030, with a vampire/human couple reflecting on the world after a surprising medical breakthrough changes society as they know it, forcing them to discuss how their lives could have panned out.

Bathed in pastel colours, oppulent costumes, and saccharine sweet props, Silencio is a luxurious gothic deepdive into the world of vampires, unlike anything you will have seen before. Far from hiding in the shadows of their dark, dank castles, the pointed-eared, sharp-toothed beings of Casanova's latest creation are bursting with colour and full of life, a stark contrast to the grim times they are living in. As visually striking as the film is are the central characters that manage to capture the attention of the audience in a film that is incredibly dialogue-heavy and could slump in places, yet never lulls.

In such a tight runtime, Silencio manages to cover a vast array of themes that ground the opulent fairytale in reality, starkly juxtaposing its audacious visual style. It sensitively covers everything from grief and death to the tragedy of the AIDs crisis, Queer resilience, and the bonds of sisters, mothers, and daughters that culminate in a celebration of love in its purest form. It's a unique way to use vampires in a genre narrative, often symbolic of death and destruction, but through Silencio's sharp humour and touching moments, it reinvigorates the creatures of the night to embody community and adaptability no matter what comes their way.

Beneath its biting humour is a thread of pain and loss, and this duality at the heart of Silencio is what makes it truly great. Casanova successfully mixes genres to deliver a full emotional range across the ages, with cutting dialogue and a rich visual detail drawing the audience in. Its camp aesthetic and powerhouse performances ensure Silencio always marches to the beat of its own drum, an abrasive, rebellious look at Queer identity, chosen family, and strength through adversity that remains self-aware and satirical while posing weighty questions to wrap your thoughts around.

Silencio had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025 on 19 September