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Dampyr (film)

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Dampyr
Italian theatrical release poster
Directed byRiccardo Chemello
Screenplay by
Story by
Based on
Produced by
  • Roberto Proia
  • Vincenzo Sarno
  • Andrea Sgaravatti
Starring
CinematographyVittorio Omodei Zorini
Edited byJulien Panzarasa
Music byLorenzo Tomio
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • 28 October 2022 (2022-10-28)
CountryItaly
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million[3]

Dampyr is a 2022 English-language Italian fantasy horror film directed by Riccardo Chemello, based on the comic series Dampyr published by Sergio Bonelli Editore.

It is the first installment of the Bonelli Cinematic Universe (BCU), a shared universe between movie and television projects by Bonelli Entertainment, division of Sergio Bonelli Editore.[4][5]

Plot

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A knight rides through the night while three old women help a woman give birth in a remote house. The woman dies during childbirth, and the three old women reveal themselves to be witches. Using a spell, they create a barrier around the house to prevent the knight from entering, informing him that they will take care of the baby until it makes its choice.

Balkans, 1992. A cruel war is ongoing. Soldiers led by Emil Kurjak are tasked with holding a position in the town of Yorvolak, but during the night, mysterious killers with inhuman appearances massacre them. One of the soldiers, Lazar, suggests they need the Dampyr. The Dampyr is Harlan Draka, a con artist who travels the villages with his assistant Yuri, performing fake exorcisms and pretending to be a vampire hunter. However, Harlan is plagued by strange nightmares. After another exorcism, the two are captured by soldiers and taken to Kurjak. Harlan claims to be a fraud, but the soldiers plan to use him as bait. That very evening, Harlan, attacked by vampires, discovers that his blood is lethal to them due to some injuries he has sustained.

The next day, the soldiers desert Kurjak and take Yuri with them. Harlan speaks with a hidden vampire named Tesla Dubcek, along with Kurjak. Tesla reveals that she serves Gorka, a Master of the Night—a much more powerful vampire who can create vampires with his bite and resist sunlight. She explains that Harlan is a true Dampyr, the son of a human and a Master of the Night. Harlan senses Gorka's presence, who then attacks the soldiers. Tesla, having covered herself to protect from the sun, offers to take Harlan and Kurjak to her Master, as she hates him.

Upon arriving in Sarajevo, where Gorka hides, the three kills the soldiers who have become vampires using bullets that Harlan has soaked with his blood. They are betrayed by Tesla, who reveals that Gorka can see and hear everything they do. Harlan is accidentally shot by Tesla. Believing she cannot resist Gorka's influence, Tesla joins him.

After recovering, Harlan and Kurjak enter the library where the Master is hiding. Kurjak is captured and taken to Tesla, where Stefan, his former right-hand man, tortures her with fire. However, Kurjak manage to free her and kill Stefan by burning him. Kurjak makes her drink his blood to restore her strength. Harlan finds Yuri, now a vampire, who kills himself by coming into contact with the friend's blood. Harlan is initially overpowered by Gorka but wakes up when he hears his friends in danger. Hearing a voice telling him to make his choice, he develops new powers that allow him to resist Gorka's abilities and kills him by strangling him with his blood-stained hands.

With the Master's death, the three find a room with a book containing the faces of several Masters of the Night, including Draka, Harlan's father, realizing that their war against the vampires is just beginning.

In a final scene, Draka, visiting the grave of Velma, Harlan's mother, speaks of his son and is then joined by the three witches, who tell him that the Dampyr has made his choice. However, the Master says that one day, his son will be consumed by his thirst for blood.

Cast

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Production

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A film adaptation of Dampyr was announced by Sergio Bonelli Editore at 2018 Lucca Comics & Games.[6][5] Directed by Riccardo Chemello and produced by Bonelli, Eagle Pictures e Brandon Box,[5] filming started in Romania in October 2019.[5][7] On 1 November 2019, the cast was revealed, with Wade Briggs as Harlan "Dampyr" Draka, the titular character, Stuart Martin and Frida Gustavsson as Dampyr's allies Emil Kurjak and Tesla Dubcek, David Morrissey as the antagonist Gorka, Sebastian Croft as Yuri and Luke Roberts as Draka, Harlan's father.[5][7][8]

Release

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The film was theatrically released in Italy on 28 October 2022.[9]

The movie was later released in the United States on 8 August 2023 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on PVOD, and on 23 November 2023 on Netflix.

Accolades

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Dampyr was nominated for an award at the 68th David di Donatello Awards for Best Visual Effects VFX.[10]

Awards and nominations received by Dampyr
Award Category Nominee Result
68th David di Donatello Best Visual Effects VFX Alessio Bertotti and Filippo Robino Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (28 October 2022). "Lucca Comics: Live Action Movie of Italy's Popular 'Dampyr' Fantasy Ready For Release – Watch First Clip (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (1 November 2022). "Sony, Tarak Ben Ammar's Eagle Pictures Ink Distribution, Co-Production Pact". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Iniziate le riprese del film di Dampyr". Lo Spazio Bianco (in Italian). Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Sergio Bonelli Editore, Brandon Box e Eagle Pictures annunciano un accordo epocale" (in Italian). 3 November 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Movie Adaptation of 'Dampyr' Comic Sets Cast, Starts Production (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 31 October 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Sergio Bonelli Editore, Brandon Box e Eagle Pictures annunciano un accordo epocale" (in Italian). 3 November 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Bonelli ha annunciato il cast del film di Dampyr". Fumettologica (in Italian). 1 November 2019. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Italian Comic Heroes heading for the big and little screen (and an intriguing Batman crossover project)". downthetubes.net. 13 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Dampyr, il trailer del film tratto dal fumetto Sergio Bonelli Editore". Sky TG24 (in Italian). Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  10. ^ "GLI EFFETTI SPECIALI DI DAMPYR CANDIDATI AI DAVID DI DONATELLO!" (in Italian). March 30, 2023. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
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