Taking as its start point the figure of Vlad the Impaler, the mythic ruler of Romania who inspired much of the Dracula legend, the film becomes a fragmented mosaic examining the different roles the eponymous vampire has played throughout history. We watch a bawdy dinner show version where exploited actors are chased through the streets with stakes. We watch a love story unfold with a tragic ending. We watch Vlad the Impaler come back to life and see how his legend has become nothing more than tourist fodder. We watch a hack director try to use AI to make his new Dracula film…

This densely packed opus is brazenly absurd yet deeply political; Jude’s shotgun approach to analysing cinema and history is refreshing and exhilarating. He mines a distinctive aesthetic from the clash of textures that defines our modern life. He incorporates silent cinema with iPhone footage, and kitschy AI generated images that speak to how ugly our culture is becoming. It is a complete contrast to his other film in the programme, as Jude says himself, “If Kontinental '25 is my answer to Roberto Rossellini... let’s say that Dracula is my love letter to Ed Wood.”

In the year of yet another Nosferatu remake and the blockbuster Sinners, Jude’s Dracula is must-see viewing.