Little Vampire
A French animated film about a vampire boy seeking friendship.
Little Vampire (original French title: *Petit Vampire*) is a French animated film that blends comedy and horror, made using traditional animation. It was directed by Joann Sfar, who also served as executive producer, and co-written by Sfar and Sandrina Jardel. The story is adapted from Sfar’s own comic book series of the same name. The film came out on 21 October 2020 and later received a nomination for Best Animated Film at the 46th César Awards.
The plot begins with a beautiful young woman named Pandora and her son fleeing a prince who is in love with her. Enraged that she already has a child, the prince tries to hand them over to the God of Nothingness, a giant slimy monster. Just as all seems lost, a skeleton pirate called the Captain of the Dead flies in to rescue them—Pandora had promised to give her life to anyone who saved her child. Aboard the Captain’s boat, which has a mermaid figurehead named Sleeping Belle and is filled with various monsters, Pandora and her son become vampires, turning into undead beings who never age. The God of Nothingness, furious at losing fresh flesh, devours the prince’s soldiers. The prince begs for mercy, and the monster instead swallows him and transforms him into a being with a moon-shaped head called the Gibbous, who then seeks revenge on Pandora and the Captain.
Because the Gibbous can kill the undead, the Captain flees with Pandora and her son—now called “Little Vampire”—across the world and through different eras. Along the way they meet Marguerite (a creature inspired by Frankenstein’s monster), Claude (a radioactive crocodile), Fantomate (a tomato-dog), and Ophtalmo (a monster inventor), who all join them. Eventually they hide in a mansion on a small hill in a town, where the Captain creates a dome that makes them invisible.
Three hundred years later, Little Vampire grows tired of the daily film club with the other monsters and their constant arguments. He decides to run away with Fantomate to attend school and meet children. Through a mathematics notebook, he meets Michel, an orphan living with his grandparents who believes in monsters. Little Vampire does Michel’s homework without any mistakes and starts a correspondence, and Michel eventually wants to meet him. Little Vampire visits Michel’s home, unknowingly bringing along a kawai (a human turned into a bug by the Gibbous) stuck in the notebook.
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- fr · Petit Vampire
- Director
- Joann Sfar
- Producer
- Joann Sfar / Antoine Delesvaux / (executive)
- Writer
- Sandrina Jardel / Joann Sfar
- Starring
- Louise Lacoste / Camille Cottin / Alex Lutz / Jean-Paul Rouve / Claire de La Rüe du Can / Quentin Faure / Joann Sfar
- Music
- Olivier Daviaud
- Editing
- Benjamin Massoubre
- Production Companies
- Autochenille Productions / StudioCanal / France 3 Cinéma / Panache Productions / Compagnie Cinématographique
- Distributor
- StudioCanal
- Runtime
- 82 minutes
- Country
- France / Belgium
- Language
- French
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows Pandora and her son, who are fleeing a prince in love with Pandora. The prince delivers them to the God of Nothingness, but a skeleton pirate, the Captain of the Dead, rescues them. Pandora and her son become vampires and live as undead, but the prince, transformed into the Gibbous, seeks revenge. The Captain flees with them through time, gathering monsters including Marguerite, Claude, Fantomate, and Ophtalmo, before hiding in a mansion under an invisibility dome.
Three hundred years later, Little Vampire grows bored and befriends Michel, an orphan boy who believes in monsters. Their friendship is threatened when the Gibbous blackmails Michel to reveal the hiding place. Little Vampire and his friends confront the Gibbous, who ultimately admits he needs company. Little Vampire helps the Gibbous awaken Sleeping Belle, breaking the curse and allowing the prince and Sleeping Belle to flee together.
Reader's Guide
Little Vampire represents a notable entry in French animation, blending traditional hand-drawn techniques with horror and comedy elements. The film's nomination for Best Animated Film at the 46th César Awards highlights its recognition within the French film industry. Based on Joann Sfar's comic series, the film expands the story of a vampire boy seeking connection, exploring themes of loneliness, friendship, and redemption. Its critical reception was positive, though its box office was modest, grossing $1,678,270 worldwide. The film's voice cast includes prominent French actors such as Camille Cottin and Jean-Paul Rouve, and it was released during the COVID-19 pandemic in October 2020.
Did You Know?
- The film is based on Joann Sfar's comic book series of the same name.
- The character Fantomate is a red flying dog who protects Little Vampire.
- The Gibbous was originally a prince transformed into a crescent moon creature by the God of Nothingness.
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