Carmilla (film)

Carmilla is a 2019 British romantic vampire horror film written and directed by Emily Harris in her feature directorial debut. Based on the 1871 novella of the same name by Sheridan Le Fanu, it stars Jessica Raine, Hannah Rae, Devrim Lingnau, Tobias Menzies, and Greg Wise. The film follows a lonely woman preyed upon by the titular vampire.

Carmilla premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 28 June 2019, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 16 October 2020.

Premise
Lara lives with her father and her strict governess, Miss Fontaine, in total isolation, and is struggling to find an outlet for her curiosity and burgeoning sexuality. When a carriage crash nearby brings a young woman into the family home to recuperate, Lara is enchanted by Carmilla. The pair strike up a passionate relationship, which strikes fear in the heart of Miss Fontaine, and a complex triangulate emerges between the three women.

Cast

 * Jessica Raine as Miss Fontaine
 * Hannah Rae as Lara
 * Devrim Lingnau as Carmilla
 * Tobias Menzies as The Doctor
 * Greg Wise as Mr. Bauer
 * Scott Silven
 * Daniel Tuite as Paul the Stableman
 * Lorna Gayle as Margaret

Pre-production
On 17 August 2017, Screen Daily reported that Jessica Raine and Tobias Menzies had been cast in the film, joining Hannah Rae, Devrim Lingnau, and illusionist Scott Silven in the production.

Filming
Principal photography began in East Sussex on 11 September 2017.

Release
Carmilla had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 28 June 2019. The film was originally set to be released in the United Kingdom on 3 April 2020 by Republic Film Distribution, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; it was ultimately released in cinemas on 16 October 2020 and through video on demand on 19 October. In May 2020, Film Movement acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film and released it in virtual cinemas on 17 July 2020.