Dacryphilia + Hematolagnia, 2019.
Directed by Shane Ryan, Lilith Singson
Starring Lilith Singson, Lily Montano and Shane Ryan.
Controversial film-maker Shane Ryan returns with a new short film, Dacyrphilia + Hematolagnia. A two part arthouse short with a distinct look at life and death. The film itself marks one of several projects that sees Ryan working in unison with young transgender actor (as well as all round artiste), Lilith Singson. Ryan’s central projects tend to bleed out into separate entities. The feature film God Got Ill, focused on a diverse group of bullied teens, still in production, birthed the short film Paper Kids (a really powerful and affecting drama).
Likewise, as Singson and Ryan worked on a number of projects together like This Girl, This Boy (which cast Singson as the protagonist dealing with her own gender identity) and Red Oedipal a blood laden horror short, this developed into something separate too.
The two distinct parts have their own visual style. Separated as ‘Her Life’ and ‘Her Death’ the first segment is a surrealist, bloody trip out as two young women (Singson and Lily Montano) give over to their most base urges in the midst of a bloody corpse (played by Ryan himself) in a dark, largely black interior space. The second part, out in the open (post forest fire woodland) is a little more of a Bergman infused reflection (where Singson is alone) shot in black and white.
There are clear nods (Bergman aside) to visceral Japanese Horror and some of the weirder experimental Euro cinema of the 60’s/70’s. The opening is gruesome, pulsating, odd, not without its vagueness, and weirdly brought to mind Tetsuo: The Iron Man to me. Not so much for any direct similarities, but that intense visual hammer to the synapse (and physically reactive editing) and its gruesome body horror just pushed my mind to that film.
This certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the more reflective segment was more emotionally engaging to me (particularly thanks to the magnetic Singson), but credit must go to Ryan for creating such vivid and striking imagery and particularly with some great practical work, from the gallons of blood to fire, rain and mist. Additionally given this is a purely visual piece, without dialogue or a ‘narrative’ the short run-time is sensible. It may just repel you, but you’ll probably be compelled to watch it again.
Tom Jolliffe is an award winning screenwriter and passionate cinephile. He has three features due out on DVD/VOD in 2019 and a number of shorts hitting festivals. Find more info at the best personal site you’ll ever see here.
Originally published July 20, 2019. Updated November 29, 2022.
