Bloodthirsty is about indie singer Grey (Lauren Beatty), who writes catchy songs, has been a vegan since age 6, and is inconsolable at the roadkill death of a rabbit. But she has recurring dreams of eating raw meat, and experiences waking hallucinations of turning into an animal. The psychiatric meds prescribed by Dr. Swan (Michael Ironside) are of little use. And at her most anxiety-ridden and vulnerable, she is invited to the countryside home studio of famous music producer Vaughn Daniels (Greg Bryk) to record an album.

One hitch: Daniels is also famous for being charged years earlier with murdering another young singer at the same home in the woods. Bloodthirsty applies a spin on the werewolf myth, turning music-making into a blood sport.

The brutally demanding Vaughn takes Grey to dark places lyrically. Meanwhile, Grey’s girlfriend Charlie (Katharine King So), who’s accompanied her to the isolated mansion, grows increasingly worried about the turn Grey is taking, something she doesn’t recognize anymore.

Directed by Amelia Moses, and written by the mother-daughter team of Wendy Hill-Tout & singer/songwriter Lowell, the movie features songs written by Lowell, including the title song Bloodthirsty. The prolific songwriter says she turned to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-esque ‘90s musical aesthetic to capture the modern gothic mood of a music-making superstar turned hermit.

“I was attracted to the dual dynamic of the script,” says director Moses. “I loved the juxtaposition between Grey writing this beautiful music while also becoming more monstrous. It had a lot of potential in terms of exploring the creative process and the sometimes selfish nature of making art.”

“What I like about the relationship between Grey and Charlie in the film is not about an LGBTQ relationship,” adds writer Hill-Tout, “It’s about art, it’s about being true to your nature and it’s about a woman struggling to find her identity. Lowell and I watched other werewolf films when we were writing the script, and we decided to make our characters more ‘wolf-like’. She said to me, ‘can’t they be beautiful? Do they have to be hairy?’”

“The film heavily references 90s classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bram Stoker’s Dracula and so I wanted to reflect that in the music as well,” says Lowell. “I knew the music needed to feel both nostalgic and contemporary at the same time so I did my best to capture the chords and essence of 90s grunge while still maintaining the lyrical intimacy in music currently trending today.”

The film is produced by Voice Pictures Inc., and 775 Media, producers Wendy Hill-Tout and Michael Peterson. Executive Produced by David Bond and Alan Bacchus.

Lowell’s new single “Bloodthirsty”, is taken from a four-song collection of Lowell’s music featured in the film. Titled Bloodthirsty (Music From The Motion Picture), the EP will also be released on April 23 alongside the film. The scuzzy, guitar drenched track maintains the film’s theme of creating art and the toll the creative process can take on one’s well being. She sings, “I get the creeps with everyone’s eyes on me, bloodthirsty”, describing both outside and internal pressures of being an artist and how consuming the work can be.

Lowell reveals, “The single from the film is a 90s influenced grungy little tune that I wrote specifically with the movie in mind. Cinematically, we heavily referenced 90s classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The music needed to feel both nostalgic and contemporary at the same time so I did my best to capture the chords and essence of 90s grunge while still maintaining the lyrical intimacy of modern times. The 90s references also went along well with the feminist, LGBTQ positive undertones of the film. I grew up on Riot Grrl and Courtney Love and have always admired their willingness to be raucous and speak out, so it felt sonically suitable for a queer positive film made by a bunch of bad ass women.”

Title song BLOODTHIRSTY recently garnered 2 nominations from Canadian Screen Award:

Best in Original Score – Michele Osis and Lowell

Best in Original Song – Evan Bogar, Justin Gray, and Lowell

Soundtrack from Killbeat Music. Visit Lowell on the Arts & Crafts label.

Bloodthirsty (Music From The Motion Picture) EP Tracklist:
1. Bloodthirsty
2. Greta’s Song (I Love You To Death)
3. God Is A Fascist
4. Lemonade

Film directed by Amelia Moses (Montreal). Written by Wendy Hill-Tout (Calgary) and Lowell (Toronto),

Bloodthirsty will be available on-demand April 23 in Canada via Raven Banner.

The film was accepted into Frontieres at Cannes, Telluride, Blood in the Snow, and premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin TX (the US’s biggest genre fest). Viewers in Canada can watch the film on iTunes, Rogers, Telus, Shaw, Cineplex, Bell, Vimeo and in the United States via Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango Now, Google Play, Vudu, Comcast, DirecTV, Verizon Fios, Spectrum, and anywhere else you can rent + buy movies.

Instagram: 

TikTok: 

Twitter: 

Facebook: 

#BloodthirstyFilm  

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.