life like

Aïda Ruilova’s cinematic works frequently consist of collage-like film images, the aesthetics of which are reminiscent of cinema while their narratives are associative. Her short film life like focuses on a young, pale, dark-haired woman mourning the death of an older man. As the film progresses, however, the events take on increasingly sexual connotations. Other soft pornographic elements can also be found in scenes with female vampires.
life like is inspired by independent films of the 1960s and 1970s, especially those of the French director Jean Rollin, who became famous for his erotic vampire films. Rollin acts as the old man in Ruilova’s film, which was shot in his Parisian apartment. In contrast to the voyeuristic male gaze of the original films, the female vampires in Ruilova’s work are strong personalities. The female artist also dominates the encounter with the seemingly dead Rollin, thus questioning the gender-specific role models in traditional horror films.