“Our film deconstructs the myth of Dracula”: Radu Jude on his new movie, Dracula and how it uses AI

Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude returns to the Locarno Film Festival with his new film, Dracula. It’s the latest project to centre itself around the mythology originated from Bram Stoker’s gothic novel. However, considering Jude’s past work, it may lean into the lane of provocative cinema rather than an atmospheric fable.

Jude’s Dracula movie may not follow the classic narrative like the adaptations by Robert Eggers or Francis Ford Coppola. Based on a brief clip shared by SagaFilm, it feels like a black comedic detour into its mythology, spanning decades’ worth of interpretations. While describing his film, the director shared the following note:

“Our film deconstructs the myth of Dracula through dozens of stories — absurd, pulpy, literary, playful, political, excessive, naughty, fantastic, or realistic.”

While using elements from this gothic tale, Jude aims to speak about cinema itself. The film doesn’t concern itself only with the past but also with the present and the future. That’s why it addresses AI through his narrative, which follows a young filmmaker using these tools at their disposal. The film’s plot synopsis reads:

“What happens when a young and curious filmmaker challenges his creativity with the limitless possibilities of a fake AI?”

Radu Jude brings Dracula back to its home in Transylvania

76th Locarno Film Festival - Portraits - Photocall - Source: Getty

Bram Stoker’s original story follows a Transylvanian nobleman who is later revealed to be a vampire. It was largely set in this region of central Romania, which exists to date. However, since its inception, a majority of adaptations have taken place in other countries. That’s why Radu Jude’s Dracula feels like a homecoming.

The director previously said how Hollywood had made Dracula movies over “a thousand times.” It led him to write and direct this Romanian movie, which aims to deconstruct the mythology.

The narrative, despite its multiple iterations, has often revolved around the themes of obsession, desire, and sexual repression. Jude’s adaptation was previously announced to be under the title Dracula Park. Eventually, he shortened it to its present title. When speaking about the reason and what the film represents, he told The Hollywood Reporter,

"I think hundreds of films have this title. At the same time, since my film is an homage or a return to cinema, its myths, and this mythology, I wanted the title to be like a real cinema title. I think it is a celebration of forms that may sometimes be outdated, but with new tools."

He further elaborated,

"It uses AI images [and] is shot with an iPhone. It’s in the spirit of Burlesque comedy in a certain way. It’s all these things coming together. So, it’s a film about cinema itself in a certain way.

The recent clip offers a glimpse into how Jude may have used this technology. In the interview, he agreed that there are ethical, environmental, and political issues related to the technology. However, he used it for creative and financial reasons, the latter due to budgetary constraints, which could have delayed the production by more than a year. Jude elaborated on it, saying:

"We found all sorts of possible ways to reduce the budget. I shot on an iPhone and really, really fast. And I replaced extras in some scenes with cardboard cutouts. At some point, I found out that a composer was playing with AI machines. So I visited him, and then said: “Okay, now I can do the movie, because I will transform the expensive scenes by using the worst AI images possible.” That was our idea because I think there’s a point to that."

Addressing AI’s environmental issues, the director further added,

"I’m against that, but I think the tool is here, like it or not. I think it will be here to stay. So it’s either you use it or not. So I decided to use it and accept the criticism."

Radu Jude’s Dracula movie is a part of the 2025 Locarno Film Festival, taking place between August 6 and August 16.