Virtual Vampire

GER 1998, 92min., 35mm, col., written and directed by Michael Busch

with Inga Busch, Armin Dallapicolla, René Hofschneider, Rüdiger Kuhlbrodt, Claudia Splitt, Petra Bogdan

LIGHT & STAGE Istvan Imreh LIGHT Börries Weiffenbach PHOTOGRAPHY Marcus Winterbauer SOUND & MIXING Christoph Engelke EDITOR Ute Schall MUSIC “Jammin’ Unit” / “The PSI Project” PRODUCTION Alexandra Engel, Judit Ruster & Wolfgang Eißler EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Jaqueline Kaassa

A LUXUS film production Michael Busch commissioned by Second German Television ZDF, Red. Das Kleine Fernsehspiel, Burkhard Althoff, with the support of the University Of Fine Arts Berlin, the dffb and the HFF Potsdam-Babelsberg

Dr Andres, an expert in the field of parapsychology, gets to know Mr. Merz, a man in his mid-40s who claims to be able to visualise images of his thoughts on a television screen. However, Merz needs stimulation from alcohol and women to reveal his abilities, a fact that makes scientific research almost impossible. Andres soon succumbs to the fascination of Merz. Paranormal images from the past and the future also change his relationship with the young photographer May. When May’s intimate secrets appear in Merz’s para-images, the situation escalates. Andres and May fall completely under the spell of Merz. Not even Merz’s suicide can save them. That same night, his ghostly figure appears on Andres’ television and starts talking.