All The Moons Review It’s Got, Vampires
A vampire story that breaks the traditional rules, All the Moons follows an orphan who is saved by a woman from the darkness.
Beauty in the Bleak
A vampire story that gently upends tradition, All the Moons opens in a war-ravaged 19th-century Basque landscape. A young orphan is buried beneath rubble when her convent is bombed mid-prayer. A cloaked figure finds her in the carnage. The girl pleads for help. She’s granted it, and a second life lived only in darkness.
A Daughter of the Night
Fully healed but forbidden to see the sun, the girl forms a bond with the mysterious woman who saved her. Their life together in the forest is simple, quiet, and for the first time, full of belonging. These are not the caped monsters of popular vampire lore; this film reframes the vampire mythos with intimacy and restraint.
The Threat of Light and the Power of Fire
The 19th century is unkind to the unknown. Soldiers find the secluded colony of eternal beings and set it ablaze. Here, fire isn’t just a plot device, it’s a deliberate, stark visual motif, contrasted sharply against the film’s pitch-black darkness. Both elements guide the viewer through themes of loss, displacement, and reinvention. Director Igor Legarreta’s use of natural elements speaks volumes in a film sparse with dialogue.
A World Without Names
The girl, still nameless for most of the story, is cast out. Alone again, she survives only by her resolve. Eventually found by Candido, a reclusive man living on the edge of society, she’s named Amaia. And somehow, she now walks in sunlight.
A Beautiful Shell
While All the Moons is striking in mood and cinematography, its narrative grows thin in the final act. The sentiment that glimmers through the beginning slowly fades. It’s never quite Let the Right One In — but it doesn’t have to be. This is a tender take on eternal life, quiet love, and the ache of memory.
Verdict
Rating: 3 out of 5
(Don’t eat the sacramental bread.)
Film Details
- Title: All the Moons
- Director: Igor Legarreta
- Writers: Igor Legarreta, Jon Sagala
- Cast: Haizea Carneros, Itziar Ituño, Josean Bengoetxea
- Language: Basque
- Genres: Fantasy, Horror, International Cinema
- First Screened At: Fantasia Film Festival
- Distributor: Filmax
- Streaming: Available on Shudder
- Trailer: Watch here
✍️ Footnote
Any mention of the Fantasia Film Festival is noted due to my long-standing inclusion as an accredited member of the official press, attending remotely for 7 consecutive years. This review is presented as an evergreen critique beyond initial festival impressions. For more indie darlings that you probably slept on, check out these blood sucking flicks: Dead & Beautiful (for Shiny Vamps), Silent Bite (for Christmassy Vampires).
