Ties That Bind uses the vampire genre to explore the loss of autonomy and the lasting consequences of choices made without consent. At its core, it asks what it means to have your life rewritten by someone else—and whether love can exist in the shadow of that. Through an intimate, emotionally driven lens, the story centers not on spectacle, but the psychological and relational aftermath of transformation.

Vampirism becomes a metaphor for medical crises, bodily autonomy, and queer identity—examining grief, survival, and love. The romance is rooted in consent, trust, and the power of choosing each other freely. By grounding horror in emotional truth, the film invites audiences to see themselves inside the monster—and question who truly holds the power to define us.

THE STORY

...Protagonist Yaya always thought she knew exactly where she fit in – planted firmly in the human world. That is, until a spontaneous bathroom hook-up with an alluring vampire turns deadly. Now, with the weight of being undead on her shoulders, Yaya struggles to come to terms with her reality. Determined not to let her vampirehood get the best of her, Yaya seeks help from a local nonprofit, F.A.N.G., and falls in love with Leyla, its founder.

Leyla asks Yaya to turn her into a vampire. However, before she’s ready to, Yaya is forced to start confronting the painful trauma of their turning - the details of which they still haven't had the heart or stomach to share with their partner. As the couple do their best to navigate how to honor each other's needs and feelings, with Yaya skirting around the real reason for their aversion to turning Leyla, it tests their relationship, threatening to break them apart.

THE SUBJECTS

YAYA is a newly-turned futch vampire who struggles with self-acceptance because she’s still very angry about being turned against her will. A bit broody, moody, they’re determined to hang on to some semblance of their humanity. Yaya is afraid of the monster she’s become and just wants to go back to how things were before, but she can’t. Now, her deepest trauma is testing the boundaries of their relationship.

LEYLA is a scientist, director of F.A.N.G. nonprofit, and the queer femme queen of your dreams. Headstrong and determined, she carries the weight of continuing her family’s legacy by supporting the creature community, which motivates her to ultimately ask her partner, Yaya, to turn her. Fiercely optimistic, she does not understand Yaya’s aversion to the idea and craves the connection of being turned and bound to Yaya.

Reality is heavy these days, but creativity and community are proof that even in a world of alluring vampires and alarming viruses, humanity still exists. Our human need for heroes still exists, too. It’s just — we need new ones. Ones that reflect where we’re going, not where we are stuck. Heroes who stand against hatred, but most importantly, live with love — even and especially, alongside trauma. Heroes who reflect the universal truths of today. Ties That Bind enticingly paints these universal truths in a neo-gothic, fantastical romance with a queer relationship at the center. One that is as complex as it is loving because… not all heroes wear capes. Some have fangs.

Ties That Bind exists in the world of vampirism. Yet, this world depicts a reality not unlike our own. One riddled with grief, survival, and love playing out in forms of medical crises, bodily autonomy, and queer identity. In this world, its protagonist romance is rooted in consent, trust, and the power of choosing each other freely. By grounding horror in emotional truth, the film invites audiences to see themselves inside the monster—and question who truly holds the power to define us.

WHY NOW?

Creative stories that further queer visibility are needed more than ever with homophobia and transphobia on a targeted rise in the United States. Stories that tell the truth with kindness and curiosity, but that also engage the mind and pull at the heart. The prevalence of blood and fangs may ring as fantasy, but many of the hurdles in Yaya and Leyla’s relationship are very real. Their relationship highlights that certain realities can still exist, even after one has met their “happily ever after.” Love stories can continue on, even inside worlds that still perpetuate predators and rid them of all accountability.

WHY US?

We are a group of creatives that don’t often see themselves reflected in media enough, especially in fantasy and further, as a main character. We are of the infamous millennial generation, raised on the vampire genre seen on pages, screens, and bedroom posters during our developmental years. Blood-thirsty and hormonal. Now, adults who want to tell their version of the story. Plainly put, our cast and crew meet at the intersectional identities showcased in the film.

WHY YOU?

Art is in the people’s hands now and helping fund creative storytelling at the grassroots level ensures that authentic and diverse stories will continue to be foundationally-invested in as the surrounding media landscape continues to shift. 

This is all true, but you may just love romantic fantasies with sharp teeth! And that’s okay, too! Either way, we appreciate you partnering with us as supporters of film, queer storytelling, and creative collaboration. Your generous contributions will go directly towards paying and feeding our crew members, securing camera and sound equipment, and more.

Follow us on Instagram @tiesthatbindshortfilm to keep up with our project, and please share with friends.

CONTEXT

Ties That Bind: The Short is currently in pre-production. Our team is assembled, our characters are cast. Once the film is edited and complete, we will take to the festival circuit to gain support — as a feature is on our horizon. We hope to develop Ties That Bind as a feature film; diving deeper into this world and fleshing out our characters and their backstories. There is a hunger to see more of Leyla since she doesn’t get the limelight in this short.

The short will be viewable in late summer 2026, launching with a viewing party. Our ideal financial goals are paying our cast and crew more generously, extending the length of the film, and increasing our editing budget (hiring an editor that can also color and a composer to do all the sound and background music).

Our Call to Action:

• (This is an and/or situation! No pressure!)
• Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark
• Follow us on Instagram
• Share the project with friends
• Join the discussion on Discord
• Give to our campaign so that we can give back.

This film is for all of us. Plus, our supporter rewards will help you connect with the community, your loved ones, and others who love fantasy. A win-win!