We are used to seeing fictional films “based on a true story”, but this is a fictional story made in a documentary format about an eccentric man, squatting in an abandoned hotel, who claims to be 150 years old.

After the titular Augustus posts several videos on YouTube, a documentary film crew track him down him and record interviews about his life and supposed immorality.

Augustus openly shares his tales of travelling across America during the depression, befriending Andy Warhol, and living in Paris during the 1900 Expo.

Augustus has a peculiar and sketchy roommate called Tommy who, during filming,object’s to the presence of the crew and walks out, leaving Augustus depressed.

In the wake of Tommy’s departure, Augustus makes an unexpected admission to the crew that he’s actually a vampire. But what are they to really believe in his tales?

As with Jim Jarmusch’s recent Only Lovers Left Alive, this is another look at vampires that avoids the traditional horror view and treats them as people living their extended lives in an anonymous and rather mundane way.

The film perfectly replicates the documentary format, giving it verisimilitude, and making it a totally engaging and fresh take on the vampire genre.

This is the debut feature from Robyn Miller, the creator of the MYST and RIVEN computer games, and he brings much of those games’ rich and considered pacing to the film.