Director Jackie Kong, whose low-budget horror flicks Blood Diner and The Being have become cult favorites among fans of '80s horror, has stepped behind the camera once again for the romantic horror feature CoExistence– which also marks the screen reunion of Blade Runner stars Rutger Hauer and Daryl Hannah.
Kong dropped off the horror map for many years to work as an activist for the non-profit group Asian-American Media Development (AAMD), but has finally returned to filmmaking with this vampiric twist on Romeo & Juliet set in California's Sonoma wine country. The modern-day retelling involves a bitter rivalry between two wine-making clans intensified by a forbidden love affair between teens from both families (played by Nick Krause & Bella Thorne), which also threatens to expose a shocking family secret.
Despite the teen/vampire romance element, Kong is quick to downplay comparisons to the Twilight franchise. “I’m not just catering to teenagers,” she says, “but because Romeo and Juliet are in their teens, teens will watch it. But I have seasoned performers like Rutger Hauer and Daryl Hannah, and their parts are really juicy.” The veteran cast also includes John Savage (Deliverance, Bereavement).
Funding is currently in progress via a Kickstarter campaign, which you can learn more about at the film's official site. Also, here's Kong herself to talk about the project: