Showing at Cinema Diverse Sunday, September 21 
By Valerie Milano
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 9/20/25 – Among the exciting shorts screening at this year’s Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival is The Fangs I’m After, a vibrant animated lesbian romance from filmmaker and animator Rebecca Chivers. Playful, visually inventive, and deeply queer, the short transforms the age-old vampire–hunter dynamic into something tender, unexpected, and defiantly romantic.
Chivers, who directed and spearheaded the animation, first created the project as her senior capstone at Chapman University. What began as an academic assignment quickly evolved into a passion project with heart and teeth. “This was my chance to make the queer vampire story I always wanted to see,” Chivers explained in our Hollywood Times interview. “In the industry, queer characters often get cut or minimized. Here, I had complete control, and I knew it had to be unapologetically queer, and it had to be a vampire story.”
The idea first sparked while Chivers was listening to Lady Gaga’s “Americano.” The inspiration led her to fuse a fantasy western flair with characters she had been sketching and developing for years. Her love of vampires and queer storytelling blended seamlessly with her animation training. “It just felt natural to me,” she said.
Her influences range from the satirical intimacy of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to the slick character work in DreamWorks’ The Bad Guys, to the proudly queer imagination of Netflix’s She-Ra. The final result is an animated world that feels fresh and familiar at once, anchored in pop culture while distinctly personal.
Completing the film was no small feat. Chivers recalled late nights spent animating until 3 or 4 a.m., knowing she would miss her morning classes. But the long hours taught her to balance artistry with practicality. “I learned to stop chasing perfection and start trusting my instincts,” she reflected.
Beyond artistry, the project became a lesson in collaboration. On pitch day, she rallied volunteers to join a production that had few mainstream comparisons. “There really isn’t anything out there like this,” she admitted, “which made it both exciting and a little intimidating.”
Since its completion, The Fangs I’m After has been making its way through the festival circuit, including a horror festival in Chicago where its vampire elements gave it a perfect seasonal edge. Now, Cinema Diverse audiences will have the chance to experience Chivers’ queer romance on the big screen.
Looking ahead, she hopes to continue carving space for queer animation. “I don’t have to be the director,” she shared. “I love being part of a creative team, bringing characters to life, and fighting for representation wherever I can.”
With its sharp aesthetic choices, heartfelt romance, and singular vision, The Fangs I’m After represents what queer cinema can be when given the freedom to flourish. Even its tiniest details, like a protagonist’s single tooth that became an unplanned but beloved character quirk, highlight Chivers’ instinctive artistry.
As Cinema Diverse continues its mission to celebrate and amplify LGBTQ+ voices, Chivers’ film is a standout example of the power of queer stories told authentically.
Follow the film on Instagram at @fangs.im.after_film and explore Rebecca’s portfolio at rebeccachivers.weebly.com. After its festival run, the short will be released on YouTube for audiences worldwide.
The Fangs I’m After reminds us that sometimes the sharpest bite isn’t about fear, it’s about love, resilience, and the courage to claim your story.
