In our interview with the writer-director of Queens of Drama Alexis Langlois, we talk all things love songs, Britney Spears and queer cinema.
There’s an allure to Queens of Drama from the very beginning of the film. We’re thrown head first into a love story between two music stars, one pop, one punk, who are trying to make a rocky relationship work. Set across a 50 year span, the film follows the two musicians, Mimi Madamour (Louiza Aura) and Billie Kohler (Gio Ventura), on their journey to fame, how they fell head over heels for one another, and the way in which their individual images would be ruined by being in a relationship with a rival star.
Queens of Drama is a kaleidoscopic vision of pink hues everywhere. We sat down with writer-director Alexis Langlois, where they expanded on inspirations, favourite songs from the movie and what positive messages Queens of Drama is trying to put into the sometimes not-so-nice world. Read the interview below!
Alexis Langlois on inspirations and queer characters on the big screen
How long did it take for you to come up with the original idea for Queens of Drama from initial conception to the actual filming?
Alexis Langlois: From the start of writing and then to the actual first day of shooting, it took around six years. We didn’t have any producers to begin with, so whilst I was writing it, we shot a short film [Demons of Dorothy] while waiting. During the shooting of the short film, I couldn’t work on Queens of Drama as much. In the end, I did find a producer but it took a couple of years.
The writing itself didn’t take much time. What took the most time was getting the money for the film. Trying to find funding for a queer movie in France was really hard. It wasn’t a fun process.
What were your influences stylistically? Were there any inspirations from any films, or even pop stars and maybe music videos you’ve seen?
A.L.: The idea was to do a massive version of a classic tale that I grew up watching, sort of like A Star is Born (1954), which was one of the biggest inspirations. And also All That Heaven Allows.
I wanted to create a link between those big tales and my own culture, things that were similar to me. I wanted very queer characters and very queer environments. I also took inspiration from films that are classics to me, especially those from directors like Gregg Araki and John Waters. And also, of course, Britney Spears, here and there. I wanted to give queer characters this big dramatic story, and just space to allow them to exist on the big screen.
The idea was to create something that took inspiration from different types of media and merge them together. I wanted to mix ideas from big blockbusters and music videos to create something that is different. Maybe you could even call it dirty, as there are some parts that aren’t appropriate for cinema [laughs]. I also wanted to do it in a political way.
The Iconic Love Songs in Queens of Drama
The music in this film is first of all amazing and it encapsulates each of the characters, but it’s also so catchy! I’ve been listening to it ever since I saw the film! What was the process of collaborating with the composer of the film?
Alexis Lanlois: The music was really important as it was heavily linked to how the narrative moves forward. This meant that when we made the songs, they had to reflect what was going on with the characters and the events in each scene. It also reflected each era that we were in [as the film takes place over 50 years]. It required us to work with the composers in the same way you work with the actors, in a way. They had creative freedom to write their songs but they had to fit within a specific mold and criteria.
It was easier for some artists compared to others. I had a very specific idea in mind for the song ‘Pas Touche!’. When Yelle made the song, at first I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would, as it didn’t line up with what I had in mind. But then Yelle told me to trust them on it, and then the film is released and it is the one song everyone remembers.
I wondered if you had a favourite song from the film? Mine is ‘Pas Touche!’.
A.L.: I’d say ‘Damné d’amour,’ which is maybe not as liked as the others. It translates to ‘Damned by Love’ so it’s perfect for this part in the film. People do listen to it and like it when it’s in the movie, but it’s not one people remember the most. I think it’s emotionally intense, and it’s the breakup song. It’s also the place in the film where the themes start to get darker, so this song acts as that switch. It’s very intense! I also love ‘Fistée jusqu’au cœur’, translated as ‘Fisted to the Heart’ as it’s so prude and fun, and it’s just such an enjoyable song. It’s also a real love song too!
Alexis Langlois on what to take away from Queens of Drama
What has the response been from audiences, now that Queens of Drama is finally out in the world?
Alexis Langlois: It depends! It’s often an extreme reaction. People either really, really love it or absolutely physically cannot stand it [laughs]. I’m trying to focus on the positive aspects currently. Some people don’t like it as it’s not their type of cinema; that doesn’t bother me.
I’ve gotten reactions from queer people who loved the movie and say that it changed them as a person or resonated with them specifically. That’s such a wonderful reaction to get.
Some people didn’t interpret the movie in the way we thought it would come across. We have had some queer people come up to us and say we’re romanticising toxic relationships, which is not the case at all. We’re trying to put these relationships forward as problematic. It can be rough to have these reactions, especially as queer people are who we made this movie for. It’s a queer film made by queer people. I think they’re missing the point.
What were you hoping people would take away from Queens of Drama, especially those who aren’t getting the message you hoped to put across?
A.L: It’s not necessarily one specific thing, but maybe just the final scene. It shows flawed characters. So many rom-coms show polished characters, and in our film, we wanted to show those characters who have failed coming back together again at the end. The behaviour they have is not ok but they needed to have a resolution.
If everyone came up to me and didn’t understand it, I would think I had f***ked up. But I think in general, I wanted to push forward the idea of being soft towards each other. In France, we remove things in order to not tackle issues. France tried to tackle racism by just removing the word race from the constitution. I wanted to specifically show how all of these people who had f***ked up during the film get back together at the end and show a bit of love to one another.
The distribution company actually wanted to cut this final scene out.
I love the ending, so I’m really glad this wasn’t cut out. It shows a resolution.
A.L.: Thank you!
Alexis Langlois on queer favourites and what’s next for them
What are your favourite queer movies?
Alexis Langlois: The Living End by Gregg Araki! It’s very dark with a dark tone. And then Bound by the Wachowski sisters, as it’s a very sexy movie.
They’re both great.
One thing I love doing is having mini movie marathons. What films would you pair with Queens of Drama for that perfect movie marathon?
A.L.: Ooh great question! But I’m a Cheerleader first. And then maybe A Star is Born: it will be a long marathon [laughs]. And then Phantom of the Paradise, and let’s end on a cartoon, so… [thinks] Ratatouille!
A perfect marathon!
Are you working on anything else at the moment?
A.L.: I’m currently working on a screenplay to another movie. I was told to make something more universal and approachable, but the more I work on it, the darker and queerer it gets. It might not come out anytime soon [laughs].
I’m also working on an anthology series based on Lolo Ferrari, who was, at one point in the 90s, the woman with the largest breasts in Europe. She became a real celebrity at that point and she knew the heights of fame. I really want to create something about her.
Thank you so much for speaking with me today.
A.L.: Thank you so much for your great questions!
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Queens of Drama is currently being screened in select theaters in the U.S. and Canada and available to pre-order on DVD and Blu-Ray: find out more on the film’s official site, and read our review of Queens of Drama below!
Header credits: A still from the movie (Altered Innocence) / Alexis Langlois attends the Queens of Drama photocall at the 38th Cabourg Film Festival on June 14, 2024 (Dominique Charriau/WireImage)
