Queens of Drama follows two singers determined to rise to the top whilst navigating a relationship between them that is opposite to their stage personas.
Director: Alexis Langois
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
Run Time: 114′
U.S. Release: April 18, 2025
U.K. Release: TBA
Where to Watch: In select US theaters
Queens of Drama (Les Reines du Drame) is a riotous musical love affair set across half a decade. We follow the spectacle that unfolds between two budding music stars, who both get their time in the limelight. Mimi Madamour (Louiza Aura) auditions for ‘Starlettes en herbe’, a pop idol/x-factor competition where she is an instant success with the judges and audience.
Billie Kohler (Gio Ventura) on the other hand, receives a swift, insolent ‘no’ after her first performance. The two spark up a friendship, which immediately turns into a raunchy romance (imagine the ultimate PDA on the dancefloor). But as Mimi’s career begins to take off, her image of being a liked popstar becomes more important than her love for Billie, leading the two to drift, and the love to fade away.
It’s a fast paced simulation that we are strapped in from the very first second of Queens of Drama. We’re eager to learn more about Mimi and Billie and how stardom could be so cruel to them that their soulmate status to each other is torn apart. Mimi’s image is important to her, and if that means hiding that she’s a lesbian in love with a punk rock star, so be it. She even begins to sing about chasing after men in her love songs, particularly in her most famous song ‘Pas Touche !’ where she’s surrounded by girls in pink and guys on skateboards in her music videos. Mimi’s persona outside of her music career vanishes, leaving Billie to hold onto a Mimi she once loved before fame.
Director Alexis Langlois is no stranger to the hues of pink and sparkles galore after directing a series of shorts that are set in the same world as Queens of Drama. The ‘Glittercore Universe’ Langlois created first began in 2019 with Terror, Sisters! (De la Terreur, Mes Sœurs!), followed by The Demons of Dorothy (Les Démons de Dorothy) in 2021, and finally ending (for now; there may be more for this universe!) with Queens of Drama. It’s a world you might want to be a part of as a main pop girl, or maybe you want to sit back and enjoy the feuds these women get into. Either way, to watch the extravagance they’re all capable of evolving on screen is a guaranteed fun time.
What’s interesting about the narrative is we get a glimpse first of what Mimi and Billie’s relationship is like 50 years on from when they first met. It’s only when we’re transported back in time to 2005, when they auditioned for ‘Starlettes en herbe’, that we get to watch their rocky affair unfold. Whilst the premise is entertaining for the most part, it sometimes goes over the top. But that being said, who doesn’t love a campy exaggerated plot?
Queens of Drama is a queer extravaganza, full of glitter, an iconic lip sync for your life, and cheesy catchy songs that will have you singing for days. And if you love Eurovision, look out for France’s 2019 entry, who gives a performance of a lifetime.
Queens of Drama: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Alexis Langois’ debut feature Queens of Drama is a fantastical queer dream which follows two budding singers on the rise in each of their retrospective careers, which takes a rocky turn in the public eye when their relationship is revealed and everything comes crumbling down.
Pros:
- Gorgeous glittery visuals
- Great LGBTQ+ representation
- Stunning performances throughout
Cons:
- Sometimes the runtime drags
- Not for you if you don’t like a musical
Queens of Drama is now available to watch in theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Austin, and will be released in Seattle, Denver, Atlanta, Toronto, Montreal, and more cities in May.
