As Alexis Langlois’ debut feature “Queens of Drama” begins, it’s the year 2055. The audience meets a YouTuber who goes by the name SteevyShady (Bilal Hassani), an arrogant queen who thinks their word is the last word on everything. SteevyShady is obsessed with Mimi Madamour (Louiza Aura) who, fifty years earlier, had a major pop hit while still a teenager. SteevyShady proceeds to tell Mimi’s story.
Flashback to 2005. Mimi, who dreams of pop stardom, is trying out for an “American Idol”- styled TV show. While waiting for her turn to be called, she meets fellow competitor Billie Kohler (Gio Ventura), a punk rock lesbian who is often asked whether she’s male or female. Mimi is accepted into the competition, Billie is not. The two begin a tempestuous love affair which consumes them both.
When Mimi wins the competition and ends up with a hit record, things go sour. Mimi, fearing that she’ll lose her new career if she comes out, pushes Billie away, refusing to acknowledge their love when Billie shows up at a music video shoot. Their breakup is intense and heartbreaking. Billie goes on to find minor success as the lead singer of a punk band.
Mimi’s success turns out to be shortlived when she’s outed as Billie’s ex by the two hosts of a TV talk show. It’s a painful experience for Mimi. She screams and cries on camera as her mother calls into the show and asks, “How can you do this to me?”
Langlois has a lot to say. They (according to Wikipedia, Langlois prefers they/them pronouns) makes insightful observations about the cruelties of singing competitions and of the pop world. The scene in which Mimi is outed is disturbing, with the two hosts taunting and baiting her, obviously enjoying what they’re doing to her.
Likewise, Billie is horribly treated by the judges of the competition show. She’s laughed at and physically thrown out of the TV studio. It’s an ugly world that these young women have chosen.
The film also makes some astute observations about how gay men tend to obsess about female divas. Steevyshady is absolutely obsessed with Mimi, whose career indeed ends after she’s outed. Fifty years on, he’s Mimi’s one remaining fan. Hassani plays the character with all of the flamboyance that Steevyshady deserves, displaying quite an acidic tongue.
“I destroyed careers with a bat of my fake eyelashes,” Steevy says.
Aura and Ventura play their difficult roles with aplomb. Their characters are passionate and intense, prone to hysterics when the going gets rough. The two actors prove themselves to be up to the challenge.
Langlois shot the film with color, flash and panache. The musical numbers are well-staged and parts of the film resemble a music video. The auteur asks a lot of the cast and crew, and everyone proves themselves to be up to the challenge. The film is dazzling, if at times painful, to watch.
“Queens of Drama” is ultimately an exciting, if heartbreaking, film by a fresh new talent. It’s one of the queerest films to come along in the past year. It’ll be interesting to see what this filmmaker, and what this cast, does next.
‘Queens of Drama,’ Altered Innocence Films, in French with subtitles, April 25-May 1 at Alamo Drafthouse New Mission Theater, 2550 Mission St. www.alteredinnocence.net
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