Now that Fantastic Fest has come to an end, I can confidently say that one of my favorite films from the festival has to be Queens of Drama (Les Reines du drame). I honestly went into this film without knowing anything about it and left completely in awe. The film centers on queer topics, such as, pop divas, stan culture and toxic obsession. The French film from writer/director Alexis Langlois wraps all of this up in glitter and glam, and mixes in plenty of musical elements.

The film opens up with kaleidoscope shots of popstar, Mimi Madamour (Louiza Aura) and transitions to the film’s narrator, Steevyshady (Bilal Hassani) in the year 2055. Steevyshady then begins narrating the story, bringing it back 50 years. Steevy leads us through the tumultuous relationship between his idol, pop star Mimi Madamour and punk icon Billie Kohler (Gio Ventura). The two meet one fateful day at an audition for an “American Idol” sort of show, however, only Mimi moves forward in the competition. Although Billie doesn’t secure a part in the show, she remains determined to continue her music career; Mimi witnesses Billie’s performance with her band, The Slits, and thus commences their passionate and tumultuous relationship.

Music is an integral part of Queens of Drama. Mimi and Billie definitely represent almost opposite genres, with Mimi’s music on the soft, pop side, and Billie’s punk full of rage and passion. I really enjoyed all of the film’s music, and I can’t wait until I’m able to stream these catchy songs (I still have Mimi’s “Don’t Touch” stuck in my head). I was really surprised that a song about fisting (no, I’m not kidding) actually made me emotional. On that same note, the film also perfectly blends in music videos, along with other iconic pop culture references which are usually played out by the hilarious and unhinged Steevyshady.

Visually, the film references so many moments in 2000s pop culture, such as when Britney Spears shaves her hair (which we see Mimi heartbreakingly do), and Chris Crocker’s “Leave Britney Alone” video. So many different formats were seamlessly integrated in the film, with a beautiful soft glow and glam that I really admired.

Aura, Ventura and Hassani were all really great. The three of them led us through a journey spanning several decades. Aura and Ventura really are mesmerizing and have so much chemistry with each other. They truly embody the stars they depict in the film. While Hassani’s Steevyshady depicted the toxicity of fandom and internet culture, I couldn’t help but love them. Whenever Steevy came on screen, I was bound to laugh. Even though Steevy definitely was questionable, you also couldn’t help but empathize with them, especially towards the end of the film.

Queens of Drama is definitely a cult classic in the making. It’s so fun but still incorporates plenty of emotion. The film’s leads are fantastic, and of course, it has amazing music and visuals. I can’t wait to be able to watch it again and hopefully get my hands on the film’s soundtrack!