Judging by the buzz coming out of Cannes, it appears that many people really enjoyed filmmaker Xavier Dolan’s latest film “Matthias & Maxime.” Dolan is a filmmaker that has a lot of success at the French festival, and perhaps his latest competition film will add to his already impressive number of accolades. And while speaking at a Cannes press conference (via Deadline), Dolan discussed his latest film and why he doesn’t necessarily like people calling it a “gay” film.
“Matthias & Maxime” tells the story of two childhood best friends that are asked to share a kiss for the purpose of a short film. However, after the kiss, the men struggle with their feelings, wondering if there’s more to it than just the film. Dolan stars in the film, alongside many of the filmmaker’s own friends. Update: you can now read our review from Cannes.
“This film is not gay, It’s life,” said Dolan. “We never talk about heterosexual films. ‘Oh, I saw this great heterosexual love story.’ For me, it’s not a story of homosexuality or gay love. Ultimately, I don’t think that the two protagonists are aware that it is gay love. It’s love.”
READ MORE: Xavier Dolan’s ‘Matthias Et Maxime’ Sparks A Magnetic Love Story [Cannes Review]
The strong buzz surrounding “Matthias & Maxime” is probably a relief for Dolan, who is coming off one of the lower points in his career with the negative critical reception and behind-the-scenes drama surrounding his previous project, “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.” His newest work is largely seen as a return to form for the filmmaker, with the indie spirit that made earlier films so well-received. WIth ‘John F. Donovan,’ Dolan had an all-star cast and a ton of pressure. He’s spoken already about how that experience affected him.
Clearly, he’d rather be talking about the cultural significance and story seen in “Matthias & Maxime” instead of the drama of ‘John F. Donovan.’ Either way, Dolan’s love story has been turning heads at the event, and perhaps, we’ll soon be talking about how films like this are just love stories and not “gay love stories.”
