French comedy animation for adults Jim Quinnwhich had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival’s Midnight Screenings program, blends comedy with serious themes. It tells the story of an eccentric influencer and society “King of Game Queens” whose world falls apart when he is infected with a mysterious virus that turns gay men in Paris into homosexuals.
The virus is called heterosis. The titular Jim, whose full name is Jim Parfitt, is voiced by Alex Ramirès, with Jérémy Gillet voicing Lucien, a closeted virgin who helps him search for a rumored cure to heal Jim and save the entire LGBTQIA+ community.
Paying tribute to the gay community, the film also features well-known names from it, including singer Philippe Catherine, drag performer La Briochée and gay porn icon François Sagat, who voices Jim’s rival, Pavel.
Jim Quinn It was created by Nicolas Athani and Marco Nguyen in their directorial debut. They co-wrote the screenplay with Simone Balto and Bryce Chevellard. David Alric and Arthur Delapis of French animation studio Bobbypills (Commando Creatures) The film was produced and sold by Global Constellation.
So, how did a French porn actor end up being gay? Jim Quinn As the titular character’s enemy? “We needed the actors to be part of the community to understand the characters,” Nguyen says. THRhighlighting the team’s focus on authenticity. “It was important for them to put their stories and experiences into the characters we created.” Sagat is “more than just a porn actor,” he adds, “he’s an icon.” “He became so famous that it was impossible to believe that he would not be part of the project.”
The creative team wasn’t sure whether or not to accept the casting offer. “We were afraid that he would not accept the role of Pavel, because it is self-deprecating and requires a lot of sarcasm,” Nguyen explains. “We’re talking about steroids and Botox and everything in a very cartoonish way. But he agreed. And he was hilarious doing it, and he was very happy to play that role, because he knew he was a caricature of himself. And it was a lot of fun to do.”
It helped that Nguyen knew some of the people who ended up as voice actors Jim Quinn. “Marco knew François Sagat and Harald Marlowe, who plays Glamidea,” says Athani. “That really helped, because they came in. And they were like, ‘Oh, Marco is doing something? I want to see what happens.’ So that helped a lot.”
