The French adult animated comedy, which premiered in Cannes' Midnight Screenings, tells the story of a queer influencer whose world crumbles when he contracts a virus that turns gay men into heterosexuals.
The 'Jim Queen' team during the photocall at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2026. Left to right: Shirley Souagnon, Alex Ramirès, Jeremy Gillet, Brice Chevillard, Marco Nguyen, Nicolas Athane, Simon Balteaux and François Sagat.
‘s Midnight Screenings program, mixes comedy and serious themes. It tells the story of a ripped queer influencer and “king of the Gym Queens” community whose world crumbles when he contracts a mysterious virus that turns gay men in Paris into heterosexuals. The virus is called Heterosis.
The titular Jim, whose full name is Jim Parfait, is voiced by Alex Ramirès, with Jérémy Gillet being the voice of Lucien, a closeted virgin who helps him on the hunt for a rumored cure to heal Jim and save the whole LGBTQIA+ community.
'Minotaur' Review: Andrey Zvyagintsev's Masterful Crime Thriller Is Also a Bold Indictment of Russia's War Against UkraineIn a tribute to the queer community, the film also features recognizable names from it, including singer Philippe Katerine, drag performer La Briochée and gay porn icon François Sagat, who voices Jim’s rival, Pavel.in their feature directorial debut. They co-wrote the script with Simon Balteaux and Brice Chevillard.
David Alric and Arthur Delabays of French animation studio Bobbypills (as the nemesis of the titular character?
“We needed the actors to be part of the community to understand the characters,” Nguyen tells, highlighting the team’s focus on authenticity. “It was important for them to put their stories, their experiences into the characters that we created. ” Sagat is “more than a porn actor, he is an icon. He became so famous that it was impossible to think that he wouldn’t be part of the project,” he adds.
The creative team wasn’t sure if he would go for the casting offer, though.
“We were afraid that he wouldn’t accept the role of Pavel, because it’s so self-deprecating, and it requires a lot of derision,” explains Nguyen. “We talk about steroids and Botox and everything in a very cartoony way. But he accepted. And he was hilarious doing it, and he was super happy to play this part, because he knew it was a caricature of himself.
And it was very, very fun to do. ”.
“Marco knew François Sagat and Harald Marlot who plays Glamydia,” shares Athané. “That really helped, because they came. They were like, ‘Oh, Marco is doing something? I want to see what is going on.
’ So that helped a lot. ”THR's Original PodcastsThe Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Decorado's Surreal Satire & Disney Parallels Explained By Director Alberto VázquezDecorado is now playing in theaters.
Read more »
AI-Created Vintage Adult Film Unveiled at Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)Cultpix is streaming AI-generated short vignettes inspired by 1976 erotic photo spreads, with a physical release on BluRay and VHS from Klubb Super 8.
Read more »
Comedy Central confirms South Park Season 29 premiere and satire focusComedy Central made the announcement, indicating the long-running animated series's return with its new episodes available to stream on Paramount+ worldwide. Additionally, the season's schedule was revealed, with September 16th, September 30th, October 14th, October 28th, November 11th, and November 25th as the scheduled episodes. The show's creators mentioned their attraction to satirizing political extremism from both sides of the aisle.
Read more »
Kling AI Partners With Evolutionary Films on Animated Feature ‘Minibots,’ Unveils Filmmaker Initiative at Cannes MarketKling AI reveals 'Minibots' pact with U.K.'s Evolutionary Films, featuring Tony Bancroft and Michael Ferris, at Cannes Film Market panel.
Read more »