Animation ‘Jim Queen’ About Gay Influencer Combines Sex and Comedy

“Jim Queen” has arrived in Cannes – and claimed his crown.   

Sold by Global Constallation, the crowd-pleasing animation, produced by France’s Bobbypills and directed by Marco Nguyen and Nicolas Athané, sees popular Parisian gay influencer Jim reigning as the ultimate Gym Queen. He’s all about “tight shorts and zero body fat” – until one day, his abs literally disappear.

Jim is slowly turning straight because of a virus called Heterosis that’s been going around. Side effects? Flabby body, manspreading, obsession with football. And no prostate orgasm ever again. 

“Let’s face it – gay guys are obsessed with the way we look. It can be tough in this world, because you have to be in shape and you have to be young. I’m 43, and guys look at me differently,” Simon Balteaux tells Variety. 

Balteaux wrote “Jim Queen” with Nguyen, Athané and Brince Chevillard.

“I used to be a Gym Queen myself. Now, I’m going to be a Daddy. It’s the next step, so I’m making fun of myself too. Although I’ll still go to the gym tomorrow.”

Nguyen adds: “There’s a lot of toxic masculinity in the gay community, too. You think it’s enough to say you’re gay, only to realize you don’t fit the standards because you weigh too much. It was very liberating to write this, and to write these jokes, because we talked about what we’ve experienced.”

Jim is changing and losing followers, but one person simply doesn’t care: young Lucien, who’s in love with him even though his closet is still very much shut. Together, they decide to find a cure for Heterosis, fleeing the “Gaystapo” and Lucien’s homophobic mother. 

“It was so, so much fun to write. We wanted to convey lightness and joy, because that’s how I approach everything that happens in my life. We’re all going through a lot of shit, that’s obvious, but I try to see the bright side,” says Balteaux.

The film also takes a closer look at the LGBTQ community, where “nobody mixes and always talks shit.”

“We mock everybody here – and ourselves,” laughs Nguyen.

“People used to see the LGBTQIA+ community as this one group, but the reality is more complicated. At the same time, we wanted to show that if something terrible happens and threatens to destroy the world, hopefully everybody can face this problem together.”

According to Balteaux, they talk about the community as they would talk about their best friends. 

“We love them, we know everything about them, but we can also be honest. And that’s the truth! It’s a love letter to the community, but not everything is perfect.”

Still, the priority was always to be kind. Even though their protagonist struggles with that.

“I love that moment when Jim suddenly has this glimpse in his eyes and understands what kindness is. That’s so funny,” smiles Nguyen.

“Our production company Bobbypills, specializes in adult animation. They are not afraid of sexual content, but we didn’t want it to be pornographic or overly vulgar. There is sex, but it always leads to something. We didn’t just want to shock; we wanted to talk about love.” 

As voices claiming that “homosexuality is an illness” refuse to go away, notes Nguyen, in the film they turn it around. 

“Conversion therapy is awful, and we show that as well. You cannot impose an identity or sexuality on anyone.” 

Balteaux recalls: “I grew up in the countryside in the ’80s, and I used to think I was a freak. Making this film felt very cathartic. Now, I finally feel good in my own skin, and Marco helped me a lot: We say that I’m a gay from the country and he’s a gay from the city,” he laughs. 

“We didn’t grow up in the same way, and it took me a long time to accept myself. I wouldn’t have sat like that [with my legs crossed] in the past. I’d try to appear more masculine. Now, I don’t give a shit.”

It was fun to play with straight cliches for a change.

“Straight people can behave in a stereotypical way too, and not even realize it. Our two writers are straight. That’s why we managed to nail it,” he says. 

Nguyen notes: “I love this moment when there’s a TV on and you can see the announcement that, now that everyone’s straight, Ricky Martin is marrying Kristen Stewart. I’ve heard people laughing at it.” 

“I like the reference to ‘The Sixth Sense,’ when they say: ‘I see gay people.’ I’m so proud of this one,” grins Balteaux.

“I guess we made a political film, but it’s also because laughter can be a weapon. We’re very lucky – we live in a country where ‘Jim Queen’ could be made. But we still think of those in Senegal and trans people, also in the U.S. Maybe it will lighten their reality a little.”

“It’s a feel-good comedy. We want people to feel good,” says Nguyen, with Balteaux adding:

“We just saw this video of two viewers in their sixties. After watching the film, they said: ‘We didn’t get all the references, but we still had a good laugh.’ We want to share the richness and beauty of the gay community with everybody.”