Solo (2023 film)

Solo is a 2023 Canadian romantic drama film, written and directed by Sophie Dupuis. The film stars Théodore Pellerin as Simon, a young emerging drag queen in Montreal who is drawn into a passionate but complicated romance with Olivier (Félix Maritaud), while simultaneously navigating a reunion with his estranged mother Claire (Anne-Marie Cadieux), whom he has not seen since she left Canada 15 years earlier to pursue her career as an opera singer.

The film's cast also includes Jean Marchand, Vlad Alexis, Tommy Joubert, Alice Moreault and Marc-André Leclair. Its soundtrack includes music by ABBA, Chaka Khan, Marie Davidson, CRi, Donna Summer, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Alma Faye Brooks, Filippin & Runah, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Mitsou.

Production
The film entered production in 2022, under the working title Drag. Dupuis has acknowledged the risk that the film may be controversial in the contemporary political climate around the legitimacy of drag, but has described the film as a "gesture of activism" in defense of the art form.

Dupuis has described her directorial process as one in which she does not present a finished script at the outset, but instead works extensively with her actors to "rehearse a lot and bring new ideas, propose, deconstruct something, maybe brainstorm with me, and we rewrite" before arriving at the final script.

Pellerin noted in an interview on the CBC Gem talk show Here & Queer that after production concluded on Family First (Chien de garde), Dupuis asked him if there were any particular roles he would be interested in playing in the future, and he said a drag queen.

Distribution
The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and screened as the opening film of the 2023 Quebec City Film Festival, before going into commercial release in September 2023. It was acquired for U.S. distribution by Music Box Films and will be released in limited theaters in May 2024.

Critical response
Allan Hunter of Screen Daily described the film as containing elements of All About Eve, Opening Night and Passages, writing that "Dupuis is well served by her actors. The female characters generally have less impact but Alice Moreault makes the most of the loyal Maude as she is forced into the role of helpless bystander to her brother’s growing unhappiness. Felix Maritaud lends Olivier a light, seductive charm that can always be switched on if it is to his advantage. He also brings the weary air of someone who only wants a relationship on his terms and will suffer neither challenge nor tantrum. Recently seen as Beau’s son in Beau Is Afraid (2023), the prolific Pellerin is perfectly cast as Simon. All windmill arms and wounded heart, his surface confidence as Glory Gore is distinct from the vulnerabilities he reveals as someone unable to believe that he is entirely worthy of love."

The film was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2023.