Jim Queen, presented at Cannes, tells the story of a king of the Parisian gay gym whose world collapses when a virus called Heterosis turns gay men straight. Jim, once adored for his physique, becomes a social outcast and must find a cure before his community disappears. His only ally is Lucien, a young man who has just come out of the closet.
Technical development: French animation with digital textures and natural light 🎬
The film uses 3D animation with a style that evokes digital painting, combining rough textures with natural lighting to give realism to the Parisian settings. The gym scenes are rendered with careful detail in sweat and muscle movement, while the virus effects are shown with chromatic transitions: pink and purple tones turn gray. The studio used motion capture for the dance and training scenes.
Heterosis: the virus that ruins gym posturing 💪
The worst thing about the Heterosis virus is not that it turns people straight, but that it eliminates the ability to do a handstand in the gym without looking ridiculous. Jim goes from being the king of the bench press to a normal guy who doesn't know what to do with the dumbbells. Lucien, his ally, reminds him that true muscle is in the heart, although Jim suspects that's only said by those who don't lift 100 kilos.