Matt Bissonnette (director)

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Benedict Matthew Bissonnette, usually credited as Matt Bissonnette, is a Canadian film director and writer. [1]

Bissonnette and his childhood friend Steven Clark collaborated as codirectors and cowriters of the 2002 film Looking for Leonard . [2] On his own, Bissonnette followed up with the films Who Loves the Sun in 2006, [3] Passenger Side in 2009, [4] and Death of a Ladies' Man in 2020. [1]

Bissonnette's films frequently use the literary or musical work of Leonard Cohen as a thematic motif; Looking for Leonard centred in part on a character's fantasies of escaping her life to run away with Cohen after reading his novel Beautiful Losers , while both Passenger Side and Death of a Ladies' Man use Cohen's music in their soundtracks. [5]

He also works in advertising as a commercial director, [5] and published the novel Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock in 2008. [6]

He is the brother of actor Joel Bissonnette, [4] and was married to actress Molly Parker from 2002 to 2016. [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 Randall King, "Laughing in the face of death: Humour, absurdity bring a light touch to bleak, Cohen-inspired Irish-Canadian drama". Winnipeg Free Press , March 12, 2021.
  2. Marke Andrews, "4 years Looking for Leonard no time at all to lifelong pals". Vancouver Sun , November 29, 2002.
  3. Alison Gillmor, "Characters confront the past in cottage country". Winnipeg Free Press , April 5, 2007.
  4. 1 2 John Griffin, "Great music and dialogue as a contact sport; passenger side Ex-N.D.G.er Matt Bissonnette directs a winning road movie". Montreal Gazette , October 9, 2009.
  5. 1 2 Randall King, "Drama draws on spirit of 'patron saint of Montreal'". Winnipeg Free Press , March 8, 2021.
  6. Brendan Kelly, "Montreal-born filmmaker returns home with punk-rock novel; 1980s-era N.D.G. teens play central role in Matt Bissonnette's first book". Montreal Gazette , April 14, 2008.
  7. David Spaner, "Molly relishes producing role: Parker behind and in front of the camera for latest film, Looking for Leonard". The Province , November 29, 2002.