“Beyond the Sea” explores a story of life decision, search for identity, love and resentment. What inspired you to tell this particular story and set it in the world of cabaret and drag queens?

The inspirations might be different of what you think. Even I’m a movie director, I read more manga and play more video games than I watch movies. So the all mess come from this : it’s different of a more « traditional » narration because my inspirations are different.

That’s why everything is always moving, changing, evolving, one thing happen every 30 secondes, because I wanted to make that kind of movie. Regarding the cabaret, my previous film also took place in it. But I wanted to continue cause I thought that I hadn’t explore everything.

The film combines elements of musical comedy and drama. How did you approach balancing these two genres and creating a cohesive narrative that captured a multifaceted and unforgettable character like Lady Casca?

It was a dream for me to make a musical comedy. Because it’s my favorite genre, and because i wanted to make a film that would make people happy. It’s naive but it’s as simple as that. Also it allows me to tell without words : the all end and past are told by a ballet dance.

The relationship between Lady Casca and her estranged son, Thomas, plays an essential role in the story. Can you discuss the dynamics between these characters and the emotional journey they undertake throughout the film?

I wanted to take a very classic movie issue : a son and a father meet again after a longtime, but their relationship is hard. The changing father is that she’s a drag queen and he’s a Belgian Elton John. I wanted to normalise the presence of queer society at screen. It’s not a film about drag queens, but about two people having classic issues. But both can be happy at the end.

And I think we need this kind of story to be told. I was tired of film that get queer characters defining themselves and existing only by what they suffer. Here, it is not even a subject : Thomas is not pissed off after his dad because she’s a drag queen, but because as a father he left.

Your short film reminded us of some masterpieces of contemporary queer cinema, such as Transamerica, Lola Pater, All About My Mother. All of them, and your Beyond the Sea, deal with the theme of identity and fatherhood in a different way. What are your inspirations, and how did you find your voice in tackling this script?

I’m much more a Jacques Demy guy. So of course I take a lot from Les Demoiselles de Rochefort cause it’s my favorite film. But as explained, my references are more unexpected. For example, the name Lady Casca come from the Manga Berserk, and the film is dedicated to his author memory, Kentaro Miura.

Lastly, what do you hope viewers take away from “Beyond the Sea”? What impact or emotions do you hope the film evokes, and are there any particular messages or conversations you aimed to initiate through your storytelling?

I really just want them to have a fucking huge smile on their face. That’s the only reason that explains why I make films : I want to make people happy.

THE DIRECTOR

Name: Hippolyte Leibovici
Film: Beyond the Sea
From: Belgium