Xavier Dolan's francophone followup to centre on 20-something turmoil

MONTREAL -- Xavier Dolan's next feature centres on two childhood friends whose relationship is thrown into sudden turmoil following a kiss.

Details about the Quebec director's next project are included in a funding announcement by the Quebecor Fund.

The agency says "Matthias et Maxime" revolves around 20-something friends Matt and Max, who reluctantly kiss while filming a scene in a friend's amateur film.

"Afterwards, that kiss will sow seeds of doubt in their minds and gradually gnaw away at them, forcing them to confront their choices and preferences, threatening their friendship and throwing their lives into turmoil," the agency said Tuesday in a release.

The French-language feature marks a return home for the celebrated filmmaker, whose last feature was the star-studded drama "The Death and Life of John F. Donovan."

Audiences are still waiting for that much-touted English-language debut, which premiered to harsh reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.

Largely set in New York and England, the film's cast includes Kit Harington, Jacob Tremblay, Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, and Thandie Newton. It's been plagued by delays and reports of editing challenges, which resulted in Jessica Chastain being cut from the film entirely.

A Canadian release date has yet to be announced, but the film is set to hit theatres in France in March.

Last year, Dolan tweeted about a followup that would bring him back to Canada.

"I'll make films here in Quebec for the rest of my life," Dolan tweeted.

In September, he posted on Instagram images from the set, including "Mommy" actors Anne Dorval and Antoine Pilon.

The Quebecor Fund's program backs Canadian French-language feature films.

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