Matt Bissonnette (director)

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]

References
  1. 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. 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. 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.


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