Saint-Narcisse: A Bold Exploration of Desire, Identity, and Forbidden Love
Released in 2020, Saint-Narcisse is a provocative Canadian drama directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Bruce LaBruce, known for his unapologetic approach to themes of sexuality, queerness, and taboo. The film continues LaBruce’s long-standing exploration of erotic subcultures and societal boundaries, blending melodrama, eroticism, and mythic storytelling into a visually charged narrative that challenges conventional morality. With its mix of family drama, erotic tension, and psychological reflection, Saint-Narcisse stands as one of the director’s most daring works.
The story takes place in Quebec in 1972 and follows the life of Dominic, played by Félix-Antoine Duval. Dominic is a strikingly handsome young man in his early twenties who harbors an unusual obsession with himself, often photographing and admiring his own reflection. His narcissism is more than a personality trait—it becomes the lens through which the film explores questions of love, identity, and desire. After the death of his grandmother, Dominic uncovers family secrets that lead him on a strange journey of discovery. He learns that his mother, Beatrice, believed to be dead, is actually alive and living in isolation with a female lover. Even more shocking, Dominic discovers he has an identical twin brother named Daniel, raised in a strict, oppressive environment under the control of a manipulative priest.
The reunion between Dominic and Daniel forms the heart of the film. The brothers’ uncanny physical resemblance creates both confusion and attraction, culminating in an intense, taboo-breaking exploration of sibling intimacy. LaBruce uses this provocative storyline not as mere shock value but as a way to interrogate the boundaries of desire, the construction of identity, and the power of repression. By embracing the forbidden, the film reveals the destructive effects of societal and religious attempts to suppress sexuality.
Visually, Saint-Narcisse is striking. LaBruce and his cinematographer André Turpin create a nostalgic 1970s aesthetic, using soft lighting, muted colors, and stylized set designs that recall European art cinema of that era. The deliberate pacing and framing heighten the sense of surrealism, while the erotic sequences are shot with both intimacy and confrontation, refusing to shy away from discomfort. Music also plays a crucial role, balancing atmospheric tension with moments of emotional vulnerability.
Thematically, the film touches on multiple layers of repression—religious, familial, and sexual. The presence of the Catholic Church, embodied in the controlling priest who raised Daniel, highlights the historical and cultural grip of religious morality in Quebec during the 1970s. Dominic’s obsession with himself, meanwhile, symbolizes a broader meditation on the concept of narcissism, not just as vanity but as a radical form of self-love and identity formation. By pairing narcissism with queer desire, LaBruce challenges viewers to rethink the limits of love and to confront the anxieties society attaches to sexuality outside heteronormative frameworks.
Critics have described Saint-Narcisse as audacious and polarizing. For some, its treatment of incest and taboo pushes too far; for others, it is a liberating act of artistic defiance. Regardless of perspective, the film has sparked conversations about the role of cinema in challenging cultural boundaries and the importance of exploring queer identities in their most complex, unfiltered forms.
Ultimately, Saint-Narcisse is not merely about shock value—it is a cinematic meditation on love, repression, and the radical act of embracing desire in its most authentic form. By combining melodrama, eroticism, and biting social critique, Bruce LaBruce delivers a film that lingers long after its closing scene, forcing audiences to confront their own reflections in the mirror of desire.
