This cult film is 33 years old and is a surreal fantasy: it's being re-released in theaters this Friday.

One of Canadian cinema's most unclassifiable films returns to Spanish theaters this Friday, June 20, 33 years after its original release . Considered a cult classic for its surreal style and poetic tone, the film directed by Jean-Claude Lauzon has remained a cinematic benchmark of the early 1990s.

First released in 1992 at the Cannes Film Festival , Léolo was Lauzon's second and final feature film. He died five years later in a plane crash. Written in a semi-autobiographical vein, the film follows a twelve-year-old boy living in a poor Montreal neighborhood who, amidst a dysfunctional family, escapes his everyday life through his wild imagination .

In his inner world, Léolo prefers being Italian rather than Canadian, the son of a tomato contaminated with Sicilian semen , and finds writing to be his only means of expression. But the harsh reality of his family always interrupts his fantasies: he has a father obsessed with the intestinal health of the entire family, a bodybuilder brother who lives imprisoned in fear, two sisters who suffer from mental disorders , a grandfather to whom no one pays much attention, and an enormous mother who dominates the family microcosm.

The film combines drama, dark comedy, and dreamlike elements to create a narrative that has been compared to Fellini 's universe, but from a more intimate and tragic perspective. With scenes as striking as they are poetic, Léolo explores adolescent sexuality , familial madness, and the power of fantasy in the face of misery. Starring Maxime Collin, with narration by Gilbert Sicotte, and a cast that includes Ginette Reno, Pierre Bourgault, and Denys Arcand, the film was a Canadian candidate for an Oscar, though it was not nominated. It did, however, take home the Golden Spike at the Valladolid Film Festival .

The 2K restoration and its inclusion in Cannes Classics in 2014 cemented its status as a forgotten masterpiece for many viewers. Now, with its theatrical re-release , Léolo is once again available for new generations looking for an escape from routine. The return of this unclassifiable gem represents a unique opportunity to rediscover one of the most personal and radical creations of 1990s cinema.