Benedict Matthew Bissonnette, usually credited as Matt Bissonnette, is a Canadian film director and writer.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.
Bissonnette and his childhood friend Steven Clark collaborated as codirectors and cowriters of the 2002 film Looking for Leonard.Marke Andrews, "4 years Looking for Leonard no time at all to lifelong pals". Vancouver Sun, November 29, 2002. On his own, Bissonnette followed up with the films Who Loves the Sun in 2006,Alison Gillmor, "Characters confront the past in cottage country". Winnipeg Free Press, April 5, 2007. Passenger Side in 2009,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. and Death of a Ladies' Man in 2020.
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.Randall King, "Drama draws on spirit of 'patron saint of Montreal'". Winnipeg Free Press, March 8, 2021. His film Death of a Ladies' Man shares the title of Cohen's 1977 album of the same name.
He also works in advertising as a commercial director, and published the novel Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock in 2008.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.
He is the brother of actor Joel Bissonnette, and was married to actress Molly Parker from 2002 to 2016.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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