Production is underway on writer/director Matthew Bissonnette’s feature film Death of a Ladies’ Man, inspired by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s work.

Produced by Corey Marr Productions, Don Carmody Productions, MCP Productions and Port Pictures, the Canada/Ireland copro tells the story of a womanizing poetry professor (played by Gabriel Byrne) who returns to his family cottage in Ireland and meets the woman of his dreams. Set to feature some of Cohen’s music, the film shares the name of the title track off of the musician’s fifth studio album. Marr confirmed to Playback Daily that the upcoming project had Cohen’s blessings.

In addition to Carmody and Marr, Marie-Claude Poulin and Martina Niland serve as producers. Production will take place in Montreal and in rural Ontario until May 7th, before heading to Ireland.

Death of a Ladies’ Man is Bissonnette’s fourth feature following Passenger Side, Who Loves the Sun and the dramedy Looking for Leonard, which featured Cohen’s second and final novel Beautiful Losers in its plot. Bissonnette previously worked with Marr on Passenger Side and Who Loves the Sun. Marr and Poulin presented Death of a Ladies’ Man at the Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (IFF) at TIFF ’17.

The comedic drama will be distributed by Mongrel Media and Metropole Films in Canada. Celluloid Dreams, which acquired the worldwide sale rights to the film in February 2018, will handle international sales of the copro. Alongside Byrne, Death of a Ladies’ Man stars Brian Gleeson, Suzanne Clement, Antoine Olivier Pilon, Karelle Tremblay and Pascale Bussieres.

Financial participation was provided by Telefilm Canada, Monte Rosso Productions, SODEC, Screen Ireland, The Canada Media Fund, Ontario Creates, Bell Media’s Crave, The Harold Greenberg Fund, CBC Films and the Western Regional Audiovisual Producer’s Fund. Telefilm Canada, the Harold Greenberg Fund and Ontario Creates also provided funding toward the development of the film.

Image of Matthew Bissonnette on set courtesy of Corey Marr