Film Movement has bought North American rights to Belgium Oscar entry “Julie Keeps Quiet” which is executive produced by tennis champion Naomi Osaka, and world premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week.
A feature debut directed by Leonardo Van Dijl, “Julie Keeps Quiet” went on to play Karlovy Vary and Toronto, and will next screen at the BFI London Film Festival following its Cannes bow. The movie will have its U.S. premiere at the Hamptons Film Festival.
The drama stars newcomer Tessa Van den Broeck as Julie, a young and promising tennis player who faces a dilemma when her prominent coach is suspended after the suicide of a former prodigy. Suspicions of inappropriate conduct arise and pressure starts mounting for Julie to speak up. As she refrains from sharing her experiences, her silence leaves the investigation and the coach’s future in limbo.
“Julie Keeps Quiet” is slated for a theatrical release in early 2025 and will be followed by a roll out on all leading digital platforms and home entertainment. The announcement was made by Michael Rosenberg, president of Film Movement and Jan Naszewski, CEO of Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales.
“Leo (Van Dijl) is a very talented young director who puts a societal, hot-button topic under the microscope in a powerful first feature,” said Rosenberg. “From its extraordinary camera work and perceptive screenplay to the impressive debut performance from Tessa Van den Broeck, it’s an undeniable and thought-provoking film.”
Penned by van Dijl and Ruth Becquart, “Julie Keeps Quiet” is produced by Gilles De Schryver, Gilles Coulier, Wouter Sap, Roxanne Sarkozi at De Wereldvrede, co-produced by Delphine Tomson, Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne at Les Films du Fleuve, Nima Yousefi at Hobab, Kristina Börjeson, Anthony Muir at Film i Vast, and executive produced by Osaka, Hana Kuma at Stuart Duguid, and Federica Sainte-Rose and Florian Zeller at Blue Morning Pictures. Van Dijl is repped by 2AM, Ken Lambrechts, CAA and Granderson Des Rochers.
Film Movement’s recent acquisitions include “An Unfinished Film” directed by Lou Ye, which recently had its North American premiere in the Centrepiece program at Toronto, as well as Hiroshi Okuyama’s “My Sunshine” which played at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard.
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