Julie Keeps Quiet is Belgian entry for the Oscars

Julie Keeps Quiet, the debut feature film of director Leonardo van Dijl, is the official Belgian entry for the Academy Awards, the Oscars. The Belgian jury selected the film, known as Julie zwijgt in Dutch, as Belgium’s candidate to win the coveted statuette for Best International Feature Film.

Julie Keeps Quiet is the story of a promising tennis player, Julie, who plays at an elite tennis academy. When her coach is suddenly suspended and an investigation is launched, all the players at the club are encouraged to speak up. But Julie chooses to keep quiet.

Director Leonardo van Dijl co-wrote the screenplay with Ruth Becquart. Belgian actress and tennis player Tessa Van den Broeck plays the leading role. International tennis champion Naomi Osaka is executive producing the movie through her company Hana Kuma. The film’s cinematography is by Nicolas Karakatsanis (Cruella, I, Tonya) and it has a score by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw.

The film had its world premiere in May, during Cannes’ Critics’ Week, where it won both the Prix SACD of authors’ society SACD and the Prix Fondation Gan to support its theatrical release in France. Julie Keeps Quiet is now making its rounds on the international festival circuit following its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film will be released in Belgian cinemas on 16 October by Paradiso Films.

“Trojan Horse”

“Julie is my Trojan Horse - silent on the outside, but ready to change the world from the inside,” stated director Leonardo van Dijl. “By remaining silent, she forces us to listen, she assumes the underdog position and that makes her thoroughly Belgian. The honour of being the Oscar entry gives me the strength to keep going. I will do everything I can to ensure that Julie's silence has not been in vain and that our country is put on the map.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will assess the submitted films in the coming months. On 17 December, the shortlist will be compiled, of which a maximum of five will be nominated for an Oscar. The official nominations will be announced on 17 January 2025. The Oscars will be awarded on the night of Sunday 2 March to Monday 3 March 2025.

The previous Belgian Oscar entry from Flanders was Lukas Dhont's film Close, which furthermore picked up a nomination.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Director Leonardo van Dijl poses after his film 'Julie zwijgt' was announced as official Belgian entry for the Oscars, 13 September 2024, in Brussels © BELGA PHOTO TIMON RAMBOER}