JULIAN_Still_©Grade Solomon_preview

Source: Grade Solomon

‘Julian’

EXCLUSIVE: Following its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, Cato Kusters’ debut feature Julian, which The Match Factory is handling internationally, has sold to North America and France.

Strand Releasing will roll out the film in North America, while JHR Film has taken rights in France. The deals were confirmed by The Match Factory and the film’s producer, Michiel Dhont, at Ghent Film Festival, where Julian has its local premiere as the opening film.  

Lumiere is releasing the film in Belgium on October 29 followed by the Netherlands on December 11. After Ghent, the film will travel to further festivals including Sao Paolo and CineLibri in Bulgaria.

Julian premiered in Toronto last month to strong reviews, and follows two women who fall madly in love and decide to get married in every country where they’re allowed to do so – but there’s a painful sting in the tail.

Nina Meurisse and Laurence Roothooft star in the film, which is adapted from the novel by Belgian writer and LGBTQ+ activist Fleur Pierets, inspired by her own real-life relationship with late wife Julian P Boom.

“Julian is a beautiful and touching film and one of the best films we saw at the Toronto International Film Festival. We are proud to be working with The Match Factory, one of our longstanding partners,” said Jon Gerrans, co-president of Strand Releasing. 

“Cato Kusters’ film resonated deeply with audiences and buyers at TIFF for its emotional precision and visual strength. We’re delighted to see such strong partners joining the film’s journey,” said Thania Dimitrakopoulou and Agathe Valentin at The Match Factory.

Michiel and his brother Lukas Dhont produced Julian through their production banner The Reunion, and are keen to keep the partnership going.

“If Cato wants to work with us again, I am embracing her with open arms,” said Michiel, who attended the Flanders Film Days (October 7-8) this week for a work-in-progress presentation of his brother’s ambitious new First World War drama Coward, which The Match Factory is also selling. 

Dhont’s biggest project yet, Coward focuses on the experiences of soldiers behind the front line as they try to keep their spirits up. The 50-day shoot in France and Belgium began in late August, and distributors already on board include Lumiere in the Benelux and Diaphana in France.

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