‘Julian’, Cato Kusters’ debut feature, to open 52nd Film Fest Gent
Three years after winning the Award for Best Belgian Student Short with Finn's Heel at FFG, Cato Kusters returns to the festival with her first feature. At just 26 years old, she will become the youngest filmmaker ever to open Film Fest Gent, which runs from 8 to 19 October. The film will celebrate its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday, 6 September.
© Bas Bogaerts"Julian is a striking and deeply affecting debut by a young filmmaker who tells an important story with sensitivity and urgency—one that resonates far beyond cinema itself. At a moment when LGBTQIA+ rights are under pressure around the world, Julian is an open call for humanity and love. By opening the festival with Cato Kusters' film, we hope to contribute, however modestly, to Fleur Pierets' dream and her fight for an inclusive society where love, for and between all people, is a fundamental right."
Wim De Witte, Programme Director Film Fest Gent
Julian
At once fragile and raw, Julian tells the story of two women: Fleur and Julian. After an unexpected encounter, they fall madly in love. Soon after Julian proposes, an ambitieus, yet challenging idea starts to dawn on Fleur. Slowly but surely she works out a plan to get married in every country where she and her wife are allowed to do so. Fueled by their love. and a rising sense of urgency, they take a leap of faith. After only four marriages, their journey comes to an inevitable, painful halt.
The seed for Julian was planted when Cato Kusters heard a radio interview with Fleur Pierets about "Project 22": together with her great love, Julian P. Boom, the writer, artist and activist set out to marry in every country where same-sex marriage was legal. The couple began their performance art project in 2017, but a year later, after just four weddings, it was cut tragically short. Pierets later gathered her grief, love, and memories into her debut memoir, Julian.
Deeply moved by the story, Kusters felt a profound responsibility to bring it to the screen with honesty and care. "It's a powerful story that remains urgently relevant, especially in a time when so many people's rights are under pressure," says the young filmmaker.
© Aline Boyen"Film Fest Gent is where I won my very first award as a filmmaker. That already felt like such a beautiful recognition. For me, the festival is one of the most important tastemakers in the European landscape, and one of the most wonderful places to celebrate cinema. To open here with Julian is truly an honour."
Cato Kusters, director Julian
Foto ©Aline Boyen
Cato Kusters
Cato Kusters (°1998) combined a master's degree in directing with a bachelor's degree in editing at RITCS School of Arts. For Evi Cats, she edited Les Murs Qui Crient (2022), which won the VAF Wildcard for documentary. She worked as as a director and editor on music videos for Eyes of Another, Bluai, Kids With Buns and KRANKk, among others. Her graduation short, Finn's Heel (2022) won the Award for Best Belgian Student Short at FFG and caught the attention of Michiel & Lukas Dhont, with whom she began development of Julian.
Crew
Cato Kusters co-wrote the screenplay with acclaimed screenwriter Angelo Tijssens, who has received international praise for his collaborations with Lukas Dhont. After Girl and Close, Julian marks the third time Tijssens has opened Film Fest Gent as (co-)writer. The film also signals a return to the festival for the Dhont brothers: Michiel and Lukas Dhont produced Julian through their production company The Reunion. The score is composed by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine, the duo behind the music for Andrey Zvyagintsev's Loveless, Netflix hit series Baby Reindeer, and FFG Explore Award winner Gagarine.
The lead roles are played by Nina Meurisse and Laurence Roothooft, supported by Rosalia Cuevas, Peter Seynaeve, Zach Hatch, Jennifer Heylen, Yannick De Coster, Joep van der Geest, David Coburn and Claire Bodson.
Production
Julian is produced by The Reunion in co-production with Topkapi Films (NL), Les Films du Fleuve (BE), VTM, RTBF (Belgian Television), Proximus and Be TV & Orange. The film was realised with the support of the VAF/Film Fund of Flemish Minister of Culture Caroline Gennez, the economic fund Screen Flanders, the Netherlands Film Fund (NFF), the Netherlands Film Production Incentive, Le Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, the Belgian federal government's Tax Shelter, and Lumière Invest.
Lumière will release the film in Belgian cinemas on 29 October 2025.