The Match Factory will take on international sales for JULIAN, the debut feature from Belgian director Cato Kusters. The film marks the first majority production from Lukas and Michiel Dhont’s company, The Reunion, and is set to premiere in the Discovery section at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Up-and-coming director Cato Kusters works as an editor and director on short films and music videos. She gained acclaim with her graduation short Finn’s Heel (2022), which won the Jury Prize at the Ghent Film Festival and the Audience Award for Best International Short Film at the Festival de Films de Femmes. The film was selected by numerous national and international festivals. It caught the attention of producer duo Michiel and Lukas Dhont, and she began developing her feature debut JULIAN together with them in 2022.

The film is based on the book of the same name by Belgian artist, writer, and LGBTQ+ advocate Fleur Pierets, which draws from her own life story. César Award winner Nina Meurisse (Souleymane’s Journey 2024) stars alongside Laurence Roothooft, known for Blackout (2020).

Synopsis:
After an unexpected encounter, Fleur and Julian fall madly in love. Soon after Julian proposes, an ambitious, 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.    

Co-written by Cato Kusters and Angelo Tijssen, JULIAN is produced by The Reunion, the production company founded by Belgian filmmaker brothers Michiel and Lukas Dhont. Their previous films include the Academy Award–nominated feature Close (Cannes 2022, Grand Prix) and Lukas’ debut Girl which won the Camera d’Or as part of Un Certain Regard at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Both films are represented by The Match Factory. 

JULIAN is co-produced by Les Films Du Fleuve and Topkapi Films in co-production with VTM, RTBF, Proximus and Be Tv & Orange. With the support of the Media Fund of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) of Minister for Media, Caroline Gennez, The Netherlands Film Fund (NFF) & The Netherlands Film Production Incentive, Film and Audiovisual Center of Wallonia Brussels Federation, Screen Flanders, an Initiative of VLAIO the tax shelter measure of the Belgian federal government and Lumière Invest.

The film will be distributed in Belgium by Benelux Lumière and is set for release this fall.