About Julie zwijgt

A player in a prestigious sports club, Julie dedicates herself fully to tennis, her sport, her training, and her career. When her coach is suspended, rumors start spreading and voices, other than Julie’s, are heard. Focused on her sports goals, Julie chooses to keep quiet as Belgian director, Leonardo van Dijl, follows her each step of the way, one ball after the next, respecting her decision, always choosing the right angle, keeping the right distance, that is to say the most accurate and - most importantly - the fairest.

Leonardo Van Dijl’s interview

"I wanted Julie to inspire. There's a uniquely emancipatory, rebellious energy in Julie's decision not to speak, as it compels the film to respect her pace and not bow to external pressures. That said, the film is not promoting silence as a solution.  Silence slowly erodes you. But speaking up can be equally dangerous. I explored this dilemma in my story. In a world where everyone pressures her to speak, Julie chooses silence. By doing so, she demands that the world listens to what isn’t being said. Much like Antigone, Julie dares to say: "No." 

I wanted to tell a story that offers Julie a way forward, allowing her to reconnect with the outside world. The film's central focus is on bringing Julie out of this maze and her isolation, capturing the gradual way in which she begins to reclaim her agency. 

Some silences are gentle, some are loud. At times it’s violent, at times it’s empowering. Being immersed in Julie's silence has been an incredible journey.  She has given me answers and posed questions. She has guided me in unexpected ways, helping me to understand myself and the world we live in. Making the film made me realize that, in one way or another, we are all Julie, and we all carry silence within us."