In "Julie Zwijgt", Leonardo van Dijl's feature film debut, the fifteen-year-old tennis prospect Julie is central, who remains silent after her coach is suspended following the suicide of a former pupil. Van Dijl, whose short film "Stefanie" was selected for Cannes in 2020, emphasizes the pressure and silence within the sports world with this story. He wanted to deviate from the repetitive narrative in which female characters are punished, and strives to tell a universal human story that transcends the political context. Van Dijl sees his film as a means to start a dialogue about dealing with trauma and silence, and emphasizes the importance of coaches respecting boundaries.

read more (filmkrant) »