


Set in the 1950s, Juul follows 17-year-old circus acrobat Juul, whose life changes forever after a tragic accident leaves her in a coma and declared brain-dead. Facing financial ruin, her magician father takes a desperate and morally complicated decision: he steals her body from the hospital and presents her as a “living puppet” to revive the failing circus. But Juul is still conscious, trapped inside a body she no longer controls. As her anger and resistance grow, her body begins to transform into porcelain, becoming a powerful symbol of her silent rebellion and her fight to reclaim her own identity.
A powerful story about love, loss, and the courage to let go, Juul explores identity, family expectations, and the universal struggle for self-determination. At its heart lies the complex bond between a father and daughter, torn between holding on and setting free.
The English-language voice cast features Lenny Henry, while five-time Grammy Award-winners Michael League and Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy contribute to the original score. The film is directed by Tom Van Gestel and written by An De Gruyter.
Production data
- Format
- 90 minutes
- Production Year(s)
- 2026
- Target Age
- (Young) adults
- Style
- 3D Animation (CGI)
- Type
- Movie
- Resolution
- 2K
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Produced By
- Fabrique Fantastique in co-production with M.A.R.K.13, Keplerfilm, Mr Miyagi, Avalon Films
- Country of Origin
- Belgium
- Production Status
- in Production
- Planned Delivery
- Q4 2026 (Dec)
Crew
- Directors
- Tom Van Gestel
- Producers
- Tom Van Gestel
- Executive Producers
- Tom Van Gestel, Holger Weiss, David Matamoros, Koji Nelissen & Peter Lindhout, Deirdre Barry
- Writers
- An De Gruyter
- Story
- An De Gruyter
- Art Director
- Liesbet Van Loon
- Voice Cast
- Mazzy Ronaldson, Brendan McDonald, Barrington Cullen, Jonah Higgins, Sir Lenny Henry
- Funding Partners
- VAF (BE), Screen Flanders (BE), Belgium Tax Shelter (BE), VRT (BE), ICAA (SP), Filmfonds NL (NL), Tax Incentive (NL), Screen Ireland (IE), World sales agent MG (Studio 100, BE), Equity invest (Studio 100, DE), MFG (DE), DFFF (DE)

