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)
Co-funded by the European Union - Creative Europe MEDIA