LGBTQ film Julian to open Film Fest Gent

Julian, the feature debut of Belgian director Cato Kusters, has been selected as the official opening film of Film Fest Gent 2025.
Inspired by the book of the same name by Fleur Pierets, Julian is a moving and captivating portrait of two women deeply in love who decide to marry in every country where same-sex marriage is legal.

At once fragile and raw, Julian tells the story of Fleur and Julian. After an unexpected meeting, sparks fly instantly. When Julian proposes, Fleur comes up with a bold idea: to marry in every country where two women are allowed to wed. What begins as a dream evolves into an ambitious plan. Driven by love and a growing sense of urgency, they embark on their unique “world tour of love”. But after only four ceremonies, their project comes to a painful, premature halt.

Three years after winning the Best Belgian Student Short Film Award with Finns Hiel, Cato Kusters returns to Film Fest Gent. With her first feature film, Julian, she will open the 52nd edition of the festival, taking place from 8 to 19 October. At just 26 years old, Kusters becomes the youngest director ever to open FFG. The film will also have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, 6 September.

The idea for Julian came when Cato Kusters heard a radio interview a few years ago with Fleur Pierets about Project 22: together with her great love Julian P. Boom, the writer, artist and activist set out to marry in every country where same-sex marriage was legal at the time. The couple began their performance art project in 2017, but a year later, after just four weddings, it came to an abrupt end. Pierets channeled her grief, love and memories into her debut memoir Julian.

Kusters was deeply moved by the story and felt a strong responsibility to tell it right.
“It’s a powerful story that remains relevant, especially at a time when the rights of so many people are under threat,” the young filmmaker explains.

The screenplay was co-written with award-winning writer Angelo Tijssens, internationally acclaimed for his collaborations with Lukas Dhont on Girl and Close. With Julian, Tijssens opens Film Fest Gent for the third time as co-writer. The Dhont brothers also return to the festival as producers through their company The Reunion.

The score is composed by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine, the duo behind the music of Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Loveless, the Netflix series Baby Reindeer, and Gagarine, winner of the FFG Explore Award.

The lead roles are played by Nina Meurisse and Laurence Roothooft, with supporting roles from Rosalia Cuevas, Peter Seynhaeve, Zach Hatch, Jennifer Heylen, Yannick De Coster, Joep van der Geest, David Coburn and Claire Bodson.

The 52nd edition of Film Fest Gent runs from 8 to 19 October 2025.