At the cinema this Wednesday, March 25th, the first feature film by Cato Kusters tells the original and engaging project of a lesbian couple whose lives were cut short by death.
It is a beautiful yet tragic story of lesbian love that Belgian director Cato Kusters tells in “Julian,” showing in theaters this Wednesday, March 25th. Fleur Pierets and Julian P. Boom have always been creative personalities. One is both a writer and art critic, the other is a cartographer of the seabed and a performance artist. In 2017, shortly after their marriage in New York, the two women decided to embark on what they called “the 22 project.” The goal of this challenge is personal, symbolic, and engaged: to exchange rings in twenty-two countries around the world where same-sex unions were then legalized.
But after saying ‘I do’ in Paris, the fourth stop on their global journey, Julian nearly collapsed on the steps of the city hall. Medical exams revealed several tumors around her brain and heart. Her health deteriorating rapidly, the couple’s project came to an abrupt end. Julian passed away in January 2018.
Today, Fleur continues to recount this adventure to its tragic end. It was during a radio interview with the widow that Belgian director Cato Kusters discovered the story and became fascinated by this extraordinary love story. Already the author of several short films, the 28-year-old filmmaker took on the story to create “Julian,” her first feature film, which shifts between a biographical narrative and a romantic drama. The film weaves in and out of the small victories of Fleur and Julian during their journey, and their present marked by grief and the need to honor the memory of the deceased.
On screen, Nina Meurisse and Laurence Roothooft form a lovely cinema couple. More than a tribute, the film has the essence of a romantic epic without the sentimentality often forced upon us. The subtle direction highlights the range of emotions, sometimes conflicting, that the two protagonists experience: passion, grief, euphoria, frustration… Love will prevail.
Photo credits: Grade Solomon
