Julie is one of the most promising players at an elite tennis academy. When one of the coaches falls under investigation for inappropriate conduct and is suspended, the players are encouraged to speak up. However, Julie, remains quiet.

Premiering at Cannes 2024, chosen as Belgium's entry to the Oscars but not nominated, co-produced by legendary filmmakers the Dardenne brothers, Julie Keeps Quiet already speaks loudly as a film to be taken seriously. Director and co-writer Leonardo Van Dijl delves beneath the surface of Julie's quiet and often serene exterior, channelling her emotions into her tennis and keeping her dialogue to a minimum; it's an interesting, unique approach to the heady subject matter.

We gradually understand Julie's reasons for staying quiet. As the investigation continues and the pressure for her to speak up mounts, we are left to believe that Julie is fully aware of the allegations against her coach but wants to stay out of the drama and out of the spotlight. Though we never witness Julie telling her experience, the fragments gleaned throughout the film suggest the severity of the situation. The lack of a scene(s) confirming any suspicions of what happened to Julie is almost as if the filmmakers are giving her privacy and trying to keep her dignity.

Throughout the entire film, Julie's silence speaks volumes. Her silence does not prove the allegations are true but as time goes on and at each time she is asked to speak and remains silent, it becomes more and more apparent that the situation is much worse. But Julie's silence at the end, where she does speak up but off screen, confirms what we, as viewers, have suspected all along. The silence in Julie Keeps Quiet is deafening by the end and shows that truth can just be conveyed with actions instead of words.

Though Julie Keeps Quiet is commendable in how it deals with the subject matter, the slow burn pace and somewhat anticlimactic ending will feel to some that the film doesn't push far enough with its material. The film is predominantly told from Julie's point of view and how she, at first, deals with the news and loss of a trusted coach and moves into doing her own investigations into what happened to an old team mate. The film can be looked at as being passive, even to the end, despite Julie, eventually saying something. This approach may have audiences unsatisfied.

Overall, Julie Keeps Quiet, is exactly what the title is, a quiet approach to a disturbing subject matter that so often can be overdramatised.

Julie Keeps Quiet will release in cinemas 25 April 2025