Director Leonardo Van Dijl displays a sensitive touch and a deep understanding of a teenager’s emotions and anxieties in his feature debut, the psychological drama Julie Keeps Quiet.

Julie’s life revolves around tennis. A prestigious high school player, she is set on joining the Belgian Tennis Federation team. However, she begins to lose focus at her elite tennis academy when her coach, Jeremy (Laurent Caron), a man in his 40s, is suspended following the suicide of another female athlete. As the academy encourages students to come forward individually and break their silence, Julie chooses not to speak up—leading others to suspect an inappropriate relationship between her and Jeremy. The immense pressure to talk about him, combined with her anxiety and confusion about what to do, begins to take a toll, causing her grades to slip.

Even after Jeremy’s suspension, Julie secretly remains in contact with him through phone calls and texts—a clear indication of the power dynamic at play and her reluctance to let go. Throughout, she stays silent as a survival instinct, navigating an extremely stressful and strenuous situation. Meanwhile, those around her, including her teammates and new coach, Backie (Pierre Gervais), offer their support.

As Julie, Tessa Van den Broeck delivers a stellar yet nuanced performance. The actress is also a skilled and accomplished tennis player, a strength the film highlights in its numerous practice and training sequences. However, the film is unable to delve too deeply into Julie’s struggle, as the story relies heavily on the taciturn teen guarding her emotions.

The film loses some momentum, as viewers never fully gain access to Julie’s inner thoughts. The strongest moments occur in her interactions with Backie and her teammates, rather than in the repeated scenes of her alone and withdrawn. Given the relatively compact 100-minute runtime, the film’s pacing feels surprisingly slow, leaving audiences with lingering unanswered questions.

Tennis is a sport that demands both emotion and discipline, though this film emphasizes the latter. Audiences recently witnessed the intense sportsmanship of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers (2024), though Julie Keeps Quiet differs significantly from that sexually charged love triangle. Instead, it offers a mature and realistic portrayal of its subject matter, supported by strong talent. Renowned Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka serves as a producer, alongside Academy Award winner Florian Zeller, known for his work on The Father (2020).

Julie Keeps Quiet premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the Critics’ Week section and was Belgium’s submission for Best International Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards.