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Heysel 85

(Redirected from Draft:Heysel 85)

Heysel 85 is a 2026 Belgian-Dutch-German drama film directed by Teodora Ana Mihai. The film stars Violet Braeckman and Matteo Simoni.

Heysel 85
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTeodora Ana Mihai
Screenplay by
  • Isabelle Darras
  • Lode Desmet
  • Teodora Ana Mihai
Produced byHans Everaert
Starring
CinematographyMarius Panduru
Edited byBert Jacobs
Music byAnna Bauer
Production
companies
  • Leitwolf Filmproduktion
  • Les Films du Fleuve
  • Menuetto Film
  • Topkapi Films
Distributed byKinepolis Film Distribution
Release date
  • February 14, 2026 (2026-02-14)
Countries
  • Belgium
  • Netherlands
  • Germany
LanguageDutch

Plot

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The fictional story is set during the Heysel Stadium disaster that took place on 29 May 1985 at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, during the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus, which resulted in the deaths of 39 supporters. During the tragedy, Marie (Violet Braeckman), the mayor's daughter, and Luca (Matteo Simoni), a journalist, find themselves at the center of the events.

Cast

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ActorCharacter
Matteo SimoniLuca Rossi
Violet BraeckmanMarie Dumont
Josse De PauwMarc Dumont
Fabrizio RongioneAlbert Simons
Michel de WarzéeBernard Dubois
Bruno GeorisUEFA President
Pieter VerelstFrank Moulin
Ben SegersFilip Mertens
Giovanni GuzzoGianni Monachini
Barnaby AppsSir John Winter
Richard WellsJoe Brooks
Anne-ClaireFrancoise Dumont
Carlo FerranteFranco Biancardi
Paolo CalabresiGiacomo Ferragni
Emanuela PonzanoMonica Fresia
Fabio CapodicasaAntonio Rossi
Luca FranceschiGuido Rossi
Jonathon SawdonJeremy Bennett
Han CouckeSven Beke
Kris CuppensJoel Joncker
Francesco MorminoDaniele Rossi
Bobby SchofieldAlan West
Zita WindeyEmma
Kok-Hwa LieTony Liang
Patrizia BertiItalian journalist
Issam DakkaNassim Cherki
Tine RoggemanMathilde Van De Velde
Claude SemalGerard Durieux
Leon Pietro Atman MuttiYoung Italian man
Gert WinckelmansEric Lorant
Aran BertettoAlessandro Gamba
Martin SwabeyBarry Ellis
Annelore CrolletKaren
Dominique Van MalderFrancis
Grégory CarnoliMan of the Italian couple
Aza DeclercqInjured woman
Adrienne D'AnnaItalian lady
Antonio CecchinatoItalian ambassador
Dino Delli CompagniGaetano Cassisi
Jeroen Van der VenThomas Verbruggen
Joe BuntingLiverpool player 2
Josse ColsoulInternational reporter
Carl-Philipp WenglerInternational journalist
Andrea AbbraccianteItalian supporter
John R. BullenPaul Walker (UK journalist)
Robert CioncaInternational journalist
Mark Henry CunninghamEnglish journalist
Julian De BackerBroadcasting director
Quinten DelaereInjured person
Julien JakoutPhotographer
Sabrina Lopez LeonardJournalist
Jason McLarninLiverpool player 1
Michael J. SandersonItalian producer
Ana Luisa SantosJournalist
Nicolas SchmitsFrench gendarme
Letizia TrunfioItalian woman
Samuel Van GreuningenUK journalist
Liam van PulYoung gendarme

Production

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In December 2024, it was announced that the production received financial support from Screen Flanders.[1] In February 2025, it was confirmed that Matteo Simoni had been cast in the lead role.[2] The film was directed by Teodora Ana Mihai and produced by Menuetto Film in co-production with Les Films du Fleuve, Topkapi Films, and Leitwolf Filmproduktion. Support was provided by the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), the Belgian Tax shelter, and the Netherlands Film Fund.[3]

Filming

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Principal photography took place primarily in Flanders, specifically in Antwerp.[1] Filming was completed in early May 2025, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the disaster.[3]

Release

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Heysel 85 premiered in February 2026 at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in the "Berlinale Special" section.[4] Leading actress Violet Braeckman was selected as a "European Shooting Star" 2026.[5] The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in Belgium in the fall of 2026.[6]

Reception

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Following its premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, Heysel 85 received mixed reviews from critics. While the film's visual style and claustrophobic atmosphere were widely praised, its screenplay and characterization drew significant criticism.

Critics frequently highlighted the film's technical achievements. Shahrbanoo Golmohamadi of Gazettely gave the film a 7.5 out of 10, praising the "visceral 16mm cinematography" and the "exceptional sound design," noting that the blend of staged scenes with 1985 archival footage created a strong sense of dread.[7] OutNow similarly commended the accurate 1980s aesthetic and the palpable feeling of helplessness conveyed in the stadium's catacombs.[8]

However, the film's narrative choices were heavily criticized, particularly the depiction of the Brussels mayor. Björn Becher of Filmstarts gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, describing the mayor's portrayal as a "cheap caricature" and arguing that the film simplified complex historical failures into a grotesque exaggeration.[9] Carsten Baumgardt of Kino-Total agreed, stating that while the film was formally strong, the striking personalization of structural failure through a drunken mayor trivialized the actual events.[10] Diego Gil of Cinemagavia felt the film lacked rhythm and remained trapped in conventional cinematic tropes, ultimately making it unmemorable.[11]

Awards and nominations

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YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
2026Berlin International Film FestivalEuropean Shooting StarViolet BraeckmanPending
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References

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