Heysel 85
| Heysel 85 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Teodora Ana Mihai |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by | Hans Everaert |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Marius Panduru |
| Edited by | Bert Jacobs |
| Music by | Anna Bauer |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Kinepolis Film Distribution |
Release date |
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| Countries |
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| Language | Dutch |
Heysel 85 is a 2026 Belgian-Dutch-German drama film directed by Teodora Ana Mihai. The film stars Violet Braeckman and Matteo Simoni.
Plot
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
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Matteo Simoni | Luca Rossi |
| Violet Braeckman | Marie Dumont |
| Josse De Pauw | Marc Dumont |
| Fabrizio Rongione | Albert Simons |
| Michel de Warzée | Bernard Dubois |
| Bruno Georis | UEFA President |
| Pieter Verelst | Frank Moulin |
| Ben Segers | Filip Mertens |
| Giovanni Guzzo | Gianni Monachini |
| Barnaby Apps | Sir John Winter |
| Richard Wells | Joe Brooks |
| Anne-Claire | Francoise Dumont |
| Carlo Ferrante | Franco Biancardi |
| Paolo Calabresi | Giacomo Ferragni |
| Emanuela Ponzano | Monica Fresia |
| Fabio Capodicasa | Antonio Rossi |
| Luca Franceschi | Guido Rossi |
| Jonathon Sawdon | Jeremy Bennett |
| Han Coucke | Sven Beke |
| Kris Cuppens | Joel Joncker |
| Francesco Mormino | Daniele Rossi |
| Bobby Schofield | Alan West |
| Zita Windey | Emma |
| Kok-Hwa Lie | Tony Liang |
| Patrizia Berti | Italian journalist |
| Issam Dakka | Nassim Cherki |
| Tine Roggeman | Mathilde Van De Velde |
| Claude Semal | Gerard Durieux |
| Leon Pietro Atman Mutti | Young Italian man |
| Gert Winckelmans | Eric Lorant |
| Aran Bertetto | Alessandro Gamba |
| Martin Swabey | Barry Ellis |
| Annelore Crollet | Karen |
| Dominique Van Malder | Francis |
| Grégory Carnoli | Man of the Italian couple |
| Aza Declercq | Injured woman |
| Adrienne D'Anna | Italian lady |
| Antonio Cecchinato | Italian ambassador |
| Dino Delli Compagni | Gaetano Cassisi |
| Jeroen Van der Ven | Thomas Verbruggen |
| Joe Bunting | Liverpool player 2 |
| Josse Colsoul | International reporter |
| Carl-Philipp Wengler | International journalist |
| Andrea Abbracciante | Italian supporter |
| John R. Bullen | Paul Walker (UK journalist) |
| Robert Cionca | International journalist |
| Mark Henry Cunningham | English journalist |
| Julian De Backer | Broadcasting director |
| Quinten Delaere | Injured person |
| Julien Jakout | Photographer |
| Sabrina Lopez Leonard | Journalist |
| Jason McLarnin | Liverpool player 1 |
| Michael J. Sanderson | Italian producer |
| Ana Luisa Santos | Journalist |
| Nicolas Schmits | French gendarme |
| Letizia Trunfio | Italian woman |
| Samuel Van Greuningen | UK journalist |
| Liam van Pul | Young gendarme |
Production
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
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
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
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
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Berlin International Film Festival | European Shooting Star | Violet Braeckman | Pending |
External links
- Heysel 85 at IMDb
- Heysel 85 at MovieMeter (in Dutch)
References
- ^ a b "SPOILERALARM: Details nieuwe Lukas Dhont, Patser-threequel, Lernout & Hauspie-film en Heysel-drama onthuld". Vertigoweb (in Dutch). 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Matteo Simoni speelt hoofdrol in film over Heizeldrama". HBVL (in Dutch). 14 February 2025.
- ^ a b "New film 'Heysel 85' brings football tragedy of 1985 to the big screen". FFO (in Dutch). 6 April 2025.
- ^ "Charli xcx's 'The Moment' Added to Berlinale's Panorama Lineup". Variety. 14 January 2026.
- ^ "'Heysel 85' premieres at Berlinale". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 14 January 2026.
- ^ "'Heysel 85' world premiere at Berlinale". Bruzz (in Dutch). 14 January 2026.
- ^ Golmohamadi, Shahrbanoo (February 2026). "Heysel 85 Review: The Grainy Realism of a Football Catastrophe". Gazettely.
- ^ "Filmkritik: Im Bauch des Stadions". OutNow.CH (in German). 16 February 2026.
- ^ Becher, Björn. "Kritik der FILMSTARTS-Redaktion: Heysel 85". FILMSTARTS.de (in German).
- ^ Baumgardt, Carsten. "Filmkritik „Heysel 85": Beklemmendes Drama über Verantwortung statt Stadionkatastrophe". KINO-TOTAL.net (in German).
- ^ Gil, Diego (11 March 2026). ""Heysel 85": Diario de un desastre deportivo". Cinemagavia (in Spanish).
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