Our Paul Gratton takes a look at the TIFF 2025 entry Julian, now playing in limited release in the US & Canada.
About: Fleur and Julian fall madly in love and decide to get married in all countries where they, as two women, are allowed to do so. After only four marriages, their journey comes to a painful and unexpected halt.
Reaction: Premiering at TIFF 2025, and based on a true story that became a book written by Fleur Pierets, this is really nothing more than a lesbian Love Story (1970) for the LGBTQ crowd. Fleur and Julian fall for each other like a ton of bricks, immediately attracted to each other when their paths first cross. They announce their intention to marry each other, at a time when gay marriage wasn’t always legal in as many jurisdictions as it is today. Being somewhat politically active, they decide to go further, intending to marry over and over again in every country in which a legal union between two women would be considered legal. They manage to make it through the Netherlands, the USA, France and Belgium before their global conquest of local marital laws is tragically terminated prematurely by a fatal illness. For its intended audience, there may not be a dry eye in the house by the end of this one. Too bad that real life sometimes serves up real tragedy that still seems melodramatic when retold in cinematic form. Sometimes true love does mean having to say you’re sorry.
Rating: 5 out of 10
