Another great entry into the Global series at this year’s South By Southwest Film & TV Festival was the World Premiere of the Belgium title REAL FACES!
About: Julia (29), an ambitious casting director, moves to Brussels and finds a freelance job in the advertising industry and meets Eliott (32), a recluse microbiologist who studies lichen and works on his PhD. Intrigued by each other’s opposing professions and personalities, Julia and Eliott slowly grow closer. Julia gets assigned an important perfume ad and she sees it as the ultimate opportunity to prove herself. After her frantic long working days, Eliott is her only source of tranquility. Until Julia loses herself and crosses people’s boundaries, including Eliott’s. During the perfume ad shoot, things spiral out of control, pushing Julia to finally decide to take her life in her own hands.
Reaction: Led by a stunning performance by Leonie Buysse, REAL FACES has a unique approach to an unlikely relationship that stems out of people connecting with work in Brussels. The movie makes interesting comments on different lifestyles and professions and the connection that Julia and Elliott make and how this all plays out is really refreshing to see, and I loved seeing the slow progress the movie makes in showing its style and character, almost to the level of British master filmmaker Ken Loach at times. This is another example of a movie at the festival that I feel like many people may miss with bigger movies playing, but it’s not one to miss at SxSW this year and I am hoping it shows up at more film festivals in 2025.
This is one of the many movies playing in this year’s South By Southwest Film & TV Festival. For more information on the festival, point your browser to www.sxsw.com!