Studio 100 Film acquires worldwide sales rights to CG feature “Juul”
Skwigly
Juul (Studio 100 Film)
Studio 100 Film expands its international slate with Juul, a visually striking CGI feature for young adults and adults from Belgian animation studio Fabrique Fantastique. The company will introduce the project to international buyers at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking an exciting addition to its growing portfolio of premium animated features.
Set in the 1950s, Juul follows 17-year-old circus acrobat Juul, whose life changes forever after a tragic accident leaves her in a coma and declared brain-dead. Facing financial ruin, her magician father takes a desperate and morally complicated decision: he steals her body from the hospital and presents her as a “living puppet” to revive the failing circus. But Juul is still conscious, trapped inside a body she no longer controls. As her anger and resistance grow, her body begins to transform into porcelain, becoming a powerful symbol of her silent rebellion and her fight to reclaim her own identity.
Blending magical realism with emotionally rich storytelling, Juul explores themes of loss, resilience and hope through a distinctive visual style and an immersive cinematic experience. Created for young adult and adult audiences, the film reflects the growing demand for sophisticated, animated storytelling beyond the traditional family market.
Juul (Studio 100 Film)
Directed by Tom Van Gestel and written by An De Gruyter, the 90-minute feature is produced by Fabrique Fantastique (Belgium) in co-production with M.A.R.K.13 (Germany), Keplerfilm (The Netherlands), Mr Miyagi (Spain) and Avalon Films (Ireland). The English-language voice cast features Sir Lenny Henry, while five-time Grammy Award-winners Michael League and Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy contribute to the original score. Currently in production, Juul is scheduled for delivery in Q4 2026, with Studio 100 Film handling worldwide sales, excluding Belgium, Germany, Spain and The Netherlands.
Juul represents the kind of ambitious animated storytelling we are increasingly looking to bring to international audiences. Its remarkable visual identity, emotional depth and universal themes demonstrate the creative breadth of animation today. We are excited to present the project to buyers at TIFF and to continue expanding our slate with distinctive, filmmaker-driven productions.
-Lorena Booth (Senior Manager Sales & Acquisitions, Studio 100 Film)
With Juul, Studio 100 Film continues to broaden its editorial vision, representing exceptional animated features that span both family entertainment and compelling stories for young adult and adult audiences.
Tom Van Gestel, Managing Director at Fabrique Fantastique added:
Juul is an incredibly precious project to me, both as its producer and director. For the past eight years, the development has been treated like a precious diamond carefully cut, shaped and polished into a multifaceted jewel, with every aspect crafted to shine. Juul dares to go where most animated films don’t. It tackles a dark, raw and difficult subject, but does so by keeping every character deeply human. At its heart, Juul is the story of a young girl who is constantly being pulled down by the world around her. Yet, no matter how hard she is pushed, she finds a way to fight back.
A story about learning to let go, the fierce bond between a father and daughter, and the right to independence and survival, Juul blends magic and misery into a fantasy that is by turns poetic and grim, anchored by a visual language that is at once wholly new and instantly recognizable.