11/07/2023 - The Belgian director has just kicked off filming on her third feature, after Don’t Tell Her and Isn’t She Lovely?, casting newcomer Lanna de Palmaert in the lead

Tuesday 4 July saw shooting commence in Brussels on Solange Cicurel’s third feature film, TKT. The Belgian director first turned heads in 2017 by way of her debut feature Don’t Tell Her [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], a proud, girl comedy carried by an explosive quartet of actresses (Jenifer Bartoli, Stéphanie Crayencour, Camille Chamoux and Tania Garbarski), which won her the Magritte for Best First Film. In 2020, she released Isn’t She Lovely? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Solange Cicurel
film profile], a family comedy revolving around a parallel teenage crisis experienced by a mother and her daughter, starring Elsa Zylberstein, Lucien Jean-Baptiste and Hélène Vincent.

This time round, the director is back with a heavier topic, set in a more dramatic key, but still against a backdrop of adolescence. Her 16-year-old heroine, Emma, is well-adjusted and popular at her high school. But when the film begins, she’s in a coma. Why? What has happened to her? In order to work it out, she’s given the chance to become a "ghost” for a few days. She might be invisible, but she can see and hear everything, and she travels back through her memories to try to piece her story back together. The film notably explores the impact of school bullying, both in real life and on social media.

Stepping into the shoes of Emma, we find young newcomer Lanna de Palmaert, whom Solange Cicurel is supporting by way of two seasoned Belgian actors whom she herself is working with for the very first time: Emilie Dequenne, who’s a popular name in French film (having recently scooped the Best Supporting Actress César for Love Affair(s) [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Emmanuel Mouret
film profile]) and who’s decided to boost her Belgian film presence, knowing how successful her collaborations with Belgian filmmakers have been in the past (especially memorable recent works obviously include Close [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Eden Dambrine
interview: Lukas Dhont
interview: Lukas Dhont
film profile] by Lukas Dhont, but also Loving Without Reason [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile] by Joachim Lafosse, and the two films she worked on with Lucas Belvaux: This Is Our Land [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile] and Not My Type [+see also:
trailer
interview: Lucas Belvaux
film profile]), and Stéphane De Groodt, whom we’ve seen plenty of, recently, in French ensemble comedies (Husband, Wife, Kids… And Lovers [+see also:
trailer
film profile], The Kids Are Back [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Champagne!) and who’s changing gear to play the role of Emma’s father. Supporting roles are entrusted to youngsters previously seen on the big or small screen in Belgium, such as Lily Dupont (Isn’t She Lovely?), N’Landu Lubansu (The Lost Boys [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Zeno Graton
film profile], Fils de) and Kassim Meesters (Coyote, Deep Fear).

TKT is produced by Diana Elbaum (who’s supported the director since her debut short film Einstein était un réfugié) and David Ragonig on behalf of Belgian firm Beluga Tree, who recently co-produced Hounds [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kamal Lazraq
film profile] by Kamal Lazraq, Rebel [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fal…
film profile] by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, and Lingui, The Sacred Bonds [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Achou…
film profile] by Mahamat Saleh Haroun, all of which were presented in Cannes. TKT also enjoys support from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre, as well as from RTBF, screen.brussels, Be TV, Proximus, and Tax Shelter via Casa Kafka. International sales are entrusted to Other Angle Films.

(Translated from French)