Top 200 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2023: #153. Tim Mielants’ Wil

Date:

Wil

A television director for about a decade (including episodes for Peaky Blinders), Tim Mielants got into features with 2019’s Patrick (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival) followed by 2021’s Nobody Has to Know (a non-solo which had its world preem at TIFF). Production on the ambitious WWII drama Wil took place in May of last year in Liege and Poland featuring Stef Aerts, Matteo Simoni, Annelore Crollet, Kevin Janssens, Dirk Roofthooft, Dimitrij Schaad and Pierre Bokma. Producers include Hans Everaert, Guy Goedgezelschap, Tomas Leyers and Jan Segers.

Gist: Based on the bestselling novel by Jeroen Olyslaegers and written by Carl Joos, Wilfried Wils is an auxiliary policeman in Antwerp at the start of the Second World War. The city is in the grip of violence and distrust. Wilfried does what he can for himself, avoiding paths that are too slippery. He receives attention and material support from a man who has sided with the German occupier, Meanbeard, but he also enjoys the confidence of his anti-Nazi colleague Lode, brother to Wilfried’s love Yvette. Wilfried struggles to survive as the persecution of the Jews proceeds unabated.

Release Date/Prediction: We’re thinking a Directors’ Fortnight premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Eric Lavallée
Eric Lavalléehttps://www.ericlavallee.com
Eric Lavallée is the founder, CEO, editor-in-chief, film journalist, and critic at IONCINEMA.com, established in 2000. A regular at Sundance, Cannes, and Venice, Eric holds a BFA in film studies from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. In 2013, he served on the narrative competition jury at the SXSW Film Festival. He was an associate producer on Mark Jackson’s "This Teacher" (2018 LA Film Festival, 2018 BFI London). He is a Golden Globes Voter, member of the ICS (International Cinephile Society) and AQCC (Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma).

Share post:

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Popular

More like this
Related

Jeunes mères (Young Mothers) | 2025 Cannes Film Festival Review

Bonjour Tristesse: The Dardenne Bros. Explore Teenage Pregnancy In their...

2025 Cannes Critics’ Panel: Day 11 – Kelly Reichardt’s ‘The Mastermind’

While she has dropped world premieres at Sundance and...

2025 Cannes Critics’ Panel: Day 11 – Dardenne Bros.’ ‘Jeunes mères’

Winner of the Palme d'Or for 1999's Rosetta (which...