Heysel 85 is a 2026 Belgian-Dutch-German drama film directed by Teodora Ana Mihai. The film stars Violet Braeckman and Matteo Simoni.
Contents
Plot
The fictional story is set during the Heysel Stadium disaster that took place on 29 May 1985 at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, during the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool and Juventus, which resulted in the deaths of 39 supporters. During the tragedy, Marie (Violet Braeckman), the mayor's daughter, and Luca (Matteo Simoni), a journalist, find themselves at the center of the events.
Production
In December 2024, it was announced that the production received financial support from Screen Flanders. In February 2025, it was confirmed that Matteo Simoni had been cast in the lead role. The film was directed by Teodora Ana Mihai and produced by Menuetto Film in co-production with Les Films du Fleuve, Topkapi Films, and Leitwolf Filmproduktion. Support was provided by the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), the Belgian Tax shelter, and the Netherlands Film Fund.
Filming
Principal photography took place primarily in Flanders, specifically in Antwerp. Filming was completed in early May 2025, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the disaster.
Release
Heysel 85 premiered in February 2026 at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in the "Berlinale Special" section. Leading actress Violet Braeckman was selected as a "European Shooting Star" 2026. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in Belgium in the fall of 2026.
Reception
Following its premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, Heysel 85 received mixed reviews from critics. While the film's visual style and claustrophobic atmosphere were widely praised, its screenplay and characterization drew significant criticism.
Critics frequently highlighted the film's technical achievements. Shahrbanoo Golmohamadi of Gazettely gave the film a 7.5 out of 10, praising the "visceral 16mm cinematography" and the "exceptional sound design," noting that the blend of staged scenes with 1985 archival footage created a strong sense of dread. OutNow similarly commended the accurate 1980s aesthetic and the palpable feeling of helplessness conveyed in the stadium's catacombs.
However, the film's narrative choices were heavily criticized, particularly the depiction of the Brussels mayor. Björn Becher of Filmstarts gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, describing the mayor's portrayal as a "cheap caricature" and arguing that the film simplified complex historical failures into a grotesque exaggeration. Carsten Baumgardt of Kino-Total agreed, stating that while the film was formally strong, the striking personalization of structural failure through a drunken mayor trivialized the actual events. Diego Gil of Cinemagavia felt the film lacked rhythm and remained trapped in conventional cinematic tropes, ultimately making it unmemorable.