Directed by: Teodora Ana Mitai
Written by: Isabelle Darras, Lode Desmet, Hans Everaert
Starring: Matteo Simoni, Violet Braeckman
Heysel 85 is a Belgian film that follows the Heysel stadium disaster in 1985 which led to the deaths of 39 spectators and several hundred more injured after a wall collapsed crushing a section of the stadium. The film mixes real life footage of the disaster with a dramatization of the events that captures the 80s aesthetic particularly well.
At its heart, Heysel 85 is a film about incompetency, the refusal to take responsibility and the sexism in football culture. It follows two distinct storylines that frequently overlap, the first with Luca (Matteo Simoni) who is an Italian journalist searching for his brother who is in the stands and the second with Marie (Violet Braeckman) who is the daughter to the mayor and his press attaché that is at the centre of the disaster.
The tension of the impending disaster is carefully constructed by director Teodora Ana Mitai who switches between the two perspectives to show the unrest forming and the inability to properly prepare for the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus. This tension reaches its peak in a horrifying scene where the camera follows Marie through the corridors of the dressing rooms beneath the stands as the audience can hear the carnage. The corridor quickly becomes filled with panicked spectators that frequently block the camera and add to the anxiety and tension that Mitai creates. Violet Braeckman’s performance throughout is fantastic but it’s in a scene with a child, where the scale of the disaster becomes apparent, that is a clear standout.
One of the most depressing yet sobering aspects of the film is the response from the authorities to the disaster. Responsibility is juggled around and nobody is willing to accept accountability. This is most clearly seen with the mayor who becomes increasingly drunk as the film progresses and attempts to avoid the gravity of the situation. Instead of taking responsibility, he hides behind his daughter who merely an hour ago was being sent on errands to retrieve more alcohol.
Mitai demonstrates the sexism of the 80s powerfully. Whether it’s the jeering of the Liverpool players in the dressing room towards Marie or the constant shutting down of Marie when it’s clear that she’s one of the few people that still has a moral conscience, Marie is never truly taken seriously. Indeed, she is one of the only characters in the film to have a heart and exercise morality in the situation.
Indeed, this leans towards one of the criticisms I have of Heysel 85. The character of Marie feels fleshed out and complex as she battles her position as the mayor’s daughter and press attaché with her own morality, yet, Luca’s character is solely defined by this search for his brother. It would have been worth extending the runtime to sit with this character a little more and dive into the questions of being a journalist in a disaster, especially surrounding exploitation, which are only ever touched upon lightly. An extended runtime would also allow the audience to witness the consequences of the authorities’ actions.
Altogether, Heysel 85 is an important, powerful film that exposes the dangerous effects of cutting corners and the shirking of responsibility from those in charge. Director Mitai delicately unveils the tragedy, ensuring to centre the victims of the disaster. While this will naturally interests fans of football, it should also catch the interest of fans of Chernobyl when it comes to the deeper themes of accountability.
Heysel 85 had its UK premiere at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on 15 October, ahead of its UK theatrical release on 20 November 2026.