Night Call (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Founder | Michiel Blanchart, Gilles Marchand (screenplay) |
| Headquarters | Belgium, France |
| Products | Action thriller film |
Night Call () is a 2024 action thriller film marking the feature directorial debut of Michiel Blanchart, who also co-authored the screenplay with Gilles Marchand. The narrative is set against the backdrop of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Belgium and centers on a young locksmith who becomes entangled in peril during a nighttime job. The principal cast features Jonathan Feltre, Natacha Krief, Jonas Bloquet, Thomas Mustin, and Romain Duris. This film is a collaborative production between Belgium and France.
The movie had its world premiere as the opening entry in the International Competition at the Biarritz Film Festival - Nouvelles Vagues on 18 June 2024, where it earned the Audience Award. Its theatrical debut occurred in France on 28 August 2024 through Gaumont and later in Belgium on 4 September 2024 via Lumière. At the 14th Magritte Awards, Night Call garnered eleven nominations and secured ten wins, including top honors such as Best Film, Best First Feature Film, and Best Director for Blanchart, setting a new record for the highest number of Magritte Awards received by a single title.
Production
Night Call represents Belgian director Michiel Blanchart’s first feature film effort, with the screenplay co-written alongside French filmmaker Gilles Marchand.
This Belgian-French co-production was overseen by producers Michaël Goldberg (Boucan Productions) and Boris Van Gils (Formosa), with Margaux Marciano and Nicolas Duval Adassovsky (Quad) serving as co-producers. Additional production support came from entities such as Gaumont, France 3 Cinéma, RTL, VOO, BeTV, and Proximus. The project also benefited from backing by Canal+, the Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, and Eurimages.
Filming
Principal photography spanned 35 days from March through April 2023, taking place in Brussels and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean within Belgium.
Release
The film debuted at the Biarritz Film Festival - Nouvelles Vagues in France on 18 June 2024, where it served as the opening title for the International Competition segment.
Gaumont managed its theatrical rollout in France starting 28 August 2024, followed by a Belgian release handled by Lumière on 4 September 2024.
In May 2024, North American distribution rights were acquired by Magnet Releasing.
Box office
In Belgium, Night Call achieved over 30,000 ticket sales, ranking among the most viewed Belgian films of 2024. Romain Pirard of Moustique underscored this accomplishment by comparing it to leading Belgian films from 2023—such as Omen (14,270 admissions), Love According to Dalva (11,678), and The Jolly Forgers (10,864)—all of which registered notably lower attendance. Pirard highlighted that this performance underscores considerable audience demand for domestic Belgian cinema.
Critical response
Critics responded favorably to Night Call. According to review aggregator AlloCiné, it holds an average rating of 3.4 out of 5 based on evaluations from 24 critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it maintains a 79% approval rating derived from 29 reviews, with an average score of 7.4/10.
Ben Gibbons of Screen Rant awarded the film four out of five stars, commending its inventive take on a conventional action-thriller framework and its portrayal of a grim, suspenseful atmosphere. Murtada Elfadl from Variety remarked that the film offers an engaging action experience while introducing a director who revitalizes the genre by weaving in relevant social themes, distinguishing it from typical action movies.
Accolades
| Award | Date | Category | Honoree(s) | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgian Film Critics Association | 13 December 2024 | Best Film | Template:Won | [1] | |
| Biarritz Film Festival - Nouvelles Vagues | 22 June 2024 | Grand Prix | Template:Nom | [2] | |
| Audience Award | Template:Won | ||||
| Magritte Awards | 22 February 2025 | Best Film | Template:Won | [3] | |
| Best Director | Michiel Blanchart | Template:Won | |||
| Best Screenplay | Template:Won | ||||
| Best Supporting Actor | Jonas Bloquet | Template:Won | |||
| Thomas Mustin | Template:Nom | ||||
| Best First Feature Film | Template:Won | ||||
| Best Cinematography | Sylvestre Vannoorenberghe | Template:Won | |||
| Best Sound | David Vranken, David Gillain, Joey Van Impe, Thibaud Rie, Fabrice Grizard, Antoine Wattier, Vincent Gregorio |
Template:Won | |||
| Best Production Design | Catherine Cosme | Template:Won | |||
| Best Costume Design | Isabel Van Renterghem | Template:Won | |||
| Best Editing | Matthieu Jamet-Louis | Template:Won |