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COOL ABDOUL

Ismail Abdoul is a talented young boxer on the rise, ready to make it to the top. He's found the love of his life, Sylvie, and is making a decent living as a bouncer. But when the opportunity for more money and power arises, he seizes it. In no time, he and his men control all the club doors in the city, including the drug traffic behind them. Abdoul becomes a living legend, both in the ring and out of it. Blinded by success, he gets caught in a web of his own lies and violent actions and will be forced to fight the ultimate match: against himself.

  • Jonas Baeckeland
    Director
    Shorts: La Proie, Gestreept, Salto Mortal, Twelve Going on to Sixty
  • Jonas Baekeland
    Writer
    Salto Mortal Shorts: La Proie, Gestreept, Salto Mortal, Twelve Going on to Sixtyand Twelve Going on to Sixty
  • Fikry El Azzouzi
    Writer
  • Wouter Van Haver
    Writer
    De Ridder, Zeppos, Het Mercatorspoor
  • Lize Lefaible
    Producer
    Remise, Klem, Brak
  • Peter De Maegd
    Producer
    Iron Sky The Coming Race, 5 is the Perct Number, 55 Steps, A quiet Passion
  • Tom Hameeuw
    Producer
    Iron Sky The Coming Race, 5 is the Perct Number, 55 Steps, A quiet Passion
  • Els Vandevorst
    Producer
    Brimstone, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, ...
  • Diana Elbaum
    Producer
    Elle, Message from the King, Bye Bye Germany
  • Anne Berger
    Producer
    Adorables, Spellbound
  • Nabil Mallat
    Key Cast
    "Ismail Cool Abdoul"
    Into the Night, Image, Rafaël
  • Johan Heldenbergh
    Key Cast
    "Ron "
    Quo Vadis Aida, Zookeeper´s Wife, 55 Steps, The Broken Circle,
  • Anemone Valcke
    Key Cast
    "Sylvie"
    Missing, Offline, Breath, Moscow- Belgium
  • Dimitri Vegas Thivaios
    Key Cast
    "Angelos"
    Rambo, Gangsta
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance, Biopic, Action
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 52 minutes 7 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    Belgium
  • Country of Filming:
    Belgium
  • Language:
    Arabic, Dutch, French
  • Shooting Format:
    DIGITAL
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 10, 2021
    WORLD PREMIERE
    TIFF SELECTION
  • International Film Fest Gent
    GENT
    Belgium
    October 13, 2021
    EUROPEAN
    SELECTION
Distribution Information
  • atlas international film
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Jonas Baeckeland

Jonas had several successful short films that travelled the world, his work in theatre and publicity. Jonas has written and directed the four shorts La Proie, Gestreept, Salto Mortal and Twelve Going on to Sixty that have travelled extensively, were in competition and won awards at key festivals such as Locarno, Raindance, Karlovy Vary, L.A. Shorts Fest, Geneva Tout Ecran, Ghent Film Fest, ...

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Director Statement

Cool Abdoul is inspired by the pivotal years in the life of Belgian and European boxing legend Ismail 'Cool' Abdoul. The story that made him into a hero for many started in the early 2000s when the upcoming boxer in no time grew to become a boxing sensation and won the European title. But after stepping out of the ring, he was arrested and jailed for two years. Cool Abdoul combines the boxing genre with a powerful story about identity and redemption through love.