Skiff

🤩 Skiff, dir. Cecilia Verheyden, 2025, Belgium/‌Netherlands/‌Sweden, 106 min., in Flemish (Belgian Dutch) and French with full English subtitles
Friday, June 26, 2026, 12:30 PM, Roxie Theater

Skiff

Frameline blurb: Malou is an androgynous teen living in a small town who excels at rowing and is especially close to her older brother, Max. She wears his hand-me-downs, is saving up to buy a motorbike like his, and generally idolizes him. All seems well until Malou develops a crush on Max’s new girlfriend, Nouria, who is new in town and exploring her own desires. What begins as a budding friendship between the two girls turns into a secret romance that disrupts Malou’s routines and strains familial bonds. Their relationship deeply invigorates Malou but also stirs up unspoken feelings of gender dysphoria while Nouria struggles with the weight of betraying Max.

Directed by Cecilia Verheyden, Skiff confidently explores the cycle of competition and solidarity between siblings with subtle yet striking imagery. The whimsy of the water and cool color palette envelop us in Malou’s journey of introspection and change. Femke Vanhove (Malou) and Lina Miftah’s (Nouria) performances beautifully portray the intensity of first love and heartbreak in this striking coming-of-age film.

My take: We’ve seen “boy meets girl,” we’ve seen “boy meets boy” and “girl meets girl,” but I can’t think of a single “enby meets girl” coming-of-age story. It’s a fresh take on a familiar story framework, executed with attention to detail and heartfelt connection to the characters, including Malou and Nouria, but also including Max. The story draws you in immediately and holds you to the end. Being nonbinary is far from the whole of Malou’s story, with not only her relationship to her brother but also bullying from her teammates and the interest of a coworker at her part-time job. Skiff is a must see because of the new ground it breaks, but it is also genuinely a pleasure to watch.

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