FILMS / REVIEWS Belgium / Netherlands / Swedenby Davide Abbatescianni03/10/2025 - Cecilia Verheyden delivers a tender and resonant coming-of-age tale, culminating in a final act that lingers thanks to its brutal honestyCecilia Verheyden’s Skiff initially sets sail in familiar waters. If the film’s first half feels anchored in convention, it is in the second half that Skiff gathers real momentum. Instead, Malou’s fear, embarrassment and hesitation testify to the persistence of stigma within close-knit communities, where difference is still something to be concealed, rather than celebrated. This thematic strand gives Skiff an added layer of universality: whether in 2025 or decades earlier, the uncertainty of revealing oneself remains a daunting prospect. Skiff was produced by Mirage (Belgium) together with Les Films du Fleuve (Belgium), Lemming Film (Netherlands) and Grand Slam (Sweden).