Berlin-based world sales company M-Appeal has acquired international sales rights to “Truly Naked,” an elevated drama about intimacy, ahead of its world premiere in Berlinale’s Perspective section.
The film is directed by Belgian filmmaker Muriel d’Ansembourg, who shot it in English, in the U.K., with a British cast.
The story follows Alec, a soft-spoken, introverted teenager raised in the orbit of his father’s adult entertainment business. When the family relocates from London to a quiet seaside town, Alec hopes for a fresh start. Everything shifts when he meets Nina, a fiercely independent young woman whose outlook challenges his understanding of connection.
D’Ansembourg said: “I keep returning to situations in my films where people are longing for connection, but something is holding them back. I like to put them in situations where it’s challenging to deeply connect with themselves and each other. I’m also interested in exploring boundaries and how things cross into taboo. What does our society allow, what doesn’t it, and why? Porn itself doesn’t interest me as a subject, but it’s interesting in the context of my love for telling stories that are essentially about human connection in environments where intimacy is under pressure. I think I’ll keep exploring stories where people have to fight for genuine connection in a surrounding that seems to work against it.”
Authenticity and care were central to the production, M-Appeal said. A performer from the adult industry appears in a key role, and all cast members, including the young lead, were 18 or over at the time of shooting. An intimacy coordinator was employed throughout production, a decision d’Ansembourg had made during the writing stage to ensure a safe creative environment.
Maren Kroymann, CEO at M-Appeal, said: “’Truly Naked’ combines a visually striking, provocative aesthetic with genuine emotional and intellectual depth. While its bold imagery immediately captures attention, what truly sustains the film is its progressive and deeply human approach to intimacy. Told through a distinct female gaze, it feels both timely and necessary. We believe audiences today are increasingly drawn to films that tackle complex subjects with honesty and sophistication – and ‘Truly Naked’ does so in a way that is both daring and elevated.”
From the producing side, Isabella Depeweg of Isabella Films recalled, “Muriel had been researching this for years. Hearing her perspective, you just wanted to be part of it. She had done her due diligence to present it in the best way. She really knew why she wanted to tell this story, and how. She had a clear vision. I was intrigued by it because she was so intrigued by it. I also felt connected to these themes of sexuality, intimacy and love. The first version of the ‘Truly Naked’ script we read had layers and richness to it.”
Her producing partner at Isabella Films, Els Vandevorst, reflected: “I’ve had the privilege of facing many challenges in the last 35 years. ‘Truly Naked’ was no exception, but perhaps one of the biggest. In the nine years we worked on the financing and realization of ‘Truly Naked,’ the voices of women, and the women we surrounded ourselves with – were a decisive element in getting the right people involved. For myself, I always need to have one specific reason why I’m making any film. For me, this film is about intimacy. For my entire life, I’ve been struggling with intimacy. I think it’s a real and difficult thing, and people are always talking about it like it’s no problem at all.”
Co-producers are Antonino Lombardo (Prime Time BVBA), Tom Dercourt (Cinéma Defacto) and Christophe Bruncher (Ici et Là Productions). Paradiso Films will distribute the film in the Netherlands, while Shellac will handle France.
English (US) ·