ITV_KAREL

THE INTERVIEW

September, 2025

KAREL DUYCK

DIRECTORS OF NO!SE

HONORABLE MENTION

Karel, tell us a bit more about yourself. Where does your desire to be a director come from?

I am Karel Duyck, born and raised in Kortrijk, Belgium.

I studied in Ghent where I discovered my passion for videomaking and photography.
Thanks to my sports career — four-time Biathlon World Champion (Quebec 2005, Adelaide 2007, Vancouver 2009, and New York 2011) — I had the opportunity to travel the world and bring my love for photography and film wherever the Games took me.In 2008, I founded my own production company, Earth Global Media Creations (www.earthgmc.com), and contributed articles to the popular Dutch Icreate Magazine. Since then, I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, including art films, music videos, industrial work, and event coverage.
Some personal highlights include collaborations with Milk Inc. (Regi Penxten & Linda Mertens), Kate Ryan, Pamela Anderson, the Belgian Royal Family, and the Rombouts Coffee adventures in Brazil.

What is your background?

I studied at HIGRO (Higher Institute for Graphic Education) in Ghent, Belgium, where my passion for film and photography began. However, I chose a different path: my dream was to join the Special Units of the Federal Police (DYANE). An almost impossible ambition, given the demanding training and strict requirements. With perseverance, I achieved that dream and for many years I served as a team leader in the Special Units — truly my dream job. In my free time, I dedicated myself to sports and film/video. It was only after retiring from the police that the dream of making a film was born. I expanded my production company, and my hobby and passion grew into my daily work. My motto is: nothing is impossible, as long as you believe in it. From that conviction, the idea for the film quickly took shape.

What were your references for NO!SE?

“NO!SE was born from true stories of courage and abuse — a painful reality turned into film.” NO!SE is my very first film project. It was a challenging and very captivating project that originated from a friendship with a musician, Stephan Galon, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in an advanced stage. For Stephan his last music performance, he dreamed of having a music video with a dancer in his song ‘Buenos Aires’. As a surprise for Stephan, I made a music video with professional dancer Helena De Graeve and actor Kurt Velghe. We filmed the scenes at Transfo Zwevegem (Belgium), a former electricity plant. When I later in reviewed the footage and because of my passion for film, I felt something more had to be done with the beautiful footage of the clip. That’s how the plot for my first film NO!SE emerged… In the last years of my career with the federal police, I worked at the Federal Computer Crime Unit, where I was confronted up close with child abuse. I could not ignore this in our production. Especially since someone very close to my heart has also gone through this. The story told is therefore based on this true event.

Karel you won an Honorable Mention at the RED Movie Awards, what does that mean to you?

Winning an Honorable Mention at the RED Movie Awards is incredibly meaningful to me. It’s a recognition not just of our work, but of the powerful stories and real-life experiences that inspired NO!SE (RU!S). Knowing that the film resonated with the judges and audience alike reinforces my belief in the importance of telling honest, emotional stories. It’s an encouragement to keep pursuing my passion and to continue bringing challenging, meaningful narratives to the screen. Marie-Hélène’s dream is to become a dancer.

How did you work with the actress to capture both her vulnerability and her passion for dance?

Working with both the young 11-year-old version of Marie-Hélène and her adult counterpart was a delicate but rewarding process. With the young actress, we focused on capturing her innocence and the early spark of her passion for dance, while creating a safe environment where she could explore vulnerability naturally. With the adult Marie-Hélène, we deepened that emotional journey, combining her character’s maturity with the physical expression of her dance. The challenge was to maintain continuity, ensuring that both performances felt connected, authentic, and true to the character’s growth. The father’s diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis brings a raw layer of reality to the story.

How did you approach this sensitive subject in a respectful but impactful way?

The father’s diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis is indeed a raw and emotional layer of the story. To approach this subject respectfully and authentically, I relied heavily on listening. I listened to my friend who lives with MS, learning from his experiences and emotions. I also spoke with my mother-in-law, who spent years working in palliative care, and consulted several specialized doctors to understand the medical realities. As a director, you simply cannot afford to make mistakes when portraying such sensitive topics. This careful research allowed us to tell the story in a way that is both truthful and deeply impactful.

The film mixes family drama with coming-of-age elements. What challenges did you face in balancing these two aspects without losing emotional focus?

Balancing family drama with coming-of-age elements was one of the biggest challenges of making the film. We wanted to ensure that the emotional depth of the family story never overshadowed the personal journey of the young characters, and vice versa. To achieve this, we focused closely on the characters’ internal worlds, letting their emotions guide the pacing and tone of each scene. It was about finding the right rhythm — giving space for tender, intimate moments while still allowing the coming-of-age story to unfold naturally. Maintaining that emotional focus required constant attention, but it ultimately made the film feel authentic and cohesive.

The title NO!SE is quite striking. What does it symbolize for you in the context of this story?

The title NO!SE reflects both the chaos and the inner struggles within the story. It symbolizes the emotional turbulence the characters experience — the unspoken fears, the pain, and the moments of courage that clash and resonate throughout their lives. At the same time, it represents the noise of the outside world, the pressures and realities that shape and challenge them. For me, the title captures the tension between vulnerability and resilience, and the way life’s noise can both overwhelm and reveal what truly matters.

Do you have an anecdote to share with us in particular?

On set, we faced some real challenges: most of our young actors had no prior experience, which led to many hilarious and unpredictable moments during filming. Balancing the raw emotional depth of the story with these spontaneous, often funny moments made the process unforgettable, and added a unique energy to the film that I cherish.

What is your next project?

My next project is a documentary we filmed in Nepal — a deeply moving story about an MS patient relearning to walk in order to conquer a mountain. Witnessing his determination, resilience, and courage was profoundly inspiring. The journey is both physical and emotional, capturing the struggles, the small victories, and the sheer human spirit required to face such an immense challenge. It’s a story that touches the heart and stays with you long after the screen goes dark.