by Nathaniel R
A few nights back I had the pleasure to attend a screening and reception for Close, Belgium's Oscar submission hosting by legendary indie producer Christine Vachon. Vachon joked that when people mistook her for the producer of Close, since she was hosting the event, she didn't actually want to correct them. "I wish I had produced this!"
The film, which is stronger overall and certainly less divisive than Dhont's debut, the trans drama Girl (2018), has been a major hit on the festival circuit. It's about the intimate friendship between two 13 year-old boys. We first meet them in summertime bliss but a return to school, followed by stares and mild teasing from other kids, makes them self-conscious about their friendship. Not everyone loves the film but those that do really spark to its observational strength, patience and naturalism, and the potency of its emotional throughline despite coming at the drama sideways with very little audience hand-holding. I myself was jolted back to memories of that age...
Especially to memories of the sometimes disorienting transition between having a super-close childhood friend I spent ALL my time with and suddenly a mess of different friendships and social demands and diverging interests that suddenly arrive in junior high... something I hadn't thought of it in forever.
Eden Dambrine in "Close"
While chatting with Lukas and his younger brother Michiel (who produces his films) at the event, I was shocked to learn that neither of the boys had acted before. You wouldn't know it from the sheer naturalism and ability to handle intense close-ups and even subtext, though certainly the cinematographer, editing, score, and direction help with those things. There was also months of rehearsal before shooting and an effort to make sure they were never too focused on the cameras. Lukas discovered Eden by chance on a train but since he'd already had a major success at home, the young future-actor already knew who he was.
While we were chatting about the success of the film and their Oscar journey thus far, I mentioned their European Film Awards nominations. I didn't even realize that the event had just taken place (I blame the drinks). "We lost -- Triangle of Sadness won everything!" they said, though both of them were in great spirits.
Happily for them they won't be up against Triangle of Sadness, which also beat them to the Palme d'Or, in Oscar's Best International Feature Film competition (Triangle being ineligible for that prize). But Close is hardly lacking for hardware, if we're focused on awards success. It won the Grand Prize at Cannes, the Gold Q Hugo in Chicago, the World Cinema Audience Award at Mill Valley, and the Art Cinema award in Hamburg among many other prizes and nominations. This week Close nabbed both Golden Globe and the Critics Choice nominations. The next challenge is the Oscar finalist list on December 21st. The film will open in the US in 2023.