No. 17 (2023) CLOSE March. 8th.

 

Film No. 17 (2023)  March 8th.  7:30 PM SOMERVILLE Outdoor U.W.A.                       

"We are close because we are best friends." (Leo sets the record straight amongst class mates who ponder the friendship he has with Remi).

WINNER : Andre Cavens Award (Lukas Dhont); Belgium Film Festival 2022. Nominee: Best International Film (Lukas Dhont) Academy of USA.

The burden of guilt has often been a theme for strong drama in cinema. MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, one of my favourite films over recent years, comes to mind immediately. The guilt here is laid squarely at the feet of an adult; a father who lost his children because of a decision he made. A decision he will regret till he dies. In CLOSE the burden is borne by a 13 year old boy. In a mind so young, the excruciating anxiety of his regret has all of us hoping he will find a way to repair.

Why does he need to heal? Well, we meet Leo and Remi as best friends. They have a summer game where an imaginary enemy is seeking them and they need to escape, on foot, from their bunker, their fortress. We meet them escaping and running through the landscape of their childhood. A flower farm on Leo's parents property. It's a wonderful scene of solidarity.  Their relationship has been and is special. 

Cut to the next chapter in their lives, upper school. We spend this first year of their high school life with them, a tumultuous year in their changing lives.  Remi can handle the bullying that goes with their friendship, Leo cannot. He changes. Quite suddenly, he outwardly rejects Remi. What happens next is devastating to us all. It's doubly devastated as we watch Leo carry this burden of guilt. The brilliant use of Emilie Dequenne as Remi's mother Sophie, an emotional control point, by director Lukas Dhont gives, CLOSE the ending it deserves.   

This is a deeply moving film from Belgium. A film tipped as having every chance to take out the prized International Film gong at this year's Oscars. Eden Dambrine as Leo, a boy never out of frame. He is thirteen, the same age as as his character depiction. The Irish, Oostende and Seville Academy's, all recognised him to be the best actor at their respective festivals. I'm surprised The Academy does not have him anywhere on their lists. I rank his performance along with Catherine Clinch's as Cait in THE QUIET GIRL. He is stunningly good.  11GUMS.