Belgium’s official participation to the International Oscar competition this year is the Cannes Film Festival winner “Close” by Lukas Dhont. It had its competition debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year, when it won against Claire Denis’ Stars at Noon.
Léo and Remi, two 13-year-old boys, have a close friendship that is abruptly shattered in Close. Léo approaches Sophie, Rémi’s mother, seeking her assistance in making sense of what just occurred. The movie is marketed as a look at duty and friendship.
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Newcomers Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele play the main roles in Close. The cast also includes Léa Drucker, Kevin Janssens, Marc Weiss, Igor Van Dessel, and Léon Bataille.
Michiel Dhont and Dirk Impens co-produced “Close” for Menuet with Diaphana, Topkapi Films, and Versus Productions. The Match Factory, the film’s sales representative, has sold distribution rights to more than 100 nations since its world premiere in Cannes. Mubi purchased the rights for Latin America, Turkey, India, the UK/Ireland, and A24 for North America.
“We are so thrilled that Belgium has chosen Close as its official submission to the 2023 Academy Awards,” David Laub of A24 “We have loved this unique and moving film since the moment we saw it in Cannes. And are so proud to be behind it in the US and to be orchestrating its awards campaign. We strongly believe that it will resonate with and profoundly affect its audience, and we are elated that it has taken this next step of becoming Belgium’s official submission.”
In Belgium, Close is to get a theatrical release through distributor Lumière, after opening the Ghent Film Festival on 11 October, while Diaphana is to release the film on 1 November in France.
