Close (2023) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Close is set in rural Belgium, centered on a flower farm and the surrounding small community. The quiet countryside and farm landscape create an intimate atmosphere that emphasizes the close-knit nature of the community where Léo and Rémi's friendship develops.

• rural belgium
• setting
• flower farm
• location

The rural Belgian setting reinforces the film's themes of intense, isolated relationships and social pressure. The flower farm creates a contained world where everyone's business is known, making the boys' bond both intimate and vulnerable to outside scrutiny and judgment.

• rural setting
• community
• social pressure
• belgium

Close explores three interconnected themes: grief following Rémi's suicide, the intensity and fragility of childhood friendship, and the struggle for identity and acceptance in the face of homophobia and societal judgment.

• themes
• grief
• friendship
• identity
• acceptance

The film portrays grief as an isolating, overwhelming force that compounds misunderstandings and emotional distance. Léo struggles to express his pain, and the narrative shows how unprocessed grief can create barriers between people who need each other most.

• grief
• loss
• emotional isolation
• guilt

Close examines how outside judgments and fear of ostracism strain the deep bond between two boys. The film portrays childhood friendship as tender, fragile, and worthy of protection, while showing how societal pressure can warp even the strongest connections.

• friendship
• loyalty
• childhood bonds
• social pressure

The film explores how homophobia and stigma impact characters navigating their identities. It centers on the painful fear of rejection by family and community, ultimately advocating for understanding and compassionate acceptance of one's true self.

• identity
• acceptance
• homophobia
• coming of age

Léo is a sensitive 13-year-old boy portrayed by Eden Dambrine. He struggles with social pressure and fear of ostracism, leading him to withdraw from his best friend Rémi after an emotional incident. Throughout the film, he grapples with guilt over Rémi's suicide and must learn to confront his grief and accept vulnerability.

• leo
• eden dambrine
• protagonist
• guilt

Rémi is Léo's best friend, portrayed by Gustav De Waele. He is depicted as warm, affectionate, and outgoing, forming a playful contrast to Léo's more reserved nature. His sudden death by suicide triggers the entire narrative and becomes the catalyst for the film's exploration of grief, memory, and guilt.

• remi
• gustav de waeme
• best friend
• death

Sophie is Rémi's mother, played by Émilian Dequenne. She provides a steady, supportive presence for both her family and Léo throughout the film. Her warmth and resilience offer comfort as the family processes tragedy, and her relationship with Léo deepens as he seeks solace after Rémi's death.

• sophie
• emilie dequenne
• remi mother
• support

Léo and Rémi share a deep, intimate connection that outsiders misinterpret or threaten. Their friendship represents the intense emotional bonds of adolescence, but the fear of societal judgment and ostracism creates tension that strains their relationship before tragedy strikes.

• leo remi relationship
• friendship
• bond
• intimacy

The film has a consistently melancholic tone steeped in loss and guilt. The pacing is deliberately slow, focusing on quiet moments and the lingering aftermath of tragedy. While emotionally heavy, it is not bleak, it concludes with a glimmer of acceptance and the possibility of healing through shared grief.

• tone
• mood
• melancholy
• emotional weight