Belgium submits Lukas Dhont’s award-winning film Close as Oscar entry

Close by Lukas Dhont is in the running for an Oscar in the international feature film category. Belgium’s jury has chosen the winner of the Cannes Grand Prix to be the country’s official candidate for the next Academy Awards on 12 March.

This is Dhont’s second entry for the prestigious awards after his debut feature Girl (2016) was submitted in 2019.

His new film is an emotional drama about a disintegrating friendship between two teenage boys, inspired by the Ghent director’s own life.

Like Girl, it had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a 15-minute standing ovation. Rave reviews by press and public ensued as well as the festival’s Grand Prix trophy.

The main roles of Close are interpreted by the young Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele, alongside Emilie Dequenne and Léa Drucker.

In a rare honour, Close has been invited to open the 49th Ghent Film Festival on 11 October. No other director has been chosen to open the annual event for both a debut and follow-up film.  

The film will be released in Belgian cinemas by Lumière on 2 November. Since the world premiere in Cannes, distribution rights have been sold in over 100 countries around the world.