At the start of the corona pandemic, the young transmasculine filmmaker Cássio Kelm ends up isolated in a small apartment with his elderly father. Cássio has not told him about the hormone therapy he's having. By filming the two of them together in their everyday lives, he tries to get closer to his father.
The subtle film calmly tells a layered story about a personal transition, a new family situation, and Brazilian politics. Their daily routine is interwoven with wider social and personal changes; chores like doing the laundry blend naturally with fragments of news programs about Bolsonaro and overcrowded hospitals.
Despite these major events, the lack of drama is conspicuous. Close to You, named after the song by The Carpenters, ultimately revolves around unspoken tenderness and self-acceptance, as the director comes to terms with himself, his father, and the new situation.
Credits
Director
Cássio Kelm
Production
Cássio Kelm / Haver Filmes
Cinematography
Cássio Kelm
Editing
Cássio Kelm
Sound Design
Luiz Lepchak
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