This Closeness

Last updated
This Closeness
Directed by Kit Zauhar [1]
Screenplay byKit Zauhar
Produced byAni Schroeter
Starring
  • Zane Pais
  • Kit Zauhar
  • Jessie Pinnick
  • Ian Edlund
CinematographyKayla Wolf
Edited byBrian Kinnes
Production
companies
Release dates
  • 10 March 2023 (2023-03-10)(SXSW) [2]
  • 7 June 2024 (2024-06-07)(Theatrical) [3]
  • 3 July 2024 (2024-07-03)(MUBI) [3]
Running time
89 minutes

This Closeness is a 2023 American comedy drama film written and directed by Kit Zauhar. The film stars Zauhar and Zane Pais as a young couple on vacation renting a room from a socially awkward host played by Ian Edlund. [1] [4]

Contents

Premise

Tessa, an ASMR content creator, joins her journalist boyfriend Ben in Philadelphia for his high school reunion. The couple rent a room from Adam, a shy young man who has opened his apartment for homestays to meet new people. The awkward introduction of Adam to the couple's dynamic is compounded with Ben and Tessa gain the sense that Adam is attracted to Tessa; the couple become convinced that Adam is especially attracted to Asian women like Tessa, who is biracial, when Adam brings home Kristen, who is also Asian. [1]

Cast

Production

The initial runtime of the film was projected at two hours and twenty minutes, but Zauhar and her editor Brian Kinnes chose to omit several scenes for a final runtime under ninety minutes. [5] [6]

Release

This Closeness debuted in the Narrative Spotlight section of the 2023 South by Southwest Film Festival. [7] The film was acquired for a limited theatrical run beginning June 7, 2024 by the distribution company Factory 25 and will be released on MUBI on July 3. [3]

Reception

Accolades

AwardCeremony dateCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
South by Southwest 19 March 2023Narrative SpotlightThis ClosenessNominated [7]
Seattle International Film Festival 21 May 2023New American Cinema Competition Special Jury PrizeWon [8]
Champs-Élysées Film Festival 27 June 2023American Independent Feature Films CompetitionNominated [9]
Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove1 July 2023Youth Jury Award for Best FilmWon [10]
Philadelphia Film Festival 29 October 2023Best Local FeatureNominated [11]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Felperin, Leslie. "'This Closeness' Review: A Couple and Their Airbnb Host Get Acquainted in an Astute Dramedy of Awkwardness". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  2. "Kit Zauhar". SXSW Schedule. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Ntim, Zac. "Kit Zauhar Lands North American Distribution For SXSW Competition Title 'This Closeness' Via Factory 25, IFC Center To Launch Theatrical Run". Deadline. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  4. Minsoo Kim, Joshua. "Film Show 039: Kit Zauhar". Tone Glow. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  5. ""If you are a woman of color you are always going to be thinking about your race in intimate relationships"". Cinema Jove. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  6. Risker, Paul. "A little poison". Eye for Film. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  7. 1 2 "This Closeness". SXSW Schedule. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  8. "20,000 Species of Bees, Dancing Queen, Next Sohee, The Fishbowl, Mutt, Against The Tide, and 26.2 to Life win top awards at 49th Annual Seattle International Film Festival". Seattle International Film Festival. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  9. "This Closeness". Champs-Élysées Film Festival. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  10. "List of Winners 38th Edition". Cinema Jove. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  11. Maag-Tanchak, Annemarie. "32nd Philadelphia Film Festival Full Lineup". Philadelphia Film Society. Retrieved 30 May 2024.