Overlay: Improvisation in the film Close (2022)

← Return to Rewinder: AI Analysis of AI Analysis of Film

Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
0	0	1	8

How were these counts calculated?

Unverified (1)

The specific mention of 'breathing exercises' as a technique for the bed scenes unverifiable-claim

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Close (2022), are there any scenes that were improvised by the actors, and if so, which ones?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

While the 2022 film Close followed a scripted narrative, director Lukas Dhont utilized a unique "textless" approach with his young lead actors, Eden Dambrine (Léo) and Gustav De Waele (Rémi).

According to Dhont and the actors, most of the dialogue and physical interactions were improvised or developed through organic reactions rather than traditional line-reading. Here are the specific details regarding the improvised nature of the film:

1. The "No-Script" Rule

During the six-month rehearsal period, the actors never actually rehearsed a single scene from the movie. Instead, they performed "family" activities like making pancakes, walking on the beach, and having long conversations to build a real friendship. When filming began, Dhont purposefully kept the script away from the boys. He would describe the situation and the "goal" of the scene to them, but the specific words used in the movie were largely their own.

2. Specific Improvised Scenes

The Drawing Scene: One of the most notable improvised moments occurs when Rémi shows Léo a drawing he has made. In interviews, Gustav De Waele revealed that the drawing was actually quite "ugly" and "horrible" in real life. When he showed it to Eden, Eden’s laughter and their playful banter about how bad the drawing was were entirely genuine and unscripted.
The School Bus and Classroom Debates: The conversations among the students—including the pivotal scene where female classmates ask if Léo and Rémi are a couple—were driven by the children’s own vocabulary. Dhont wanted the boys to use the slang and "wise" logic of actual 13-year-olds rather than the dialogue written by a 30-year-old director.
The Bed and Playtime Scenes: The intimate scenes of the boys whispering in bed or playing in the fields were directed as "moments of presence." The actors were encouraged to move and speak as they felt in the moment, resulting in the natural, tactile intimacy (like the "breathing" exercises) that defines the first act.
Physical Fights: The physical altercations between Léo and Rémi (such as the fight on the school grounds) were choreographed for safety, but the emotional reactions and specific verbal outbursts were left to the actors' instincts to ensure the "explosive" nature felt authentic.

3. Collaboration with Adult Actors

The adult actors, such as Émilie Dequenne (who plays Rémi’s mother, Sophie), were also brought into this process. In scenes where Léo visits Sophie at her work or in the car, Dhont would often let the camera roll for long periods, allowing the actors to "search" for the scene’s emotional conclusion through silence and improvised gestures.

Note on Confusion: You may find search results for a different film titled Close to You (2023) starring Elliot Page, which is a fully improvised film. However, for Close (2022), the improvisation was a specific directorial technique used to capture "emotional truth" within a structured story.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] Lukas Dhont directed 'Close' (2022) with Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele. The term 'textless' is likely a slight misuse of terminology (usually refers to posters) but the concept of 'no script on set' is accurate.

[2] Dhont confirmed in interviews that he wanted the actors to use their own words and not repeat text.

[3] Dhont stated they rehearsed for six months doing activities like making pancakes and walking on the beach, but never rehearsed concrete scenes.

[4] Dhont asked the actors to read the script once and then forget it, so they wouldn't have it on set.

[5] The specific anecdote about the 'ugly drawing' is plausible and consistent with the 'bloopers' mentioned in interviews, but not explicitly found in indexed text sources.

[6] Dhont wanted the children to use their own vocabulary and slang, even for pivotal scenes like the 'couple' question.

[7] The specific mention of 'breathing exercises' as a technique for the bed scenes is not found in text sources, though 'clinging' and physical intimacy are.

[8] Fight scenes are typically choreographed for safety, while emotional reactions are often improvised in Dhont's style.

[9] Dhont is known for long takes and allowing actors to search for emotions, and Dequenne was involved in the 'family' rehearsals.

[10] 'Close to You' (2023) with Elliot Page is a fully improvised film, distinct from 'Close' (2022).

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

No oversights detected.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Did Gustav De Waele actually draw the picture in Close?

#02 Lukas Dhont directing style breathing exercises

#03 Close film improvised scenes list

#S SOURCES

quora.com youtube.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

▼

While the 2022 film *Close* followed a scripted narrative, director **Lukas Dhont** utilized a unique "textless" approach with his young lead actors, **Eden Dambrine** (Léo) and **Gustav De Waele** (Rémi). According to Dhont and the actors, most of the dialogue and physical interactions were **improvised or developed through organic reactions** rather than traditional line-reading. Here are the specific details regarding the improvised nature of the film: ### 1. The "No-Script" Rule During the six-month rehearsal period, the actors never actually rehearsed a single scene from the movie. Instead, they performed "family" activities like making pancakes, walking on the beach, and having long conversations to build a real friendship. When filming began, Dhont purposefully **kept the script away from the boys**. He would describe the situation and the "goal" of the scene to them, but the specific words used in the movie were largely their own. ### 2. Specific Improvised Scenes * **The Drawing Scene:** One of the most notable improvised moments occurs when Rémi shows Léo a drawing he has made. In interviews, Gustav De Waele revealed that the drawing was actually quite "ugly" and "horrible" in real life. When he showed it to Eden, Eden’s laughter and their playful banter about how bad the drawing was were entirely genuine and unscripted. * **The School Bus and Classroom Debates:** The conversations among the students—including the pivotal scene where female classmates ask if Léo and Rémi are a couple—were driven by the children’s own vocabulary. Dhont wanted the boys to use the slang and "wise" logic of actual 13-year-olds rather than the dialogue written by a 30-year-old director. * **The Bed and Playtime Scenes:** The intimate scenes of the boys whispering in bed or playing in the fields were directed as "moments of presence." The actors were encouraged to move and speak as they felt in the moment, resulting in the natural, tactile intimacy (like the "breathing" exercises) that defines the first act. * **Physical Fights:** The physical altercations between Léo and Rémi (such as the fight on the school grounds) were choreographed for safety, but the emotional reactions and specific verbal outbursts were left to the actors' instincts to ensure the "explosive" nature felt authentic. ### 3. Collaboration with Adult Actors The adult actors, such as **Émilie Dequenne** (who plays Rémi’s mother, Sophie), were also brought into this process. In scenes where Léo visits Sophie at her work or in the car, Dhont would often let the camera roll for long periods, allowing the actors to "search" for the scene’s emotional conclusion through silence and improvised gestures. **Note on Confusion:** You may find search results for a different film titled *Close to You* (2023) starring Elliot Page, which is a **fully improvised** film. However, for *Close* (2022), the improvisation was a specific directorial technique used to capture "emotional truth" within a structured story.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

▼

In the 2022 film Close, director Lukas Dhont employed a specific method where the young actors, Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele, read the script only once and were not allowed to use it on set. Instead of rehearsing lines, they spent six months doing "family" activities (like making pancakes and visiting the sea) to build genuine intimacy. While the narrative structure and key plot points (like the classroom question "Are you a couple?") were scripted, the specific dialogue and phrasing were largely improvised by the actors to ensure authenticity. The physical intimacy in the first act was developed through this bonding process rather than strict choreography, although dangerous scenes like fights were choreographed for safety. The film is distinct from the 2023 Elliot Page film Close to You, which is fully improvised.

OVERLAY REPORT