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.
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.
Cast Kit Zauhar as Tessa Zane Pais as Ben, a journalist who is dating Tessa Ian Edlund as Adam, who is hosting Tessa and Ben for a weekend Kate Williams as Kristen, Adam's date Jessie Pinnick as Lizzy
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.
Release This Closeness debuted in the Narrative Spotlight section of the 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. The film was acquired for a limited theatrical run beginning June 7, 2024 by Factory 25 and was released on MUBI on July 3.
Reception Accolades Award Ceremony date Category Recipient(s) Result Ref. South by Southwest 19 March 2023 Narrative Spotlight This Closeness Seattle International Film Festival 21 May 2023 New American Cinema Competition Special Jury Prize Champs-Élysées Film Festival 27 June 2023 American Independent Feature Films Competition Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove 1 July 2023 Youth Jury Award for Best Film Philadelphia Film Festival 29 October 2023 Best Local Feature
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