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The CineSkinny Film Club, from the team behind Scottish culture magazine The Skinny, is returning this month in collaboration with MUBI, with a whole host of free screenings planned throughout 2023. And the series is going to kick off in spectacular style with one of the best films of the year so far: Lukas Dhont’s Close.

This achingly tender story of friendship and grief centres on the tight-knit friendship between two 13-year-old boys, Leo (Eden Dambrine) and Rémi (Gustav De Waele). They’re the best of pals, and spend lazy afternoons roleplaying as medieval knights while at night they usually sleep over at each other's homes, happily sharing their single beds. Their unselfconsciously tactile and tender closeness is challenged however when summer ends and they begin high school, where several kids raise an eyebrow at how close they are. Confusing teen desires come face to face with toxic masculinity and sends their friendship into a tailspin.

Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont proves himself to be a skilled director of young actors. Dambrine and De Waele give beautifully natural performances full of surprise and poignancy. The jury at last year’s Cannes certainly agreed, awarding Dhont the Grand Prix – essentially the runner-up prize to the Palme d’Or.

The CineSkinny Film Club and MUBI are screening Close for free in Glasgow ahead of its UK cinema release on 3 March.

Certificate 12A. Free tickets, unreserved seating, limit 2 per person. Doors open at 7pm, film starts at 7.15pm with no trailers, please arrive promptly. If you need to discuss access requirements, please book your tickets then contact us on cineskinny@theskinny.co.uk