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Cert: 12A | ★★★★★

In a small rural Belgian town, two 13-year-old boys, Leo (Eden Dambrine) and Remi (Gustav de Waele) are best friends who spend almost every waking hour in each other’s company.

With their respective parents’ blessing, the two often sleep at each other’s houses, even sharing the same bed.

After a perfect summer spent riding their bikes through sunny fields and helping out on Leo’s family farm, the boys start high school and are placed in the same class. At school, the boys’ friendship is put under scrutiny when a group of girls ask them if they are in a relationship.

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Eden Dambrine, Emilie Dequenne and Gustav de Waele in Close (Photo: A24)

While Remi is unfazed by these questions, Leo becomes uneasy about people’s perception of him, resulting in him pulling back completely from Remi who struggles to understand what he’s done wrong to be shunned by his best friend.

Director Lukas Dhont and co-writer Angelo Tijssens deliver an impressively unfussy tale of love, rejection and then heartbreaking loss. It’s bolstered by two truly phenomenal central performances.

And as we hurtle towards the second act with its inevitable and truly heart-wrenching denouement, tragedy is often foreshadowed by Valentin Hadjadj’s meticulously executed score.

Dambrine and De Waele deliver two beautifully intricate performances in which they convey the complexities of young male friendship. Lea Druker puts in an effectively restrained turn as Leo’s mother.

With a hefty slice of realism and plenty of angst, Close captures every fleeting moment between the two boys with a great deal of tenderness and unassuming sensitivity.

But be warned. Take tissues and prepare to cry your eyes out.