Belgian film Close nominated for Oscar in best international feature category

Flemish director Lukas Dhont’s award-winning movie Close has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category, ABC news has announced.

If Close sees off competition from its four rivals at the awards on 12 March, Dhont could become the first Belgian director to win an Oscar for a feature film.

The films it's competing against are Argentina, 1985 (Argentina), All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany), The Quiet Girl (Ireland) and EO (Poland).

An emotional drama about the break-up of an intense friendship between two teenage boys, it’s inspired by the Ghent director’s own life. The main roles in the film are interpreted by Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele, alongside Emilie Dequenne and Léa Drucker.

Close is the Ghent director’s second entry for the prestigious awards following the submission of his debut feature Girl in 2019.

Whatever the result in Los Angeles, the nomination is a boost to Dhont’s international career. His latest work has already won several star prizes. Since its world premiere at Cannes last year, where it picked up the Grand Prix amid a rapturous reception, Close garnered nominations for the European film awards and the Golden Globes, as well as the prestigious Oscars.

"After an exceptionally successful year for Flemish film, this really is the icing on the cake," said Flemish culture minister Jan Jambon, reports VRT. "We are all keeping our fingers crossed for Close on March 12".