From ‘Grey Gardens’ to ‘Moonlight’: ‘Close’ Director Lukas Dhont Names 18 Movies That Influenced Him as Guest Curator of Galerie Film Club
Director Lukas Dhont is the new guest curator for Galerie, Indian Paintbrush’s digital film club.
Dhont, whose 2022 coming-of-age film “Close” was nominated for best international feature, names 18 films that influenced him the most for Galerie members.
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Among the entries is the 1975 documentary “Grey Gardens.” “A teacher in film school showed us ‘Grey Gardens,’ he writes about the film, which tells the story of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ eccentric and reclusive aunt, Edith “Big Edie” Ewing Bouvier Beale,” and cousin Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale. “I remember it made me doubt for a long time whether I wanted to continue in documentary because I saw so much of its possibilities realized in this film. The desire of being seen here is so beautifully captured. How we love to be actors sometimes.”
Also on his list are Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” “The Tree of Life” from Terrence Malick and “Shame,” Steve McQueen’s scripted feature about sex addiction starring Michael Fassbender and Carrie Mulligan.
Indian Paintbrush launched Galerie in November as an immersive film club that combines movie collections, original videos, writings, live screenings and discussions. Membership is $10 a month.
Galerie is led by Indian Paintbrush’s Andy Shapiro. Indian Paintbrush is a film production company that has produced and financed all of Wes Anderson’s films since 2007.
“Close,” which starred newcomers Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele, is a drama about 13-year-old best friends Rémi and Leo. Tragedy occurs when Leo distances himself from Rémi after the two are bullied by classmates who believe they are a couple.
“I always thought I was going to make movies about zombies and vampires … But I realized that there was something to say about that young perspective on the world, of someone who feels he wants to belong to many rather than to himself and therefore betrays so many parts,” Dhont told Variety in March. “So yes, that’s the films I make now. Maybe I’ll return to zombies someday.”
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