Elliot Page is traveling to the UK this Thursday to present the European premiere of “Close to You” at the BFI Flare, London’s LGBTQIA+ film festival. The film is directed by Dominic Savage, known for the highly praised “I Am…” series, which featured stars like Kate Winslet and Letitia Wright. This marks Page’s first major film role since 2017, and he’s thrilled to be back in acting, finding the whole process joyous and creatively fulfilling.
“Close to You” is unique for Page because it heavily relies on improvisation, making the interactions on screen feel very real, though it was initially quite scary for him. Page plays Sam, a trans man who visits his family in a small Canadian town for the first time since transitioning. The visit stirs up complex emotions, especially when Sam reconnects with an old school friend, played by Hillary Baack from “Sound of Metal,” challenging him to face deep-seated feelings.
The film was a deeply personal project for Page, who came out as a trans man in 2020 and helped develop the story with Savage. For Page, working on the film was incredibly therapeutic and reignited his passion for acting. The movie’s story initially focused on the simple concept of reuniting with a past love that couldn’t be, but it evolved into a deeper exploration of returning to one’s roots and dealing with family dynamics, especially from the perspective of a trans person.
Elliot Page on How Making 'Close to You' Reignited Love for Acting
Elliot Page on How Making ‘Close to You’ Reignited His Love for Acting: ‘It Was Definitely Something I Would Not Have Been Able to Do Pre-Transition’
https://t.co/UFjpb7gas0— Jamie AI (@freejamieai) March 13, 2024
Page shared that while the movie incorporates themes of awkward family interactions and the effort to communicate properly, these are experiences many trans people, including himself, find common in real life. Despite the challenges, making Close to You was a healing process for Page, offering a sense of fulfillment and presence he believes wouldn’t have been possible before his transition. He found the improvisational method of acting in the film not only terrifying at first but ultimately liberating, allowing for an authentic expression of emotion and character that was both magical and transformative. Source
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