Character Relationship Map: Close

Characters

• Léo (played by Eden Dambrine) — protagonist

  Léo is a 13-year-old boy and Rémi's closest friend. He initially shares an intimate, affectionate bond with Rémi, but becomes anxious about classmates' perceptions and homophobic insults, distancing h...

• Rémi (played by Gustav De Waele) — protagonist

  Rémi is Léo's 13-year-old best friend, with whom he shares a deeply intimate childhood bond. He lives with Sophie and Peter, who welcome Léo as part of the family. After Léo withdraws and treats him a...

• Sophie (played by Émilie Dequenne) — supporting

  Sophie is Rémi's mother and one of the adults who warmly accepts Léo, loving him like a second child. After Rémi's death, she mourns with Peter and later listens when Léo confesses that he blames hims...

• Charlie (played by Igor van Dessel) — supporting

  Charlie is Léo's older brother and becomes an important source of emotional support after Rémi's suicide. While Léo cannot speak openly during the school's therapy sessions, he is able to confide in C...

• Baptiste's Father (played by Baptiste Bataille) — minor
• Ice Hockey Coach (played by Jeffrey Vanhaeren) — minor
• Sophie's Colleague (played by Ahlaam Teghadouini) — minor
• Sophie's Colleague (played by Cachou Kirsch) — minor
• Peter (played by Kevin Janssens) — supporting

  Peter is Rémi's father and Sophie's partner. He accepts the close relationship between Léo and Rémi and treats Léo as part of the family. After Rémi's death, Peter mourns the future his son will never...

• Baptiste (played by Léon Bataille) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Baptiste's Father → Baptiste (father)
• Sophie's Colleague → Sophie (colleague)
• Sophie's Colleague → Sophie (colleague)
• Sophie → Peter (Family Co-Parent) — They jointly endure the loss of their child.

  Sophie and Peter are presented together as Rémi's parents and share the mourning of his death.

• Léo → Charlie (Family Brother) — Charlie is Léo's older sibling and a source of emotional support.

  Charlie is identified as Léo's older brother, and Léo is able to confide in him for comfort.

• Peter → Léo (Family Parental Supporter) — Peter's family provides Léo with an accepting environment.

  Peter is part of the household that accepts Léo without judgment and loves him like a second child.

• Sophie → Léo (Family Parental Supporter) — Sophie treats Léo with familial affection and care.

  Sophie and Peter accept Léo sleeping at their home and love him like a second child.

• Peter → Rémi (Family Father) — Peter is Rémi's grieving father.

  Peter is identified as Rémi's parent and breaks down while the family discusses future plans after Rémi's death.

• Sophie → Rémi (Family Mother) — Sophie is Rémi's grieving mother.

  Sophie is identified as Rémi's parent and mourns his death and the future he will not have.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Léo → Ice Hockey Coach (New Social Outlet) — Hockey becomes part of Léo's attempt to fit into a different peer world.

  Léo takes up ice hockey and continues participating in it after distancing himself from Rémi.

• Léo → Rémi (Social Best Friend) — Their childhood friendship is the central relationship of the film.

  The plot identifies Léo and Rémi as 13-year-old best friends with a deeply intimate bond.

Story Analysis

A boy confronts guilt and grief after fear-driven distance fractures his intimate friendship with Rémi.

Plot Progression

1. An Intimate Childhood — Léo and Rémi share an unusually close friendship across home, school, and the flower farm. Their sleeping arrangement and affectionate play establish the emotional foundation of the story.
2. Pressure from the Outside — Questions about whether the boys are a couple and homophobic insults make Léo anxious about how others see him. He begins seeking new friendships and excludes Rémi from hockey.
3. The Friendship Breaks — Léo becomes increasingly distant despite Rémi's attempts to reconnect. Rémi's confrontation ends in a fight, leaving their bond damaged and unresolved.
4. A Death Without Words — The class learns that Rémi has died by suicide, and Léo privately blames his own withdrawal. He cannot express his guilt during school therapy and hides behind routine.
5. Confession and Release — Charlie gives Léo comfort, while dinner exposes the families' shared grief. Léo finally confesses his guilt to Sophie, and later allows himself to mourn in the field.