Elliott Page hopes new movie ‘Close to You’ will open hearts and minds

TORONTO, Sept 10 (Reuters) – Canadian actor Elliott Page hopes his role in the new film “Close to You” moves people and opens the hearts and minds of viewers as much as it does for him.

The film, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on Sunday, explores the story of Page’s character Sam, who returns home after gender transition for a family reunion, fearing the awkward questions and comments he might encounter .

The film, which partially parallels Page’s life, was co-written by Page and Dominic Savage, who also directed the film.

Page, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in “Juno” (2007), was assigned female at birth and came out as transgender in 2020.

The 37-year-old actor said he was so nervous doing a film that relied heavily on improvisation, but Savage created a safe space for the entire cast to explore their characters. “It allowed us to feel free, unrestricted and dive into the material, and it worked,” he said.

“So much of this movie is about connections, what it means to be human and what it means to feel seen. And I imagine those themes resonate with most people,” Page told Reuters.

Actress Hilary Buck, who plays Kathryn, a high school friend of the character Sam, said it was “challenging” in the best way, and it felt freeing and satisfying to fall deep into the story.

“It’s been a privilege to get into these moments for so long,” Baack said.

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