- Come Closer wins four Ophir Awards, including Best Film and Best Actress.
- Directed by Tom Nesher, the film explores a young woman’s journey through grief.
- The film premiered at Tribeca and Jerusalem Film Festivals, receiving critical acclaim.
Israel has chosen Tom Nesher’s Come Closer as its entry for the 2025 Oscars International Feature category. The film tells the heart-wrenching story of Eden, a young woman grappling with the tragic loss of her brother.
Desperate to overcome her grief, Eden uncovers her brother’s hidden life, including a secret girlfriend, sparking an obsessive quest to understand this stranger.
Tom Nesher’s Come Closer: Israel’s Hope for Oscar Glory
The film’s success is marked by its numerous accolades, including four wins at Israel’s Ophir Awards, often referred to as the Israeli Oscars. Come Closer also won Best Israeli Feature at the Jerusalem Film Festival and made waves at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it earned the Viewpoints Award. With strong emotional depth and a standout performance by Lia Elalouf, the film has captured audiences and critics alike.
At the Ophir Awards, the film dominated, winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Editing, highlighting its technical and emotional strength. Nesher’s sensitive handling of such raw emotions, combined with Lia Elalouf’s powerful portrayal of Eden, has been key to the film’s critical success.
Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, Come Closer won the Viewpoints Award, introducing it to international audiences. The movie’s themes of love and loss have universal resonance, which, paired with its intimate storytelling, has garnered attention across the globe. Following its strong debut, the film continued to make waves, taking home the prestigious Haggiag Award for Best Israeli Feature at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
With Come Closer, Nesher offers a complex yet tender portrayal of how grief can manifest in unexpected ways. Through Eden’s obsessive journey, the film provides a nuanced reflection on how deeply loss can affect the human psyche. It is this emotional depth and character-driven storytelling that make the film a strong contender for the international Oscar race.
Come Closer is not only a gripping exploration of grief but also a testament to Tom Nesher’s skill as a debut director. With its critical acclaim and strong performances, the film has the potential to make a significant impact on the international stage at the 2025 Oscars.
“Grief changes shape, but it never ends.” — Keanu Reeves
This quote resonates with Come Closer, as the film portrays Eden’s journey of grappling with the evolving forms of her grief.