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Synopsis:

“Twenty-one-year-old Leo (Pierre Mignard) is the eldest son of a tight knit rural French family headed by youthful parents who love him and accept his homosexuality. When the family learns of Leo’s HIV-positive status, things become much more challenging for the loving group–especially for youngest brother Marcel (Yannis Lespert), who is being excluded from serious family discussions about Leo’s condition due to his age. But Marcel overhears one particular conversation and learns the devastating news on his own, leading the 11-year-old on a quest for the truth even as his family continues to pretend that nothing is wrong. This warm French drama explores the boundaries of family love during times of crisis from a unique and very moving perspective.”

Plot:

When 21 year-old Leo, the oldest of four brothers, announces to his rural French family that he's HIV+ family bonds are tested. The family decides that 11 year Marcel, the youngest, is too young to understand and the family agrees to keep the unsettling news from him. Marcel overhears enough to understand that something is amiss with Leo and when the two travel to Paris together, Marcel confronts Leo with what he suspects.

Independent Review:

"We Are Family"

CLOSE TO LEO as written and directed by Christophe Honore is one of the most sensitive, warmly human stories to be captured on film in recent years. This small but very touching film radiates the beauty that can be found in families devoted to each other, a type of love that seems all too rare these days.

Leo (Pierre Mignard) at age 21 is the eldest of four sons of a small family in a little town in Brittany. Leo is gay and is completely accepted for his lifestyle by his parents (father - Dominic Gould and mother Marie Bunel) as well as his younger brothers Tristan (Rodolphe Pauley), Pierrot (Jeremie Lippmann) and the youngest , 11 years old Marcel (Yannis Lespert). When Leo discovers he is HIV positive, his family is supportive and plans to look for the best treatment and care. However, their discussion and closeness to Leo is not shared with Marcel who is 'protected' from AIDS information the family feels would be damaging to Marcel.

Problem: Marcel overhears the discussion and is enraged by his exclusion, forcing him into destructive behavior with his little friend. Ultimately Leo accepts his family's advice to seek treatment in Brest and Paris and decides to take Marcel with him on his journey for help (and for a assignation with a previous lover). As Leo's difficulty in facing his disease grows in intensity, he sends Marcel home and the ending of the movie is a sensitive climax best left for the viewer to absorb alone.

Not only is this story one that restores our belief in the sanctity of family, it also presents a potentially cataclysmic topic with such reverence for privacy and for understanding that it becomes a major accomplishment due much more visibility than it has gained. The glowing warmth and tenderness displayed by the father for his children and his wife, the beauty of the brotherly love as presented in the performances by these understated substantial actors, and the incredible dignity that Pierre Mignard and Yannis Lespert as Leo and Marcel bring to their roles is astonishingly fine. This is a quiet, profound little film about family.It merits your attention, not only for for viewing but for a place in you film library.
~ Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA, United States)

Independent Review:

" Closer and closer . ."

"Written and Directed by Christopher Honore, Close to Leo, tells the story of Leo (Pierre Mignard) who tells his parents and younger brothers one night, at dinner, that he is HIV positive. The family decides it best to not tell the youngest brother Marcel (Yannis Lespert) because he is only 12 and would not comprehend the situation. What develops is a trip for both Leo and Marcel that takes them to Paris and binds them even closer.

This movie is well written and well acted. The inner workings of the family is exposed after Leo reveals his status; and the director takes his time to explore the change that comes over each character. Mignard is excellent in playing Leo, a strong young man coming to terms with his own mortality, yet still trying to be brave for his parents and brothers. Lespert is impressive in his performance as a smart, strong willed 12 year old that is struggling to comes to terms with his brother's condition. The vulnerability of Leo and Marcel is incredibly real; not to mention the grief and worry portrayed by Leo's family is so genuine you feel like a member of the family. This movie is heavy, but well worth the exposure to have many human emotions stirred up to the point of real empathy.
~Cookie Crook (Arlington, VA, United States)

Film Information: "Close To Leo"

Web: Cast, Bios and Additonal Details at IMDb
Director: Christophe Honoré
Writers: Diastème (writer) & Christophe Honoré (novel)
Complete Credits: Full Cast, Crew & Credits
Genre: Drama
Awards: Official Selection: Outfest Los Angeles GLFF, Frameline San Francisco GLFF, Reeling Chicago GLFF
Run Time: 90 min.
Spoken Language: French
Available Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese

Film Clip: "Close To Leo"

Download Links:

Subtitles: English .srt subtitle file (1)
http://rapidshare.com/files/274188412/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.srt
Film Arhcive Files (8)
http://rapidshare.com/files/215878155/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part01.rar.exe
http://rapidshare.com/files/215878232/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part02.rar.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/215878228/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part03.rar.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/215881134/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part04.rar.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/215896310/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part05.rar.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/215896864/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part06.rar.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/215897025/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part07.rar.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/215878184/gif-xC-L-O-S-E_T-O_L-E-O.part08.rar.rar

Note: These archive files are self-extracting.
You do not need any third party program on your computer to extract these archives.
For PC: Download all files to a folder then click the file with the "part01.rar.exe" extension.
For Mac: Download all files to a folder & use your "Stuff It" expander. Click on the "part1.rar.exe" file.
Subtitles: Download .srt file to the same folder. Your Media Player will recognize & play it.
File Safety: All files are processed by Kaspersky Internet Security and contain no viruses, malware, Trojans, Spyware, adware or worms.

Sponsor G.I.F.T. in AIDS WALK 2009 with a Donation Now!

To make your donation go directly to the G.I.F.T. Fundraising Page at firstgiving.com
and click on the . . . . .

link which is located at the top of the G.I.F.T. Fundraising Page at that site.