Kit Zauhar’s sophomore effort is a cringe comedy/drama about strange AirBnb interactions between socially stunted host Adam (Ian Edlund) and his two guests, Tessa (Kit Zauhar) and her boyfriend Ben (Zane Pais), who are visiting for a high-school reunion. Razor-sharp commentary about intimacy – how it’s weaponised, desired and feared – is at the heart of this minimalistic film.

In This Closeness, we stay exclusively within the walls of a drab, corporate-ish Philadelphia apartment. This blatantly impersonal feel fits in well with the theme of modern-day loneliness. The micro-budget aesthetic embedded in the film’s cinematography is striking. It feels appropriate for a story revolving around forced intimacy between strangers, successfully conveying a sense of claustrophobia.

There are constant reminders of how no scene is private. Even if a character isn’t on screen, it doesn’t mean they’re not listening (intentionally or not). The couple’s arguments, sex and conversations are interspersed with close-ups of the host in the room next door. Adam is always a stone’s throw away, creating this lingering skin-crawling tension throughout the entire runtime of 88 minutes.

The events are seen primarily through the perspective of Tessa, played by the director herself. Tessa is an ASMR YouTuber (a semi-niche type of YouTube content focused on whispers, soft sounds and roleplaying). Her gentle audios are sprinkled throughout the entire story, providing the film with texture, and also a core metaphor for artificial proximity. The ASMR effectively frames Tessa as a modern manufacturer of intimacy with her content. This allows for Zauhar to examine our protagonists’ relationships, their desire for familiarity, and the elusive “closeness” in question.

Awkward intimacy permeates this movie in both the dense conversations and the moments of silence. This is when the cringe comedy devices sneak in. Zane Pais does a stellar job, blending cheek with naivety. The scenes with his childhood friend Lizzie (Jessie Pinnick) are the most uncomfortable ones to watch: they flirt clumsily in front of Tessa. Toxic masculinity and poor communication skills prevent Ben from engaging with Tessa fully, yet he is never malicious. Edlund’s delivery also deserves praise: his character is equally off-putting and tender. Edlund shows empathy for this slightly intimidating loner character without necessarily forgiving him for his bizarre actions, or pretending as if he’s fully innocent in his conversations with Tessa.

Zauhar has a home run on her hands. Not as effortlessly fun and universally appealing as her debut Actual People (2021), This Closeness is more inventive, adventurous and urgent. A wispy relationship drama, and a rumination on the strange ways Generation Z forges intimacy.

This Closeness is available now on Mubi.