Up Close Again

Melanie drives a taxi in Amsterdam. She likes the work for the independence and freedom it offers her and interacting with her passengers. But on this night, she picks up someone she knows. Dennis, with whom she was once intimate with but who went way too far and abused her trust and her body. Melanie seizes the opportunity to have a conversation she would otherwise never have dared to initiate in the safety of her own cab—a conversation about boundaries, consent, and differing interpretations of the same evening.

Directed by Kristjan Knigge, Up Close Again leans on a strong ensemble — Alice Eefting, Ayrton Kirchner, Esther van der Werf — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2023.