Close Enough to Burn
★★★★
I had the privilege of moderating a screening of Close Enough to Burn at the 2025 deadCenter Film Festival, and while I hadn’t seen the film before stepping onstage, I walked away genuinely moved. It’s a sharply drawn, character-driven indie drama that dives deep into the complicated friendship between an ambitious rap artist, Noel (LaRonn Marzett), and his longtime producer—and friend—Imogen (Clarissa Thibeaux). What starts as a professional dispute soon swells into a powerful exploration of ego, ambition, loyalty and identity.
When an outside mediator, Ari (Grayson Dunn), enters the scene to help smooth things over, he doesn’t just get caught in the middle—he finds himself drawn into their world, forced to navigate his own internal conflicts while trying to defuse theirs. The triangle that forms is tense, tender and tragically real.
Yes, we’ve seen stories before about the tension between artist and industry, but what makes Close Enough to Burn stand apart is its intimacy. It captures the beginning of fame—those spark-before-the-fire moments when talent, chemistry and opportunity are just starting to mix. And it does so without ever feeling forced or over-polished.
The performances are absolutely top-notch. Marzett as Noel gives a magnetic performance that anchors the film with charm and depth—you believe he’s going places, both as a character and as an artist. Thibeaux as Imogen is equally electric: part mogul, part mentor, all business. Together, their chemistry is undeniable.
One of the hardest things to pull off in a film about music is believable music. But this movie nails it. From underground clubs to hazy house parties, the soundtrack is full of original tracks that feel authentic to the world and characters. Shoutout to producer/composer Slyrex, who brings the sonic soul of the story to life.
What stayed with me most was the way writer/director Benjamin Tefera builds this world. Every character, no matter how small, feels lived-in and layered. There’s an emotional honesty to the film that reminded me of that drifting-but-determined time in your twenties, when you’re still trying to figure out who you are and what you’ll fight for.
If you're into strong ensembles, original music and independent cinema that doesn’t hold your hand but trusts you to care, Close Enough to Burn is absolutely worth seeking out. I can’t wait to see what Tefera and crew does next.
