Empire of Light

From Academy Award®-winning director and writer Sam Mendes (Directing, “American Beauty,” 1999), “Empire of Light” is a moving drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times. Set in and around a faded old cinema in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, it follows Hilary (Olivia Colman), a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward), a new employee who longs to escape this provincial town in which he faces daily adversity. Both Hilary and Stephen find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship, and come to experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community.

• Directed By

  Sam Mendes

• Written By

  Sam Mendes

• Produced By

  Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris

• Cast

  Micheal Ward, Tanya Moodie, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, Olivia Colman, Colin Firth

• Awards

  • Nominee - 2023 Academy Award® for Cinematography