Empire of Light (2023)

From the Academy Award-winning director of 1917, Sam Mendes, Empire of Light is an intimate and moving story about love, friendship, and connection, set in a coastal town in Southern England against the social turmoil of the early 1980s.

Hilary (Olivia Colman), a woman with a difficult past and an uneasy present, is part of a makeshift family at the old Empire Cinema on the seafront. When Stephen (Micheal Ward) is hired to work in the cinema, the two find an unlikely attraction and discover the healing power of movies, music and community.

“This nostalgic film celebrates the unmatched power of the cinematic experience”

The Evening Standard ★★★★

“Olivia Colman shines in Sam Mendes’ darkening hymn to cinema”

The Guardian ★★★★