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Before Night Falls 2000

This powerful biopic portrays the extraordinary life and literary talent of Reinaldo Arenas. The film follows his journey from a carefree childhood through challenging experiences as a writer and marginalized figure in Castro's Cuba. Facing persecution and exile, Arenas ultimately finds a path to freedom in America, revealing a profound story of artistic expression, resilience, and the complexities of the human spirit.

This powerful biopic portrays the extraordinary life and literary talent of Reinaldo Arenas. The film follows his journey from a carefree childhood through challenging experiences as a writer and marginalized figure in Castro's Cuba. Facing persecution and exile, Arenas ultimately finds a path to freedom in America, revealing a profound story of artistic expression, resilience, and the complexities of the human spirit.

Does Before Night Falls have end credit scenes?

No!

Before Night Falls does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Before Night Falls

Explore the complete cast of Before Night Falls, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


No actors found

Ratings and Reviews for Before Night Falls

See how Before Night Falls is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Before Night Falls stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

85

Metascore

6.9

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

74%

TOMATOMETER

review

83%

User Score

IMDb

7.1 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

67

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Before Night Falls Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Before Night Falls with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Before Night Falls Quiz: Test your knowledge on the life and works of Reinaldo Arenas as depicted in the film 'Before Night Falls'.

What year was Reinaldo Arenas arrested for ideological deviation?

Awards & Nominations for Before Night Falls

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Discover all the awards and nominations received by Before Night Falls, from Oscars to film festival honors. Learn how Before Night Falls and its cast and crew have been recognized by critics and the industry alike.


73rd Academy Awards 2001

Javier Bardem
Nomination

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem

58th Golden Globe Awards 2001

Javier Bardem
Nomination

Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama (Actor)

Javier Bardem

16th Film Independent Spirit Awards 2001

Nomination

Best Feature

Julian Schnabel
Nomination

Best Director

Julian Schnabel
Javier Bardem
Win

Best Male Lead

Javier Bardem
Nomination

Best Cinematography

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Before Night Falls

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Read the complete plot summary of Before Night Falls, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Before Night Falls narrates the poignant journey of Reinaldo Arenas, a talented writer, poet, and novelist hailing from a humble rural background in Eastern Cuba. Initially, he was an enthusiastic supporter of the Cuban Revolution that elevated Fidel Castro to power in 1959. In 1963, Arenas transitioned to La Habana, where he cultivated his passion for writing. His literary debut, El mundo alucinante (Hallucinations), published in 1966, garnered significant acclaim, earning an honorable mention from the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists.

However, as an openly gay man, Arenas faced severe repercussions. In 1973, he was charged with ideological deviation, leading to his arrest. Despite his imprisonment in the infamous El Morro, he managed to escape, only to be rearrested and subsequently incarcerated again. In 1976, he regained his freedom and, four years later, was part of the Mariel Boatlift, which transported Cuban exiles to the United States.

Settling in New York City, Arenas continued his literary pursuits, releasing works such as Cantando en el pozo (Singing From the Well) in 1982, followed by El palacio de la blanquísimas mofetas (Palace of White Skunks) the same year and El portero (The Doorman) in 1987. Tragically, he took his own life by overdose on December 7, 1990, at the age of 47. His memoir, Antes que anochezca (Before Night Falls), was published three years posthumously and served as a significant inspiration for this film, produced in 2000. Arenas is compellingly portrayed by the Spanish actor Javier Bardem, whose performance includes remarkable command over a Cuban accent, bringing an authentic touch to this deeply emotional narrative.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Before Night Falls

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Before Night Falls. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Before Night Falls ≣ 2000 ≣ Trailer

Before Night Falls Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


gaymale frontal nudityhomosexualgay latinogay kisscaribbean seacubamale pubic hairbrief male full frontal nuditygay protagonistimplied gay sex1950s1960s1970snude boypoetnovelisthavana cubaboymale rear nuditybare chested malemale nudityfiestacross dresserbeachgay slurgay bashingpubic hairco written by directorbased on autobiographybased on documentaryoriente cubacubancommunist cubaprostitutesocial dramayounger version of characterrebellionnational librarymanual typewriter1980ssexual intolerancepolitical suppressionescape from prisonsuicide by jumping off a buildingfalse arrestinner tubepolitical refugeeromantic dramasuicide attempt

Before Night Falls Other Names and Titles

Explore the various alternative titles, translations, and other names used for Before Night Falls across different regions and languages. Understand how the film is marketed and recognized worldwide.


Antes do Anoitecer Avant que tombe la nuit Ennen yötä Prin pesei i nyhta Πριν Πέσει Η Νύχτα Prima che sia notte Bevor es Nacht wird Antes que anochezca Avant la nuit Mielőtt leszáll az éj לפני שהלילה יורד Zanim zapadnie noc 비포 나잇 폴스 Пока не наступит ночь Než se setmí Antes Que Anoiteça 夜になるまえに Животът на Рейналдо Аренас 当黑夜降临 Karanlıktan Önce სანამ დაღამდება ก่อนรัตติกาล Înainte de căderea nopții Поки не настала ніч

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Other Names for Before Night Falls

Explore the alternate titles, translations, and working names for Before Night Falls. Learn how the film is known in different regions, languages, and releases, and discover the variations that reflect its cultural reach and marketing choices.


Antes do Anoitecer Avant que tombe la nuit Ennen yötä Prin pesei i nyhta Πριν Πέσει Η Νύχτα Prima che sia notte Bevor es Nacht wird Antes que anochezca Avant la nuit Mielőtt leszáll az éj לפני שהלילה יורד Zanim zapadnie noc 비포 나잇 폴스 Пока не наступит ночь Než se setmí Antes Que Anoiteça 夜になるまえに Животът на Рейналдо Аренас 当黑夜降临 Karanlıktan Önce სანამ დაღამდება ก่อนรัตติกาล Înainte de căderea nopții Поки не настала ніч

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