Film. An illusion of life.|Dec. 09, 2022|United Kingdom|115 Min.|R
Genre: 4K-2160p;Drama;Romance
Description: “Empire of Light,” set in 1980, follows Hilary Small, a duty manager at the Empire Cinema in Margate, a coastal town in Kent, England. Struggling with bipolar disorder, Hilary leads a solitary life, taking lithium prescribed by her doctor. She is involved in an affair with her boss, Donald Ellis. The story takes a turn when Stephen, a new Black British employee who lives with his nurse mother, Delia, joins the cinema. Hilary and Stephen develop a relationship, but they face challenges from the local racism Stephen encounters and Hilary’s troubled past.
Hilary’s mental health worsens, leading to mood swings and a sabbatical after it’s revealed she spent time in a psychiatric hospital. During a screening of “Chariots of Fire,” she publicly exposes her affair with Donald to his wife, Brenda. Stephen attempts to support Hilary, but her condition results in a police raid on her home and her being sectioned. Upon her return to work, Stephen is brutally attacked by members of the National Front and hospitalized with severe injuries.
During Stephen’s recovery, Hilary visits him, and his mother shares that Stephen often thinks of her. Hilary, who has never watched a full film at the cinema, asks Norman, the projectionist, to show her a movie. He screens “Being There.” After Stephen’s release, he is accepted to study architecture at the University of Bristol. Initially hesitant to say goodbye, Hilary ultimately embraces him and wishes him well.
The film concludes with Hilary continuing her life and work at the cinema, finding contentment as she embraces the next chapter of her journey.
Cast director: Sam Mendes
Cast actor: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Toby Jones, Colin Firth, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Sara Stewart, Adrian McLoughlin
Original name: Empire of Light