Bardem's heart-breaking central performance prompted his Oscar nomination for Best Actor in this biopic of poet, Reinaldo Arenas. Having fought for the revolution, Arenas finds himself imprisoned and an outcast in Castro's homophobic Cuba. Schnabel employs a lyrical narration of Arenas's texts with a subtlety and intensity that has lead to the poet's books selling by the thousand in the US.

Venice Film Festival 2000, Grand Jury Prize.

"'Before Night Falls' is rapturous, intoxicating filmmaking... Don't miss it! Javier Bardem gives a mesmerizing and inspired performance!" - Rex Reed, New York Observer

"Dizzyingly gorgeous" - Stephen Holden, The New York Times

"Impressive... painter turned filmmaker Julian Schnabel uses celluloid as a broad canvas to tell the life story of poet / author Reinaldo Arenas while vividly evoking pre- and post-revolutionary Cuba. Javier Bardem gives a breakthrough performance as Arenas." Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune