Following its theatrical and digital releases, Empire of Light is now available for audiences to bring home on Blu-ray and DVD.

My review ran shortly after the Canadian premiere during TIFF. There’s no denying that the film is the cinematography from Roger Deakins is beautiful. This is one of a number of films about the power of cinema in 2022. As for the rest of the film, not everyone will agree. To each their own.

Synopsis

From director and writer Sam Mendes, 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.

Bonus Features

• Creating Empire of Light – Go behind the scenes of this personal film with writer-director Sam Mendes, and uncover the story’s origins and the director’s love of cinema. See how the perfect location was found to rebuild a classic movie theater that had the cast in awe

DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER: Sam Mendes
CAST: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, with Toby Jones and Colin Firth

Searchlight Pictures released the film on December 9, 2022. The film is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital.

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