Linklater’s Before Trilogy

Linklater’s Before Trilogy

Young American Jesse met Céline, a French student, on a train in 1995’s Before Sunrise. What resulted was a 14-hour walk through night-time Vienna filled with talk, laughter and the oh-so-recognisable behaviour of youngsters trying to figure out themselves, life and each other. Their chance meeting led to an enduring attachment that earned two further sequels, each nine years apart: Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013). The trilogy is a real labour of love and collaboration between director Richard Linklater and his actors, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Though the screenplay of the first instalment is credited to Linklater and Kim Krizan, it was reportedly rewritten by the actors on set. The second and third films were jointly written by Linklater, Hawke and Delpy and both screenplays secured Oscar nominations for what are essentially extended conversation pieces in which the characters bare their souls even as they often seem to be discussing everyday issues. Indeed, allowing audiences to uncover the unexpected, whether it be magic or tragedy, behind seemingly quotidian behaviour and dialogue has become a hallmark of this series, whose popularity has only continued to grow over time.