If you aren’t familiar with Jesse and Celine, you should be. These two characters played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are unlike any love story; theirs happens in “real time.” A franchise that spans over nine years, the third installment sees Jesse and Celine in the latest film Before Midnight . The two films that chronicled their journey are 1995’s Before Sunrise , and 2004’s Before Sunset .
In Before Midnight we are reintroduced to the couple who have been orbiting each other for nearly ten years, with a new story by director Richard Linklater. Making its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Before Midnight’s synopsis reads as follows:
“In the eagerly anticipated third chapter in the star-crossed tale of Jesse and Celine, director and co-writer Richard Linklater fast-forwards to nine years after their last meeting. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy deliver powerfully authentic performances as the companions who find themselves at yet another crossroads in their twisting but passionate relationship. The picturesque streets of Greece serve as the latest backdrop to this beautifully crafted love story.”
In an interview that took place last year with Ethan Hawke, the actor who has been pretty much under wraps about the third installment, had this to say about Jesse and Celine’s journey:
“[Before Midnight’s] really a continuation. For me, we just filmed it a couple days ago and I’m still kind of high from the experience. The hardest thing will certainly that the first two have a real following. People care about these characters and we really feel an obligation not to let people down about it. I feel like in a strange way we may have come to the end of the story.”
Later in April Before Midnight will make its Spotlight New York premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. For now we can offer you the first trailer of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s new and perhaps final installment. Are you ready for Jesse and Celine’s chapter to end?
