‘Empire of Light’ trailer highlights the power of human connection

Today, Searchlight Pictures debuted a trailer for Empire of Light, a moving drama from Academy Award^®-winning director and writer Sam Mendes 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.

Rounding out the cast are Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, and Crystal Clarke, with Toby Jones and Colin Firth. The filmmaking team includes producer Pippa Harris; executive producers Michael Lerman and Julie Pastor; co-producers Celia Duval and Lola Oliyide; director of photography Roger Deakins;  production designer Mark Tildesley; costume designer Alexandra Byrne; hair and makeup Designer Naomi Donne; editor Lee Smith; sound mixer Wilson; casting director Nina Gold; music supervisor Randall Poster; and composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

Empire of Light opens in theaters on December 9, 2022.