Summary of the "Before" film series! Which one is your favourite? Here is the synopsis of all three works

//Summary - Level-C2//

The "Before" film series, directed by Richard Linklater, follows the evolving romance of Jesse and Céline over three films: "Before Sunrise" (1995), "Before Sunset" (2004), and "Before Midnight" (2013). The trilogy spans encounters in Vienna, Paris, and Greece, capturing the emotional exchange between the characters as time progresses. The films, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, explore love, connection, and the passage of time in a captivating and dreamlike manner.

1)
It is introducing the "Before" film trilogy. What is the appeal of the romances that follow the time of two people without changing the main cast from 1995 to 2013, such as "Before Sunrise", "Before Sunset", and "Before Midnight"?

The "Before" series is a gem of a romance presented by master director Richard Linklater with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. It depicts the emotional exchange between a man and a woman with limited time together. Here are the highlights of the series in chronological order.

2)
"Before Sunrise" (1995)
Jesse (Ethan Hawke), an American, and Céline (Julie Delpy), a French student at the Sorbonne, meet on a train to Paris. They hit it off, got off the train in Vienna, and spent 14 hours together...

Director Richard Linklater, a master of youth films such as "Bad Tuning" (1993), presents a jewel of a love story starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. After a fateful encounter, a man and a woman spend 14 hours in Vienna. Walking around the city, they engage in a philosophical conversation about each other's views on life. I can't help but want to watch this dreamlike time.

3)
"Before Sunset" (2004)
Nine years have passed since that day in Vienna. Jesse (Ethan Hawke), who has become a writer, visits a bookstore in Paris for a lecture. Celine (Julie Delpy), now an environmental activist, arrives. The two meet again and decide to walk around Paris until it's time for Jesse's flight.

This work was produced as a sequel to the previous work "Before Sunrise". The story takes place nine years after the main characters, played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, met, and the film itself was shot nine years after the previous film. Director Richard Linklater depicts the moment of interaction between two people who meet again on the streets of Paris and has a structure in which the time in the film and the running time run simultaneously.

4)
"Before Midnight" (2013)
Nine years have passed since we met in Paris. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) are on holiday in Greece with their children. However, the two are worried about each other, and when Jesse suggests they move to the United States, they fall out.

This sequel to the romance series was made 18 years after "Before Sunrise", in which they spent 14 hours on Vienna Street, and nine years after "Before Sunset", in which they were reunited in Paris. Director Richard Rinkureter captures the hearts of men and women as they pass each other in a seaside town in Greece—a Moment Until Midnight marks the final chapter of the series and leaves a quiet aftertaste.

Summary of the "Before" film series! Which one is your favourite? Here is the synopsis of all three works

https://filmaga.filmarks.com/articles/50930/#goog_rewarded

Add info No1)

//Before Sunrise story// - Before Sunrise Distance to Lover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9LaUEDf_u0

Celine is a Parisian studying literature at the Sorbonne. On her way home from visiting her grandmother, she meets Jesse, a young American newspaper reporter, on the Euro train from Budapest to Paris. After fleeing a fight between a German couple and taking refuge in a restaurant on the train, the two have endless conversations about themselves, their work and childhood memories. Even when they arrive at Vienna station, where Jesse gets off, their conversation isn't over. They don't want to stop. They want to talk some more. Jesse is honest about his feelings. There are 14 hours until tomorrow morning. "Would you like to walk with me through Vienna?" Feeling the same, Celine grabs her luggage and leaves the train with Jesse. Cobbled streets, churches, record shops, Ferris wheels in parks, floating restaurants, old bars, mysterious fortune tellers, poets on the river... The little events that Celine and Jesse encounter on the street spark a feeling in their hearts. As they walk, they talk about their recently ended romance, and when they stop at a café, they confess to each other what a fantastic encounter they have just had. But the end of the 14 hours is near. The two, who couldn't afford to stay in a hotel, embraced in the park as dawn broke. In the morning, it was time to say goodbye. But the two cannot say goodbye. "Let's meet here in six months." The two finally reveal their true feelings. After 14 hours, the lovers are finally closer.

Add info No2)

It is a love story between a man and a woman that everyone can relate to. The "Before" series depicts the 18 years from meeting to reunion to marriage based on the timeline.

https://kusayan.com/archives/5035

Before Sunset - Highlights

1. delicate acting
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are very committed to their roles and, despite their long break, perfectly portray their characters' unique personalities. Their dialogue is natural and fluent; they fully understand their characters.

2. beautiful scenery of Paris
The film is set in Paris, and the beautiful scenery of Paris gives the film a unique atmosphere. One of the highlights is the lovely footage of the two walking through the streets of Paris and along the Seine River.

3. time limit
The story takes place during Jessie's brief stay in Paris. Since the two can only meet for an hour and a half after their reunion, they narrow the topic and discuss their feelings and memories. This time limit gives the film a sense of tension.

4. philosophical conversation
It's also a movie where the two talk about what they've experienced over the past nine years and their plans. Their discussions include philosophical questions about love, the purpose of life, and death, making the audience think deeply.

5. soundtrack
The film's soundtrack consists of soothing music, including "A Waltz for a Night," written by Ethan Hawke and sung by Julie Delpy. Their music further amplifies the film's atmosphere and gives the audience strong emotions.

Before Sunset - A Waltz For A Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1wXlXP5bVg

https://www.letras.com/julie-delpy/140162/

Let me sing you a waltz
Out of nowhere, out of my thoughts
Let me sing you a waltz
About this one night stand

You were for me that night
Everything I always dreamt of in life
But now you're gone
You are far gone
All the way to your island of rain

It was for you just a one night thing
But you were much more to me
Just so you know

I hear rumors about you
About all the bad things you do
But when we were together alone
You didn't seem like a player at all

I don't care what they say
I know what you meant for me that day
I just wanted another try
I just wanted another night
Even if it doesn't seem quite right
You meant for me much more
Than anyone I've met before

One single night with you little Jesse
Is worth a thousand with anybody

I have no bitterness, my sweet
I'll never forget this one night thing
Even tomorrow, in other arms
My heart will stay yours until I die

Let me sing you a waltz
Out of nowhere, out of my blues
Let me sing you a waltz
About this lovely one night stand

Add info No3)

The Before Trilogy | Portraying a Real Relationship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGQVbazviwk

//Summary - Level-C2//

The text explores the evolution of Jesse and Celine's relationship over 18 years in the Before Trilogy. Richard Linklater challenges romantic ideals, portraying the couple's phases from the dreamlike beginning in Vienna to reunion in Paris to the complexities of interdependency in Greece. Each film, set nine years apart, captures different stages, revealing the transformative nature of love. Despite disillusionment and conflicts in "Before Midnight," the enduring connection shines. The trilogy offers insights into life's forces and the pursuit of happiness, showcasing rare moments that can change everything. The narrative emphasises realism, portraying the couple's growth, making it a profound exploration of love and relationships, ultimately revealing the enduring connection created on a train ride to Vienna.

1)
They met about 18 years ago. They sort of film up a little bit, and then we look, and then we look track of each other, and a decade later, we ran into each other. He wrote a book inspired by it and went to look for this pretty romantic.

It was not only to mention he was married; relationships evolve again. They change as we change; because of this, they're always a work in progress. Few have captured this as eloquently as Richard Linklater has with us before the trilogy over almost two decades. He challenged a romanticised view of love.

2)
We so often see it in films to uncover the reality behind it. Each film is set nine years after the last and shows the main characters Jesse and Celine, played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, in different phases of their lives.

According to Ethan Hawke, "Before Sunrises" is about "what might be", "Before Sunset" is about "what could or should be", and "Before Midnight" is about "what is". Today, I want to look at each of these films to explore.

How Richard Linklater portrays these different stages of a relationship and effectively captures the evolution of love over a lifetime, but I feel we have some connection right.

3)
You should get off the train with me here in Vienna and check out the town before SSunrise. We meet Jesse and Celine, who spend the night walking together and talking through Vienna. They fall in love in the morning, and they say goodbye. This particular story is unique because it almost feels like it takes place in a tangent universe. There are two strangers in a strange city.

4)
There's no real reason for them to be together or genuine reason to be in Vienna. Even Jesse and Celine seem to acknowledge this. They feel like it is a dream. It's so weird. It's like our time together is just ours. It's our creation.

This feeling captures much of the essence of a blossoming romance between two young people on the verge of adulthood at the height of their freedom.

It's a love that exists entirely on its own.

5)
Richard Linklater captures that beautifully by setting up this dreamlike scenario stripped down of everything except the connection between Jesse and Celine, creating an almost archetypal story of attraction.

The first film was just about trying to capture, you know, the intangible thing between these two people, which was a very minimalist design. Nothing significant happened in the movie other than this connection.

6)
So I remember wanting to make a film just about that. It's also worth noting that Linklater included a female co-writer and allowed Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy to rewrite the script to create an equal balance between males and females. Then, the dynamic - between them- I wanted this for the first film.

They want to make one as much as possible that's male and female that you know it's not from his point of view or her point of view it is because of this that I think the film appeals so much to both men and women both characters feel equally fleshed out making their conversations in chemistry all the more realistic and relatable.

7)
Jesse and Celine are back in reality as the Sun comes up, and their fairytale romance ends. He needs to catch his flight, and she moves on to Paris. It's a bittersweet ending with the beauty of having experienced a meaningful connection and the sadness of knowing it was always destined to end.

When Jesse and Celine meet again, they leave this face of young romance. Jesse is married and has a son; Celine is also committed to her boyfriend's relationship.

8)
they both have jobs and are generally more engaged in the world around them, which becomes apparent in their conversations, which, especially in the beginning, are more politically grounded in reality as opposed to the more free-spirited and philosophical discussions they had nine years.

The first movie is about hope and romance when you're 22- 23, and everything's just about the future. This movie finds us in our early 30s and immersed in the reality of life.

9)
In this phase, it becomes more difficult for Jesse and Celine to be romantic, as many of their ideas about romantic love have faded away. Celine expresses this when she talks about her relationships.

She starts that way; she has too many blah relationships. They cared for her, but there was no real connection or excitement from her side. Jessie also talks about being unhappy in his marriage. There's something wrong.

10)
They can see that they can't keep living like this and that there's got to be something more to love than commitment. Still, then, they think that they might have given up.

Although it may seem like this is a natural process of disillusionment, their brief time in Paris also made Jesse and Celine realise how much they are still affected by the night in Vienna.

It's where they realise awareness of having a genuine connection with someone. When you're young, you believe there'll be many people when later in life, you know it only happens a few times, and You can screw it up.

11)
"Before Sunset" shows how the connection between Jesse and Celine, despite its romanticised notions, does carry meaning and importance. In this sense, the film feels like a call to action.

It is here that Jesse and Celine have discovered the value of that which they took for granted when they were younger and which they almost gave up on as they got older.

They must decide what they want from life and who they want to share it with before Midnight. This is the film where we glimpse life after happily ever after. We jump in on the last day of Jesse and Celine's summer vacation in Greece.

12)
They have been together for some time, and our relationship has evolved into interdependency. They have two kids together and all the responsibilities that come with it, but at the same time, they also have plenty of other commitments. They have their careers. Their friend, Jesse, still has his son from his previous marriage.

13)
It seems like a phase without much room for romance, which, according to Richard Linklater, is why we don't see many films about a couple falling in love, reconnecting and falling in love; that's something a couple in a relationship.

Or whatever is on a regular day, that area you don't see represented much. I think the main challenge in this relationship stage is figuring out how to deal with the conflicting interests, little grievances, and general complications that come into our path when you're in a state of interdependency when you have committed your life to someone.

Some situations will lead to the conflict "Before Midnight", which explores Jesse and Celine's long and devastating fight scene. Ironically, the scene starts as a love scene as Jesse and Celine finally have a night to themselves.

14)
However, things worsen when a conflict arises that starts a chain reaction of arguments. Although this might have been a complex scene to watch to many, I think there's beauty in how they handled their conflict.

15)
Arthur Francis, who spooked the wild edge of sorrow in my view on the new world, points out that conflicts can lead to more profound intimacy and anger when done well, which is a relational process. It is revelatory.

Like I tell you, I am telling you something so profound about me. I'm angry because something got to me so much at the heart of Who I am; something I love, something I cherish, something I want to protect has been injured and violated, and so I need to tell you about this so you know me more deeply.

16)
In a way, the fight scene between Jesse and Celine is, well, we see that connection shine the most. They are letting each other know what is upsetting them, and they do so in a way that includes support and even a bit of humour.

Ultimately, it allows them to save their relationship and perhaps even make it stronger, not in the way most films show us.

Still, as Jesse puts it, if you want true love, then this is it. This is real life. It's not perfect, but it's confirmed what we see here is the result of Jesse and Celine's journey over the last 18 years. We've seen their lives become more complicated.

17)
But we've also seen them grow stronger and their love grow deeper. We've seen their relationship from sensing a connection to dedicating their lives to each other.

Looking back at the trilogy, we are given even more than a look into a relationship; we also get a great sense of the forces that determine it.

18)
In our lives, the story of Jesse and Celine has shown us a messy and random universe that can make us feel like we have no control over our lives, but then again.

The same universe also gives us these brief windows of opportunity that have the potential to change everything. Here, we find it essential to act on these rare moments to chase after what makes us happy and what makes life worth living.

19)
Of course, it takes courage so much. Those who said everything else in motion before the trilogy builds on this by illuminating the rest of the journey not just to show how life challenges our romantic ideals but also to think it helps us with these romantic ideals despite the reality of life.

Ultimately, even when Jesse and Celine's relationship seems unromantic, we still see the connection at their heart. This connection was created all those years ago on the train ride to Vienna.

//Postscript//

Jesse tells Celine that ten years from now, 20 years from now if you marry another man, You will have a bad guy like me.
In the future, you will think that it is better to be married to your current husband than to be with that evil man. That man is me.
So, he allows Celine to spend the night at a train station in Vienna.

In the final scene, he says he is a time traveller from the future sent by Celine, who is now 80.
And he says he has her letter.
At 80 years old, she is still beautiful and with him. And in her letter, she begs him not to reject him.

Before we got married, my husband suggested that my girlfriend's husband, her father-in-law, and I go to visit her family's graves.
At first, I didn't feel perfect about it because I didn't know if I would get married.
But he said, "Now we will go into this grave together."
When I heard that, I was utterly determined to get married.

Telling stories from the future or the past, like fairy tales, is necessary when communicating essential things.
Imagining yourself as someone else and conveying something meaningful to them is also very effective.