Before Night Falls DVD

Before Night Falls DVD - 2000 film directed by Julian Schnabel. Episodic look at the life of Cuban poet and novelist, Reinaldo Arenas (1943-1990), from his childhood in Oriente province to his death in New York City featuring Academy Award nomine Javier Bardem. Victimized by a government that banned his books and jailed him for a crime he did not commit, Reinaldo Arenas endured unspeakable persecution in a courageous stand against censorship and oppression. Without a country but not without integrity, he flees to America where he continued to write for personal expression and produced a stirring body of work. He befriends Lázaro Gomes Garriles, with whom he lives stateless and in poverty in Manhattan after leaving Cuba in the Mariel boat-lift. When asked why he writes, he replies cheerfully, 'Revenge.' Also stars Olivier Martinez, Andrea DiStefano and Johnny Depp. The movie is in English, Spanish, Russian and French - though the DVD says there is a Spanish audio track. There are also optional subtitles in English, Spanish or French. There is commentary with the director and Javier Bardem, documentary shorts and more. Rated R for strong sexual content, some language and brief violence.