WATCH NOW:

BUY NOW:

Keep the Lights On

About the Film

Keep the Lights On chronicles an emotionally and sexually charged journey of two men in New York City through love, friendship, and addiction. Documentary filmmaker Erik (Thure Lindhardt) and closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth, Damages) meet through a casual encounter, but soon find a deeper connection and become a couple. Individually and together, they are risk takers—compulsive, and fueled by drugs and sex. In an almost decade-long relationship defined by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries and dignity while being true to himself. Director Ira Sachs’s fearlessly personal screenplay is anchored by Lindhardt, who embodies Erik’s isolation and vulnerability with a gentle presence. Harrowing and romantic, visceral and layered, Keep the Lights On is a film that looks at love and all of its manifestations, taking it to dark depths and bringing it back to a place of grace.

Official website: http://keepthelightsonfilm.com/

Starring: Starring Thure Lindhardt, Zachary Booth, Julianne Nicholson, Souleymane Sy Savane

Director: Ira Sachs

Release Date: 09/07/12

Reactions

“STUNNING! Moving and totally engrossing.”- Simon Abrams, indieWIRE

"Forget Brokeback Mountain; Keep the Lights On is the grittiest and most heartbreaking gay love story of our times." - Dan Heching, NEXT Magazine

“Easily the finest dramatic film I saw at Sundance this year.” - Andrew O’Hehir, Salon

“Beautiful and devasting.” - Tom Hall, Filmmaker Magazine

“A must-see.” - David Fear, Time Out New York

“(A) beautifully aching love story. Sach’s stunner is a front-runner for best American film of the year.” - Eric Hynes, The Village Voice

Awards

Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Feature Nominee
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Director Nominee (Ira Sachs)
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Actor Nominee (Thure Lindhardt)
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Original Screenplay Nominee (Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias)
Winner! Outfest 2012 - Outstanding Screenwriting in a US Dramatic Feature Film
Winner! Outfest 2012 - Outstanding US Dramatic Feature Film
Winner! Berlin International Film Festival 2012 Teddy Award - Best Feature Film
Sundance Film Festival 2012 - Official Selection
Sundance Film Festival 2012 Grand Jury Prize Nominee - Dramatic Film

Cast & Crew

Cast

Erik Rothman: Thure Lindhardt
Paul Lucy: Zachary Booth
Claire: Julianne Nicholson
Alassane: Souleymane Sy Savane

Crew

Director: Ira Sachs
Writers: Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias
Producers: Ira Sachs, Marie Therese Guirgis, Lucas Joaquin
Executive Producers: Ali Betil, Adam Hohenberg, Lars Knudsen, Jawal Nga, Jay Van Hoy
Cinematography: Thimios Bakatakis

Technical Info

Production Year: 2012
Release Date: 09/07/12
Countries of Production: US
Languages: English
Running Time: 1h 46m
Screen Ratio: 16:9
Rating: Unrated

News & Press

From the Blog

Music Box Films Releases Honored with 7 Independent Spirit Award Nominations [11/28/2012]

‘Keep the Lights On’ gets 4/5 stars from The Arts Desk [11/1/2012]

‘Keep The Lights On’ director Ira Sachs to be at NYC screenings [8/31/2012]

‘Keep The Lights On’ playing at L.A.’s Outfest in July [6/11/12]

‘Keep The Lights On’ at the 2012 Provincetown International Film Festival [6/4/12]

‘Keep The Lights On’ at San Francisco’s Frameline Film Festival [6/4/12]

Music Box Films Takes Ira Sachs’ ‘Keep The Lights On’ [3/12/12]

Theaters

Theater Name

City

State

Date

Angelika NY

New York

9/7/12

Chelsea

New York

9/7/12

Sundance Cinema Sunset 5

Los Angeles

California

9/7/12

Playhouse 7

Pasadena

California

9/7/12

Elinor Bunin Film Center - AUGUSTINE

New York

9/7/12

Landmark Theatre Berkeley

Berkeley

California

9/14/12

Landmark Theatre SF

San Francisco

California

9/14/12

Sag Harbor

New York

9/21/12

Camera 3

San Jose

California

9/21/12

Lumiere Theatre

San Francisco

California

9/21/12

Palme D'Or

Palm Desert

California

9/21/12

Angelika Mosaic

Fairfax

Virginia

9/21/12

West End

Washington, D.C.

District of Columbia

9/21/12

Ritz at the Bourse

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

9/21/12

The Neon

Dayton

Ohio

9/30/12

Wexner Center for the Arts

Columbus

Ohio

10/5/12

SIFF

Seattle

Washington

10/5/12

TIFF Bell Lightbox

Toronto

Canada/Ontario

10/12/12

Ken Cinema

San Diego

California

10/12/12

Kendall Square

Cambridge

Massachusetts

10/12/12

Tower Theater

Miami

Florida

10/12/12

Magnolia

Dallas

Texas

10/19/12

Varsity Ashland

Ashland

Oregon

10/19/12

Uptown Birmingham

Detroit

Michigan

10/19/12

Regal Delray Beach

Delray Beach

Florida

10/19/12

Gateway (FL)

Fort Lauderdale

Florida

10/19/12

Cinestudio

Hartford

Connecticut

10/21/12

Landmark Theatre Denver

Denver

Colorado

10/26/12

Landmark Theatre Minneapolis

Minneapolis

Minnesota

10/26/12

Midtown Art

Atlanta

Georgia

10/26/12

Capitol Cleveland

Cleveland

Ohio

10/26/12

Music Box Theatre

Chicago

Illinois

10/26/12

The Ryder

Bloomington

Indiana

11/2/12

Arbor 8

Austin

Texas

11/2/12

Park Terrace 6

Charlotte

North Carolina

11/2/12

The Belcourt

Nashville

Tennessee

11/2/12

Violet Crown

Austin

Texas

11/2/12

Boedecker Theater

Boulder

Colorado

11/9/12

Kahala Theatre

Honolulu

Hawaii

11/9/12

Studio on the Square

Memphis

Tennessee

11/9/12

Living Room

Portland

Oregon

11/9/12

The Loft

Tucson

Arizona

11/9/12

Vancity Theater

Vancouver

Canada/British Columbia

11/9/12

Shea 14

Scottsdale

Arizona

11/9/12

Taos Center For The Arts

Taos

New Mexico

11/11/12

Space Gallery

Portland

Maine

11/14/12

Castro Theatre

San Francisco

California

11/14/12

Tower Theatre SL

Salt Lake City

Utah

11/16/12

Dundee Theatre

Omaha

Nebraska

11/16/12

Michigan Twin

Ann Arbor

Michigan

11/19/12

Harris Theater

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

11/23/12

The Screen

Santa Fe

New Mexico

11/30/12

Cinema du Parc

Montreal

Canada/Quebec

12/7/12

Keep the Lights On - Press Page

Hi Res Photos

For single image download (Open and Right-click to save to desktop)

Awards

Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Feature Nominee
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Director Nominee (Ira Sachs)
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Actor Nominee (Thure Lindhardt)
Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Best Original Screenplay Nominee (Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias)
Winner! Outfest 2012 - Outstanding Screenwriting in a US Dramatic Feature Film
Winner! Outfest 2012 - Outstanding US Dramatic Feature Film
Winner! Berlin International Film Festival 2012 Teddy Award - Best Feature Film
Sundance Film Festival 2012 - Official Selection
Sundance Film Festival 2012 Grand Jury Prize Nominee - Dramatic Film

Reactions

“STUNNING! Moving and totally engrossing.”- Simon Abrams, indieWIRE

"Forget Brokeback Mountain; Keep the Lights On is the grittiest and most heartbreaking gay love story of our times." - Dan Heching, NEXT Magazine

“Easily the finest dramatic film I saw at Sundance this year.” - Andrew O’Hehir, Salon

“Beautiful and devasting.” - Tom Hall, Filmmaker Magazine

“A must-see.” - David Fear, Time Out New York

“(A) beautifully aching love story. Sach’s stunner is a front-runner for best American film of the year.” - Eric Hynes, The Village Voice

Detailed Film Info

Keep the Lights On chronicles an emotionally and sexually charged journey of two men in New York City through love, friendship, and addiction. Documentary filmmaker Erik (acclaimed Danish actor Thure Lindhardt in his first leading role in a U.S. film) and closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth, Damages) meet through a casual encounter, but soon find a deeper connection and become a couple. Individually and together, they are risk takers—compulsive, and fueled by drugs and sex. In an almost decade-long relationship defined by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries and dignity while being true to himself.