The Before trilogy consists of three romantic drama films—Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013)—directed by Richard Linklater and starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The films were written by Linklater, in collaboration with Kim Krizan for the first installment and with the lead actors for the sequels. The series follows the romantic relationship of Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) across more than eighteen years. Each film is set over the course of several hours and features dialogue-driven storytelling that explores their relationship, personal identities, and differing perspectives. The Before trilogy explores themes of love, death, fate, nostalgia, temporality, existentialism, and urban wandering.
The series grossed $61.5million worldwide against a combined budget of $8.2million. It was met with critical acclaim, with particular praise for its screenplays, Linklater's direction, and the performances of Hawke and Delpy. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the three films hold respective approval ratings of 100%, 94%, and 98%.
The trilogy received numerous accolades. Linklater won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival for Before Sunrise. In 2025, the film was selected by the National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the United States Library of Congress's National Film Registry. Before Sunset and Before Midnight were both nominated for the Bodil Award for Best English Language Film, the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature, the Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture, and the Silver Condor Award for Best Foreign Film, with both screenplays also nominated at the Academy Awards, the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the Online Film Critics Society Awards, and the Writers Guild of America Awards. Before Sunset won Best Film in the Village Voice Film Poll, where Linklater was voted Best Director. Before Midnight screenplay won several awards, including the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay, while Delpy received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Before Sunrise + Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Berlin International Film Festival February 22, 1995 Silver Bear for Best Director Golden Bear Before Sunrise Chicago Film Critics Association Awards March 12, 1996 Best Screenplay and Kim Krizan MTV Movie Awards June 10, 1995 Best Kiss and Ethan Hawke National Film Preservation Board January 29, 2026 Selection for the National Film Registry Before Sunrise
Before Sunset + Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Academy Awards February 27, 2005 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, and Kim Krizan Berlin International Film Festival February 15, 2004 Golden Bear Before Sunset Bodil Awards February 27, 2005 Best English Language Film Before Sunset Boston Society of Film Critics Awards December 13, 2004 Best Film Before Sunset Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards December 22, 2009 Best Film of the Decade Before Sunset Empire Awards March 13, 2005 Best Actress Film Independent Spirit Awards February 26, 2005 Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Gotham Awards December 1, 2004 Best Feature Before Sunset IndieWire Critics Poll December 22, 2009 Best Film of the Decade Before Sunset International Cinephile Society Awards February 19, 2005 Best Picture Before Sunset February 4, 2018 15th Anniversary Award for All-Time Favorite Best Picture Before Sunset Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards December 11, 2004 Best Actress National Board of Review Awards January 11, 2005 Special Recognition for Excellence in Filmmaking Before Sunset National Society of Film Critics Awards January 9, 2005 Best Picture Before Sunset Best Actress Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke New York Film Critics Online Awards December 11, 2004 Top Films of the Year Before Sunset Online Film Critics Society Awards January 10, 2005 Best Picture Before Sunset Best Actress Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards December 13, 2004 Best Actress Silver Condor Awards June 27, 2005 Best Foreign Film Before Sunset Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards December 20, 2004 Best Film Before Sunset Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards January 20, 2005 Best Film Before Sunset Village Voice Film Poll December 30, 2004 Best Film Before Sunset Best Director Best Lead Performance Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Writers Guild of America Awards February 19, 2005 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, and Kim Krizan
Before Midnight + Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result AARP Movies for Grownups Awards February 10, 2014 Best Screenwriter , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Best Grownup Love Story Before Midnight Academy Awards March 2, 2014 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards December 19, 2013 Best Woman Screenwriter Austin Film Critics Association Awards December 17, 2013 Best Film Before Midnight Best Austin Film Before Midnight Bodil Awards February 1, 2014 Best English Language Film Before Midnight Boston Online Film Critics Association Awards December 7, 2013 Best Film Before Midnight Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Chicago Film Critics Association Awards December 16, 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Critics' Choice Awards January 16, 2014 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Louis XIII Genius Award , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke (for the Before trilogy) Detroit Film Critics Society Awards December 13, 2013 Best Film Before Midnight Best Actress Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards December 18, 2013 Best Film Before Midnight Best Director Best Actor Best Actress Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Film Independent Spirit Awards March 1, 2014 Best Female Lead Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Golden Globe Awards January 12, 2014 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Golden Trailer Awards May 30, 2014 Best Romance Before Midnight Gotham Awards December 2, 2013 Best Feature Before Midnight Hollywood Film Awards October 21, 2013 Hollywood Screenwriter Award , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Houston Film Critics Society Awards December 15, 2013 Best Picture Before Midnight Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke IndieWire Critics Poll December 17, 2013 Best Film Before Midnight Best Director Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Best Ensemble Before Midnight International Cinephile Society Awards February 23, 2014 Best Picture Before Midnight Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards December 8, 2013 Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke National Society of Film Critics Awards January 4, 2014 Best Actress Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke New York Film Critics Online Awards December 8, 2013 Top Films of the Year Before Midnight Online Film Critics Society Awards December 16, 2013 Best Picture Before Midnight Best Actress Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Robert Awards January 26, 2014 Best English Language Film Before Midnight San Diego Film Critics Society Awards December 11, 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards December 13, 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Satellite Awards February 23, 2014 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Silver Condor Awards August 11, 2014 Best Foreign Film Before Midnight South by Southwest Film Festival March 9, 2013 Festival Favorites Before Midnight St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards December 16, 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Best Art-House or Festival Film Before Midnight Toronto Film Critics Association Awards December 17, 2013 Best Actress Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Turkish Film Critics Association Awards January 20, 2014 Best Foreign Film Before Midnight Village Voice Film Poll January 2, 2014 Best Film Before Midnight Best Actress Best Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards December 8, 2013 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke Women Film Critics Circle Awards December 16, 2013 Best Woman Storyteller Best Equality of the Sexes Before Midnight Best Screen Couple and Ethan Hawke Writers Guild of America Awards February 1, 2014 Best Adapted Screenplay , Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke
Notes
References
Sources