Before Night Falls

Directed by Julian Schnabel, this film chronicles the life of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, capturing his journey from a rural childhood to his persecution as a gay man under Fidel Castro’s regime. The narrative delves into Arenas’ struggles with censorship and imprisonment, as well as his eventual escape to the United States. Javier Bardem delivers a powerful performance in the lead role, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The film also features appearances by Johnny Depp and Sean Penn. For those interested, it can be viewed for free on Soap2day.