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When Night Is Falling

Play trailer Poster for When Night Is Falling R 1995 1h 34m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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56% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Camille (Pascale Bussières) is a mythology lecturer at a conservative Christian college. She's engaged to be married and is on the path to a stable career. But, when her dog dies, Camille finds her life unraveling. At a low ebb, she crosses paths with fiery circus performer Petra (Rachael Crawford) in a laundromat, and sparks fly. With Petra pursuing her ardently, Camille experiences a sexual awakening and must confront the daunting prospect of changing her entire existence.

Critics Reviews

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Jack Mathews Los Angeles Times 02/13/2001
1/5
It is so focused on its own boldness, its dare-to-shock sensuality (the film got an NC-17 from the MPAA, but is being released unrated), that nothing else comes through. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
1.5/4
When Night is Falling has too many unintended laughs for its passion to be convincing. Go to Full Review Edward Guthmann San Francisco Chronicle 01/01/2000
3/4
Rozema is a fabulist with a strong visual sense, and she creates a distinctive, enclosed world to illustrate Camille's odyssey. Go to Full Review Marya E. Gates Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack) 08/16/2024
Many of the themes that often reoccur in Rozema's films -- and her life -- are explored at length here, as the film ruminates on myths and Christianity, on human nature vs “moral law,” on acts of performing vs observing. Go to Full Review Anne Stockwell The Advocate 04/19/2022
More eloquent than many a filmmaker with twice the financial resources, Rozema has created a joyous and entirely original portrait of the heavenly experience of coming out. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 10/02/2005
B+
The film is intelligent, sensitive and in its own uniquely quiet way quite a delicious treat. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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kim hang l @RT91731232 12/25/2024 This is my favorite movie about lesbianism, it has 18+ elements but is not sexualized, trying to create a rigid sexiness, and then I found out that the director is a woman, it is true to my thoughts about the director when watching the movie, it is simple, natural. I really like the images, the color of the movie, the arrangement of the surrounding external elements, and even the dialogue-free images. The sound of the Digan drum beats throughout the movie, the other music is also very good. The actors play their roles well. This is not an art movie but it is not simply entertainment, it is simple, easy to watch and you should try it. See more Mark U @RT41161432 07/05/2022 If I could grade this movie separately for its first half and second half I would have given 4 stars for the first and 2 stars for the second. The first half successfully sets up an intriguing storyline around the soon-to-be-wed couple Camille and Martin, both professors at a conservative homophobic theology school, whose lives are crashed into by the free-spirited performance artist Petra. Camille and Petra get together, then just as we're waiting for the expected consequences and conflicts, the movie loses its way completely, almost as if someone's dog ate the script after page 60 and they had to make it up from memory. See more 05/18/2021 Find this gem on Pluto Tv for free crazy this was released in 1995 and I am now seeing it so scammed the description and saw circus so I just hit play lol happy I watched it movie was pretty cute I was very nervous tho I truly thought miss Camille wasn't gonna end up with Petra because homegirl had her moments where I was like "omg if you don't just accept her love already damn it "lol but I was happy with the ending I would recommend anyone to watch it very cute couple wish they dated in real life See more 07/21/2017 One of my absolute favorite films. Beautiful story. Interesting relationship between the women. I keep this film a secret to many and sometimes to myself just so I don't over saturate. See more 04/15/2013 the actings a bit cardboard but story and sex scenes are hot! plus trapeze artidts are fierce See more 02/17/2013 intrigue and passion See more Read all reviews
When Night Is Falling

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Patricia Rozema

Director

Pascale Bussières

Camille Baker

Rachael Crawford

Petra

Henry Czerny

Martin

David Fox

Reverend DeBoer

Tracy Wright

Tory

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When Night Is Falling

When Night Is Falling (1995) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Camille (Pascale Bussières) is a mythology lecturer at a conservative Christian college. She's engaged to be married and is on the path to a stable career. But, when her dog dies, Camille finds her life unraveling. At a low ebb, she crosses paths with fiery circus performer Petra (Rachael Crawford) in a laundromat, and sparks fly. With Petra pursuing her ardently, Camille experiences a sexual awakening and must confront the daunting prospect of changing her entire existence.
Director
Patricia Rozema
Producer
Barbara Tranter
Screenwriter
Patricia Rozema
Distributor
October Films
Production Co
Crucial Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 17, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
May 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$786.0K
Runtime
1h 34m
Sound Mix
Surround