Before the Night

Bruno is a sensitive and impulsive young man of 24. He dreams of a career as a cellist, but has a job as a supply clerk at a bookstore. He is trying to get over an unhappy love affair and feels lonely. When he falls in love with a new girl and things don't work out, Bruno blows his top. He attempts suicide, but is eventually saved. Although the film treats the theme of suicide attempts by young people, it is first and foremost about how difficult it is to handle emotions such as love, solitude, disappointment and friendship... It's about the search for one's own place in a metropolis.

Directed by Manno Lanssens, Before the Night leans on a strong ensemble — Fabrice Boutique, Hilde Heijnen, Kadija Leclère — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1998.