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Empire of Light

Middle aged woman with brown hair looks as if she will cry with joy as she walks into a room to someone holding a chocolate cake with a lit candle, she is followed by a smiling young man and there are balloons in the room.
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British actors Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward make for surprisingly symbiotic leads in a somewhat meta story about the healing power of cinema and community that sees the UK’s Sam Mendes reunite with iconic cinematographer Roger Deakins for a gorgeously-shot, scored, designed and acted drama set in Margate.

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Synopsis

Depressed cinema manager Hilary (Olivia Colman) prepares her venue and staff for the regional premiere of Chariots of Fire amid rising recession, racial tensions and a decaying town. Meanwhile new employee Stephen (Micheal Ward) forms a connection with Hilary and could be the ray of sunshine she’s been searching for.