After Darkness (1985 film)
1985 film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
After Darkness is a 1985 Swiss-British psychological thriller film directed and written by Dominique Othenin-Girard and Sergio Guerraz. Starring John Hurt, Julian Sands and Victoria Abril, it follows a man who takes his brother out of psychiatric care after a suicide attempt. The film was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and was later restored for a 2025 screening at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival.[1][2][3]
Sergio Guerraz
Sergio Guerraz
| After Darkness | |
|---|---|
DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Dominique Othenin-Girard Sergio Guerraz |
| Written by | Dominique Othenin-Girard Sergio Guerraz |
| Starring | John Hurt Julian Sands Victoria Abril |
| Cinematography | William Lubtchansky |
| Edited by | Daniela Roderer |
| Music by | Benedikt Jeger |
Production companies | T&C Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Countries | Switzerland Great Britain |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
After his brother is released from a psychiatric clinic, Peter, an anthropology professor, moves into an apartment with him and tries to prevent another suicide attempt. His brother is troubled by dreams of a lost twin, and Peter gradually takes on aspects of the man he is trying to help. Their arrangement is disrupted by the arrival of one of Peter’s colleagues, a former lover who becomes interested in his brother.[1]
Cast
The cast includes:[2]
- John Hurt as Peter
- Julian Sands as Laurence
- Victoria Abril as Pascale
- Pamela Salem as Elisabeth
- William Jacques as Dr. Coles
Reception
Awards and nominations
In 1985, After Darkness was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.[1]
Critical response
Filmdienst described After Darkness as a visually strong feature-film debut with a sensitively acted lead performance, while finding that its shifting, sometimes unclear narrative structure made it harder to follow.[2] Pierre-Yves Walder, director of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, described the film as a compelling English-language psychological thriller with atmospheric photography.[1] Le Temps described it as one of the most intriguing French-speaking Swiss films of the previous forty years, noting that the 1985 psychological suspense film had long remained out of view.[3]
Festival screenings
In 1985, the film was screened at the Locarno Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival.[1] In 2025, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival presented a restored version of the film at Filmo’s initiative.[3]