Before Sunrise (1995) is a minimalist romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater, starring Ethan Hawke (Jesse) and Julie Delpy (Céline), built entirely on dialogues, observations, and instantaneous connections.
The Film’s Core Story and Flow
The story begins on a train departing from Budapest and traveling to Paris via Vienna. Jesse is a young American trying to catch a cheap flight departing from Vienna to return to America. Céline is a French student returning to her university in Paris after visiting her grandmother in Budapest. When an arguing married couple sitting next to them on the train makes Céline change her seat, she sits next to Jesse. A casual conversation begins between the two, and they quickly find a deep connection.
Inspiration from a True Story
The film is, in part, yes, inspired by a true story. Director and screenwriter Richard Linklater took the core idea for the film from a night he personally experienced in Philadelphia in 1989.
Richard Linklater’s Real Experience
Linklater spent a day in Philadelphia in 1989 before returning to New York after visiting his sister in Germany. There, he met a woman named Amy Lehrhaupt in a toy store. Just like in the film, they walked through the streets of Philadelphia from midnight until morning, entered cafes, and had deep conversations about life. Linklater says that an incredible attraction and a strong bond formed between them that night.
The Film’s Genesis and Differences
As they walked that night, Linklater told Amy, “I want to make a movie about this experience.” Amy loved the idea too.
However, there are some significant differences between real life and the film:
1. While Jesse and Céline in the film decide not to exchange contact information, in real life, Richard and Amy exchanged phone numbers and tried to stay in touch for a while.
2. Due to the distance at the time (Linklater lived in Texas, and Amy lived in New Jersey) and intervening life circumstances, their connection completely broke off after a while.
The Tragic End of the Story
While making the film, Linklater hoped that Amy would somehow learn about the film and, like in Vienna, one day appear at the premiere to meet him. The film was released in 1995, but there was no word from Amy.
Linklater only learned what truly happened in 2010, after the second film in the series, Before Sunset. A friend of Amy Lehrhaupt reached out to Linklater and shared the painful truth: Amy had died in a motorcycle accident in 1994 (when she was just 24 years old), shortly before the filming of Before Sunrise began.
So, Amy never saw this iconic film inspired by her, nor her imprint on cinematic history. After learning this, Linklater dedicated the third film in the series, Before Midnight (2013), to the memory of Amy Lehrhaupt.