Claire Denis is the director of the romantic thriller film “Stars at Noon”, which tells the story of a love affair put in peril by disturbing events. Trish, a young American journalist, is currently stationed in Nicaragua, but her colleagues have abandoned her there due to rising political tensions. During her reporting on the events of the ongoing revolution, she comes into contact with Daniel, an English businessman who is also stranded in the foreign land. Soon after, they begin to develop romantic feelings for each other and Trish begins to view it as her only opportunity to leave Nicaragua. However, they had no idea that the secrets they hide could end up being the downfall of their lives.
The film stars Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn as the main protagonists, and it’s a gripping story of love, trust, and the will to survive, brought to life through the cast’s exceptional performances. A realistic setting, such as Nicaragua during a time of political upheaval, raises the question of whether the events of the novel or its characters have a basis in real life or a relationship to real people. Is the book “Stars at Noon” a work of fiction or does it refer to real events? Let’s find out together what the answer is!
The stars at noon
Is Stars at Noon a true story?
No, the plot of “Stars at Noon” is not inspired by any real event. The film is an adaptation of novelist Denis Johnson’s bestselling novel of the same name, published in 1986. The well-known novel tells the story of an unidentified journalist who works as a prostitute in a hotel during the time of the Nicaraguan revolution. in 1984. While working there, she meets an English businessman, which leads to the development of a romantic relationship between the two of them. In contrast, Claire Denis’s film is set in the present day and is based on a screenplay she, Léa Mysius and Andrew Litvack wrote together.
Johnson wrote the novel based on his experiences while traveling through Costa Rica and Nicaragua around the year 1984. The author originally planned to write a non-fiction feature for a magazine , but she changed her mind when she realized that writing fictional tropes would make more money and be more recognizable to readers. Interestingly, he gives no names to the characters in the work and refers to the backdrop of the Nicaraguan unrest as a depiction of hell. Johnson decided not to name his protagonists and let them fall in love while hiding their identities as he felt it was appropriate given that hell is mostly meaningless.
Apparently, director Claire Denis first became aware of the novel nearly a decade ago and, after recognizing the story’s potential, made the decision to start adapting it for use in theaters. movies. She explained her interpretation of the work to Variety in an interview, where she said she saw in it an impossible love story between two individuals who, had it not been for the Nicaraguan revolution, would never have met. In the words of the filmmaker, “it is also about the fear and the terror of love, as well as the fear of failure”.
Additionally, Denis made the decision not to set the film in the 1980s like Johnson’s novel does, but rather in the midst of a pandemic in modern times. This was done to make the story more relevant to a modern audience. In order to maintain the film’s authenticity, the director originally planned to shoot on location in Nicaragua; however, given the current political climate in Nicaragua, he ultimately decided to shoot in Panama instead. Moreover, Denis decided to give names to the protagonists of the story in order to create a sense of comfort and familiarity for the reader.
Overall, “Stars at Noon” examines a variety of topics, such as the dark side of love, political intrigue, and how people’s irrational fears cause them to turn to extreme methods for their own ends. survival out of fear of losing something they value deeply. Despite being largely a work of fiction, the romantic subplot gives each audience member something to relate to, allowing them to be both… agree and disagree with the motivations and choices made by the characters. In addition to this, the realistic depiction of the political situation in Nicaragua plays a significant role in elevating the narrative and adding to the ominous undertone of the love story that serves as the film’s focal point.
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Stars at Noon (2022 film) Bio
Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Benny Safdie, Danny Ramirez and John C. Reilly star in the 2022 romantic thriller Stars at Noon, directed by Claire Denis and based on the 1986 novel The Stars at Noon by Denis Johnson. The film was produced in France and directed by Denis. The film had the opportunity to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it ended up winning the Grand Prix instead. Its release date in the United States via A24 is set for October 14, 2022. The film was met with generally excellent reviews from contemporary critics, the majority of whom praised the director and the cast’s performances, despite the fact that many other reviewers criticized the pacing and lack of romantic chemistry in the picture.
Premise
A young American journalist who finds herself stranded in modern-day Nicaragua falls in love with a mysterious Englishman who seems to be her greatest hope of escape. However, she quickly comes to the conclusion that he may be in an even more precarious situation than her. The novel takes place during the time of the Nicaraguan revolution; however, the film is set in the present day during the epidemic.
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Cast
- Margaret Qualley as Trish
- Joe Alwyn as Daniel
- Benny Safdie as CIA man
- Danny Ramirez as Costa Rican Policeman
- John C. Reilly as American Boss
- Nick Romano as Second Lieutenant
- Stephan Proaño as Vice President
- Monica Bartholomew as La Senora
- Carlos Bennett as Mercado taxi driver
- Sebastián Donoso as Taxi Driver 1
- Hector Moreno as travel agent
- Robin Duran as Costa Rican Borders Chief
- Jose Leonel Hernandez as Night Watchman
Production
Ten years ago, when Claire Denis read Johnson’s novel, she interpreted it as a love story between two individuals who build a relationship solely because of the context of the revolution. Denis’ interpretation inspired her to adapt the novel into a film. She continued, “It is also about the anxiety and horror associated with love, as well as the worry of not measuring up.
After a Brattle Theater screening of his 2018 film High Life, which also starred Pattinson, Denis made a speculative announcement in April 2019 that development on the film would continue and that Robert Pattinson would star in the role. A24 announced in February 2020 that they had purchased the distribution rights for North American territories to Claire Denis’ upcoming directorial effort, which also stars Robert Pattinson and Margaret Qualley. This summer was to be the start of filming. After that, filming was supposed to start in April 2021, but it didn’t happen then. Pattinson would leave the picture in July due to scheduling issues, and Taron Egerton would replace him. Filming is currently scheduled to begin in Panama in October 2021. This did not happen and in November Egerton left the film due to personal circumstances. Joe Alwyn was named lead actor. In January 2022, it was revealed that Danny Ramirez would participate in the casting. In April, it was announced that additional casting had been completed, including roles for Benny Safdie and John C. Reilly.
Beginning in December 2021, filming moved to Panama where it continued until 2022. Later that same month, production wrapped. Denis wanted to shoot the film in Nicaragua, but decided against it after the country’s president, Daniel Ortega, was re-elected. She explained her decision saying, “I was aware that it was not possible for me to do this because it would be unethical.
Music
Tindersticks, an English alternative rock band who have contributed music to several films previously directed by Claire Denis, are responsible for composing the music for this film. On October 6, 2022, it was officially revealed that there would be a soundtrack, and on the same day the title track was released as a single. On October 14, 2022, the soundtrack was made available for purchase through City Slang.
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