Sam Mendes has a new movie coming out Friday, December 9, 2022. Empire of Light is a drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times. The film is set in an English coastal town in the early 1980's. Written and directed by Mendes, the film stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward and Colin Firth.

Sam Mendes was at Film at Lincoln Center on Tuesday, December 6 for a free talk with President of Film at Lincoln Center, Lesli Klainberg. They discussed the scope of Mendes work in theatre and film, sharing clips of his work from the films 1917 and Road to Perdition. The talk included a clip from Empire of Light and learning the movie is personal to Mendes. The movie is based around his mother's own struggle with mental illness. Mendes grew up an only child watching his mother fight the illness.

Empire of Light follows Hilary (Olivia Colman), a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward), a new employee who longs to escape this provincial town in which he faces daily adversity. Both Hilary and Stephen find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship and come to experience the healing power of music, cinema, and community.

Below are a few photos from the talk at Lincoln Center as well as the official trailer for the film.