To the Night
| To the Night | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Brunner |
| Written by | Peter Brunner |
| Produced by | Carly Hugo Sabine Moser Oliver Neumann Matthew Parker Klara von Veegh |
| Starring | Caleb Landry Jones Eleonore Hendricks Abbey Lee Jana McKinnon Christos Haas |
| Cinematography | Daniel Katz |
| Edited by | Peter Brunner |
Release date |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
| Countries | Austria United States |
| Language | English |
To the Night is a 2018 drama film written and directed by Austrian filmmaker Peter Brunner. It stars Caleb Landry Jones, Eleonore Hendricks, Jana McKinnon, Christos Haas, and Abbey Lee. The film follows a traumatised artist and father struggling with the psychological aftermath of a childhood fire and his attempts to maintain family life.
The film premiered in competition at the 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[1] It was produced as an international co-production between Austria and the United States.[2]
Premise
Norman, a young artist living in New York, is haunted by the memory of a childhood fire in which his parents died. As he attempts to build a life with his partner and infant son, his unresolved trauma increasingly affects his relationships and perception of reality.[1][3]
Cast
- Caleb Landry Jones as Norman
- Eleonore Hendricks as Penelope
- Abbey Lee as Caty
- Jana McKinnon as Luna
- Christos Haas as Andi
Production
Principal photography took place in New York City between September and October 2016.[2] The film was financed with support from the Austrian Film Institute and the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), and produced by FreibeuterFilm in co-production with Loveless and Ulrich Seidl Film Produktion.[2]
According to production materials and trade reporting, filmmaker Michael Haneke was involved in a consultative role on the film's development.[4] Brunner has been described in industry coverage as a filmmaker associated with Haneke's broader Austrian film tradition.[5]
The sound design was by Stefan Rosensprung, Philip Waldenberger, and Manuel Grandpierre. Costumes were designed by Rachel Dainer-Best, and production design was by Katie Hickmann.[2]
Reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Boyd van Hoeij of The Hollywood Reporter described it as "a psychological acid trip of a movie", highlighting Caleb Landry Jones' performance.[6]
Nick Allen of The Film Stage awarded the film a Grade B, calling it an "unrelenting showcase" for Jones' performance.[7]
Cinema Austriaco praised the film's contemplative tone and its depiction of psychological interiority.[8]
Cineuropa highlighted the film's impressionistic style and emphasis on subjective experience over narrative structure.[9]
Accolades
To the Night received several festival selections and nominations:
- 2018: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Nominated for the Crystal Globe[10]
- 2018: Bolzano Film Festival Bozen – True Colors International Distribution Prize
- 2018: International Hofer Filmtage – Nominated for the Special Prize of the City of Hof
- 2019: Pendance Film Festival – Best Director Award (Peter Brunner)
- 2020: Austrian Film Award – Nominated for Best Editing (Peter Brunner)
- 2020: Schnitt Preis – Nominated for Feature Film Editing
References
- 1 2 "To the Night". Cineuropa. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- 1 2 3 4 "To The Night". Österreichisches Filminstitut. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ "To the Night". www.austrianfilms.com (in German). Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ Nordine, Michael (2018-07-01). "'To the Night' Trailer: Caleb Landry Jones Leaves Ebbing, Missouri for New York in Surreal Karlovy Vary Drama — Watch". IndieWire. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (2018-06-28). "'To The Night' Trailer: Caleb Landry Jones Is An Artist Suffering From PTSD In Karlovy Vary-Bound Drama". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ Hoeij, Boyd van (2018-07-06). "'To the Night': Film Review | Karlovy Vary 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ O'Connor, Rory (2018-07-22). "Karlovy Vary Review: 'To the Night' is an Unrelenting Showcase for Caleb Landry Jones". Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ "To the Night (2018) Review | Cinema Austriaco". 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ "GoCritic! Feature: To the Night". Cineuropa. 2018-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
- ↑ "Karlovy Vary International Film Festival". www.kviff.com (in Czech). Retrieved 2026-07-01.
External links
- To the Night at IMDb