Before Night Falls is a 2000 American biographical drama directed by Julian Schnabel. The film is based on both the autobiography of the same name by Reinaldo Arenas—published in English in 1993—as well as Jana Boková's 1990 documentary Havana. The screenplay was co-written by Schnabel, Lázaro Gómez Carriles and Cunningham O'Keefe. The film stars Javier Bardem (his international film debut, and who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor), Johnny Depp, Olivier Martinez, Andrea Di Stefano, Santiago Magill and Michael Wincott. The film had its world premiere at the 2000 Venice International Film Festival. Plot In the film, Arenas is born in Oriente Province in Cuba in 1943 and raised by his single mother and her parents, who soon move the entire family to Holguín. After moving to Havana in the 1960s to continue his studies, Reinaldo begins to explore his ambitions, as well as his sexuality. After receiving an honorary mention in a writing contest, Arenas is offered the chance to publish his first work. Through his work and friendships with other openly gay men (such as Pepe Malas and Tomas Diego), Arenas manages to find himself. The political climate in Cuba becomes increasingly dangerous, and in the early 1970s Arenas is arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting minors, and for publishing abroad without official consent. In the next decade, he is in and out of prison, attempting and failing to leave the country several times. In 1980, Arenas finally leaves Cuba for the United States, starting a new life with his close friend Lazaro Gomez Carriles. A few years later, Arenas is diagnosed with AIDS, and after spending several years suffering he dies in 1990. Cast Javier Bardem as Reinaldo Arenas Olivier Martinez as Lázaro Gómez Carriles Johnny Depp as Bon Bon / Lt. Víctor Héctor Babenco as Virgilio Piñera Andrea Di Stefano as Pepe Malas Santiago Magill as Tomás Diego John Ortiz as Juan Abreu Manuel González as José Lezama Lima Francisco Gattorno as Jorge Camacho Marisol Padilla Sánchez as Margarita Camacho Michael Wincott as Herberto Zorilla Ochoa Pedro Armendáriz Jr. as Reinaldo's Grandfather Sean Penn as Cuco Sanchez Najwa Nimri as Fina Zorilla Ochoa Diego Luna as Carlos Cy and Olmo Schnabel as Reinaldo's classmates Vito Maria Schnabel as Teenage Reinaldo Lola Schnabel as Girl with keys Stella Schnabel as Valeria Jack and Esther G. Schnabel as Mr. and Mrs. Greenberg Olatz López Garmendia as