'' Keep the Lights On '' is a 2012 American drama film written by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias and directed by Sachs . It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival , and was released on September 7 , 2012 by Music Box Films . The film stars Thure Lindhardt as Erik , a Danish filmmaker living in New York City to work on a documentary film about artist Avery Willard ; while there , he enters into a loving but complicated long-term relationship with Paul ( Zachary Booth ) , a lawyer in the publishing industry who struggles with drug addiction . The film 's cast also includes Julianne Nicholson , Souléymane Sy Savané , Paprika Steen , David Anzuelo , Maria Dizzia , and Miguel Del Toro
2012 Sundance Film Festival
2012 Sundance Film Festival
Keep the Lights On