After the success of his 2007 musical film '' Once , '' Carney wrote the script for '' Begin Again '' in 2010 and employed Gregg Alexander to compose most of the film 's music . With an US$ 8 million budget , production began in July 2012 with filming taking place in various locations around New York City . The film premiered in September 2013 at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released theatrically on June 27 , 2014 , in conjunction with the release of the film 's soundtrack . It has grossed over $ 63 million worldwide and received mostly positive reviews from critics . It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for " Lost Stars "
Toronto International Film Festival
2013 Toronto International Film Festival
Begin Again (film)