A chance meeting between two married people sparks an impossible chemistry and tragic emotional entanglement, in a film that is rich in pathos and masterfully crafted.

***Brief Encounter*** is a 1945 British [romantic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_film#Romantic_drama "Romance film") [tragedy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy "Tragedy") film directed by [David Lean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lean "David Lean") from a [screenplay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenplay "Screenplay") by [Noël Coward](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No%C3%ABl_Coward "Noël Coward"), based on his 1936 [one-act play](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-act_play "One-act play") *[Still Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Still_Life_(play) "Still Life (play)")*. The film stars [Celia Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_Johnson "Celia Johnson") and [Trevor Howard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Howard "Trevor Howard") in lead roles, alongside [Stanley Holloway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Holloway "Stanley Holloway"), [Joyce Carey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Carey "Joyce Carey"), [Cyril Raymond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Raymond "Cyril Raymond"), [Everley Gregg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everley_Gregg "Everley Gregg") and [Margaret Barton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Barton "Margaret Barton").

*Brief Encounter* tells the story of two married strangers living in pre-World War II England, whose chance meeting at a railway station leads to a brief yet intense emotional affair disrupting their otherwise conventional lives.

The film premiered in London on 13 November 1945, followed by its wide release on 25 November. It received widespread critical acclaim, with Johnson and Howard's performances earning high praise, and moderate commercial success at the box-office.

*Brief Encounter* received three nominations at the [19th Academy Awards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_Academy_Awards "19th Academy Awards") for [Best Director](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Director "Academy Award for Best Director") (Lean), [Best Actress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Actress "Academy Award for Best Actress") (Johnson) and [Best Adapted Screenplay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Adapted_Screenplay "Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay"). The film was one of eleven winners in the *[Grand Prix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palme_d%27Or "Palme d'Or")* category at the [1946 Cannes Film Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946_Cannes_Film_Festival "1946 Cannes Film Festival"), while Johnson won the [New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Film_Critics_Circle_Award_for_Best_Actress "New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress").

Many critics, historians, and scholars consider *Brief Encounter* as [one of the greatest films of all time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_voted_the_best "List of films voted the best")*.* In 1999, the [British Film Institute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Film_Institute "British Film Institute") ranked it the [second-greatest British film of all time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFI_Top_100_British_films "BFI Top 100 British films"). In 2017, a *[Time Out](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Out_(magazine) "Time Out (magazine)")* poll of 150 actors, directors, writers, producers, and critics ranked it the 12th-best British film ever.

* Director
David Lean
* With
Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey
* UK 1945. 87min
* Digital
* Certificate
PG

In partnership with the David Lean Foundation and Noël Coward Foundation.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=6301226B-B8BE-44C3-B099-EB841718AE79&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=5286279B-B110-4231-B5A7-4C4FF965A091 . Note: This film may sell out quite early.

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Brief Encounter + 80th Anniversary discussion - SOLD OUT!

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Brief Encounter + 80th Anniversary discussion - SOLD OUT!

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