Before Sunset is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, from a story by Linklater and Kim Krizan. It is the first film by Warner Independent Pictures. The sequel to Before Sunrise (1995) and the second installment in the Before trilogy, Before Sunset follows Jesse (Hawke) and Céline (Delpy) as they reunite nine years later in Paris. Linklater, Krizan, Hawke, and Delpy began developing a larger budget sequel in the 1990s, but failed to secure funding to begin production. After writing the film independently, with portions inspired by Hawke's separation (and eventual divorce) from Uma Thurman, the writers came together in 2003 and incorporated elements of their individual screenplays
