about blue valentine

Two of the most gifted young actors working in cinema today - Academy Award nominees Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams - star in BLUE VALENTINE, a romantic drama that follows the intense relationship between a couple who fall passionately in love in their early twenties, and then face challenges to their marriage six years later.

Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Williams) are parents of a beloved young daughter, but their relationship has seen better days as they struggle with the demands and expectations of work and family life. At breaking point, but flooded with romantic memories of their courtship, the couple steals away to a hotel; they have one night to try and rekindle their passion, and save their marriage.

Deftly pulling between past and present moments in time, BLUE VALENTINE is a raw and subtly-drawn portrait of the ebb and flow of love. Under the assured direction of Derek Cianfrance (who developed the project over a twelve year period), the extraordinary, award-calibre lead performances elevate a universal story to gripping emotional heights. BLUE VALENTINE is also enriched by the contributions of acclaimed cinematographer Andrij Parekh and Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear, who provide an elegiac soundtrack to this intimate, honest and deeply affecting cinema experience.

BLUE VALENTINE is the only film of 2010 to have received Official Selection at the Sundance, Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals.

a Palace Films release

FEATURES - Audio commentary with director Derek Cianfrance, Deleted scenes, Q & A session, Making of BLUE VALENTINE, Dean & Cindy's home movies, Theatrical trailer.

OWN IT NOW on DVD, Blu-Ray and iTunes | a Palace Films release

acclaim for blue valentine

international acclaim

"Lushly touching, wrenching, and beautifully told. Gosling and Williams give performances that sear, delight, and break your heart."
Owen Gleiberman, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

"A considerable accomplishment. The film lives and breathes with emotional truth."
Todd McCarthy, VARIETY

"Subtle, intelligent, honest & brilliant –Gosling & Williams's performances will leave audiences gasping for breath.."
YAHOO MOVIES (UK)

"Heartbreakingly romantic. Gosling and Williams have a dynamic, volatile chemistry perfectly suited to Dean and Cindy's white-hot attraction."
Tim Grierson, SCREEN DAILY

"Not to be missed! Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams give two of the most explosive and emotionally naked performances you will see anywhere."
Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

"The best movie of the year. Beautifully acted and emotionally honest – naturalistic, heartbreaking, real and rare."
Joe Neumaier, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

"Gosling and Williams have the most palpable chemistry of any screen couple in this achingly tender tale of love… A beautifully mesmerizing film."
Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

"Something extraordinary."
Betsy Sharkey, LOS ANGELES TIMES

awards & festivals

cast & crew

Ryan Gosling

Michelle Williams

Faith Wladyka

Mike Vogel

Derek Cianfrance

RYAN GOSLING / DEAN

Landing the controversial lead role in Henry Bean's THE BELIEVER was a career breakthrough for Ryan Gosling, garnered him rave reviews and industry-wide attention. He continues to be noticed as "one of the most exciting actors of his generation," as recently declared by Manohla Dargis, critic for The New York Times. In 2004, he was lauded as ShoWest's Male Star of Tomorrow. In 2007 Gosling was honored with both a Golden Globe and SAG Actor nomination for his work in Craig Gillespie's LARS AND THE REAL GIRL. The previous year he garnered an Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor for his role in Ryan Fleck's HALF NELSON. Other film credits include: Alex & Andrew J Smith's THE SLAUGHTER RULE, Barbet Schroeder's MURDER BY NUMBERS, Boaz Yakin's REMEMBER THE TITANS, Matthew Ryan Hoge's THE UNITED STATES OF LELAND, Nick Cassavettes' THE NOTEBOOK, Marc Forster's STAY and Gregory Hoblit's FRACTURE. Forthcoming films include Andrew Jarecki's ALL GOOD THINGS and Nicholas Refn's DRIVE. In addition to his work on screen, Ryan recently released the album Dead Mans Bones.

MICHELLE WILLIAMS / CINDY

Williams' riveting performance in Ang Lee's BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN earned her a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award as well as Best Supporting Actress nominations from SAG, Golden Globe, BAFTA and ultimately an Academy Award® nomination. In 2004, Williams shared a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination with her fellow actors from Thomas McCarthy's THE STATION AGENT for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2005, Williams was honored by the Motion Picture Club as Female Star of Tomorrow. Her other screen credits include: Wim Wenders' LAND OF PLENTY, Charlie Kaufman's SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, Todd Haynes' I'M NOT THERE, Dan Harris' IMAGINARY HEROES, Richard Ledes' A HOLE IN ONE, Ethan Hawke's THE HOTTEST STATE, Julian Goldberger's THE HAWK IS DYING, Sandra Goldbacher's ME WITHOUT YOU, Kelly Reichardt's WENDY AND LUCY, Andrew Fleming's DICK and Martin Scorcese's SHUTTER ISLAND, opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. Forthcoming films include Kelly Reichhardt's MEEK'S CORNER, Sarah Polley's TAKE THIS WALTZ and Simon Curtis's MY WEEK WITH MARILYN starring as Marilyn Monroe.

FAITH WLADYKA / FRANKIE

Faith Wladyka (Frankie), a six year old New York native, is thrilled to be making her film debut in BLUE VALENTINE. When Faith is not filming, she enjoys dancing, soccer and playing with her brother, sister and dog.

MIKE VOGEL / BOBBY

Mike Vogel has quickly become one of the most sought after young actors in Hollywood. He will be soon seen on the highly anticipated series MIAMI MEDICAL by Jerry Bruckheimer on CBS. His most recent film is the comedy SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE. Other recent films include: Alex Merkin's ACROSS THE HALL, Matt Reeves's CLOVERFIELD, produced by J.J. Abrams. Additional film credits include Wolfgang Petersen's POSEIDON, Rob Reiner's RUMOUR HAS IT, John Cosgrove's CAFFIENE, Dario Piana's THE DEATHS OF IAN STONE, Steve Boyum's SUPERCROSS, Ken Kwapis's THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS and opposite Jessica Biel in Marcus Nispel's THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE in 2003. Vogel won critical praise for his break-through performance in MTV's musical adaptation of WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

DEREK CIANFRANCE / CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR

Derek attended the University of Colorado's film school, where he studied under avant-garde film legends Stan Brakhage and Phil Solomon. His first three student films took the university's top prize and earned him a Special Dean's Grant for Achievement in the Arts as well as the Independent Film Channel's top award for Excellence in Student Filmmaking. Derek went on to shoot and edit his first feature, BROTHER TIED, at the age of 23. The film made its American premiere at Sundance, where it was lauded as "one of the most striking American independent debuts in some time" by The Guardian's Jonathan Romney and hailed as a work of "visual genius" by Newsday's John Anderson. The film traveled to over 30 festivals and won international awards at six of them. With solid credentials in narrative filmmaking, Derek ventured into documentary work where he explored a wide array of subjects and characters for both theatrical exhibition and TV. His work has included profiles of such artists as Mos Def, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Run-DMC, Cassandra Wilson and Annie Lennox. He has also turned his lens on Mixed-Martial Arts fighters for CAGEFIGHTER, Vietnam veteran biker clubs for ROLLING THUNDER-RIDE FOR FREEDOM, teenage inner-city basketball players in MTV's BATTLEGROUNDS series, and a look at the mysterious world of crime photography in SHOTS IN THE DARK, produced for Court TV and Britain's Channel 4. Serving as director of photography, Derek revealed teen racing and Hispanic subculture in STREETS OF LEGEND for which he won the Excellence in Cinematography Award at Sundance 2003. Derek has also directed numerous commercials and various high profile branded content work including the pioneering internet serial MEET THE LUCKY ONES which made Adweek's Top Ten Ad Campaigns of 2004, and the award-winning internet documentary FORD: BOLD MOVES, which he co-directed with documentary legends Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. Currently Derek is filming the feature film METALHEAD that he plans to complete next year.

additional cast & crew

interviews

Reluctant Star – ScottFeinberg.com
"My reason for living, was to make this movie, was to tell this story." Michelle Williams on the effect the Blue Valentine script had on her in this excellent interview about her career.
Read in full

The restless heart of Ryan Gosling – Interview Magazine
"The thing that is so exciting when you are making a film is that it can be anything and there are no limitations on it" Ryan Gosling in his interview by Hollywood star Steve Carell.
Read in full

BOY meets GIRL: Heart to Heart – W Magazine
"The movie is extraordinarily intimate—it almost feels like a documentary. Was it difficult to make?" Michelle Williams & Ryan Gosling talk about the long road to making the film.
Read in full

Cannes Hottest Couple – Salon
"Not only the breakthrough American film at Cannes this year, but one of the best films at Cannes, period." Andrew O'Herir talks to Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams.
Read in full

It's all very vérité – National Post
"He would throw us into these wildly intimate situations…" Derek Cianfrance, Ryan Gosling & Michelle Willams talk 'playing house'
Read in full

Director On Long in the Works Drama - indieWIRE
"I just like to say it's a love story... I wanted it to be about the story, the characters." Derek Cianfrance talks about how it took 66 drafts of the script to perfect.
Read in full

interviews - more

Not an Action Figure – New York magazine
"It's a mystery and you in the audience are the detective because the characters in the movie are too close to it" Ryan Gosling on what intrigued him about the script in Scott Logan's career profile.
Read in full

Michelle - Madison
"We built up this incredible friendship and trust." Michelle Williams discusses filming with her Blue Valentine costar in Brooke Le Pour Trench's exclusive Australian interview.
Read in full

World's finest actor age 30-or-under? – Scott Feinberg
"As soon as a human being embodies a role, the role changes. It takes on the life experiences of that person" Ryan Gosling discusses the filming of Blue Valentine in Scott Feinberg's 20 minute career profile.
Listen in full

Awards Watch Roundtable: The Directors – The Hollywood Reporter
Directors Darren Aronofsky, Lisa Cholodenko, David O. Russell, Derek Cianfrance, Peter Weir and Tom Hooper talk for 68 minutes, spending time on MPAA ratings and bad behavior on set.
Watch in full

A look at the film 'Blue Valentine' – Charlie Rose Show
"What's amazing is your perseverance. Why were you so obsessed by this story"… Charlie Rose profiles Blue Valentine with director Derek Cianfrance and actors Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.
Watch in full

music – grizzly bear

The elegiac sounds of Brooklyn-based indie band Grizzly Bear feature in all of the scenes of Dean & Cindy falling in love. These songs are predominantly drawn from the critically acclaimed albums Yellow House and Veckatimest, as well as the EP Friend. Click an album cover below to purchase tracks from the Australian iTunes store.

music - credits

Full list of songs featured in BLUE VALENTINE:

music – dean & cindy's song

YOU AND ME
Music & lyrics by Penny & The Quarters

cinemas & times

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