31 March, 1943… While the war is raging at full force, the public’s interest in musical theater dwindles. But perhaps the premiere of Oklahoma! might change all that, casting a spell to draw audiences back to musicals again. Renowned lyricist Lorenz Hart awaits at the restaurant the crowd that will soon arrive once the show is over to celebrate. Yet he himself has left the performance halfway through. For the first time, his longtime composing partner Richard Rodgers — with whom he created countless classics throughout the 1930’s such as My Funny Valentine, The Lady Is a Tramp, and Blue Moon — is collaborating with another lyricist, a fact Hart cannot take easily to heart. It will be a challengingnight as he struggles to face his former partner’s success with grace, while also trying to confe

ss his feelings to a young poet, whose beauty has captivated him.

Named after Hart and Rodgers’s most famous song, Blue Moon tells the story of a brilliant yet misfit artist whose golden age is behind him, as he attempts to break free from the solitude he finds himself trapped in. Richard Linklater’s direction is remarkable by the use of a single setting, while Robert Kaplow’s screenplay balances Hart’s uncompromising personality with measured humor. Ethan Hawke’s performance brings to life the America of the era and its artistic milieu with vivid authenticity.

Berlin 2025

Silver Bear Best Supporting Performance (Andrew Scott)