Sunset Boulevard

Join us in the cinema as we celebrate the greatest Hollywood film about Hollywood – now 75 years young and restored to glorious 4K.

Fleeing from debt collectors, down-and-out screenwriter Joe (William Holden) ends up in the driveway of a rundown mansion. The residence belongs to Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), an ageing film star just waiting for her next close-up. Hired to write a screenplay for her comeback, Joe is immediately drawn into the dimming star’s chaotic orbit with deadly consequences.

Curator’s note

Billy Wilder’s classic 1950 film held a mirror to Hollywood that few directors would have dared. Soaked in real references to Hollywood, both at the time and of a bygone era, Sunset Boulevard stands to this day as a bona fide insider’s look into the dark side of the industry.

2025 marks the 75th anniversary of Sunset Boulevard, and the film has been celebrating with a few touch-ups here and there. The new 4K digital restoration premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)