Requiem for a Dream
Updated: 12/11/2025, 1:02:47 PM Wikipedia source
Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher McDonald, and Marlon Wayans. It is based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Hubert Selby Jr., with whom Aronofsky wrote the screenplay. The film depicts four characters affected by drug addiction and how it alters their physical and emotional states. Their addictions cause them to become imprisoned in a world of delusion and desperation. As the film progresses, each character deteriorates, and their delusions are shattered by the harsh reality of their situations, resulting in catastrophe. Selby's novel was optioned by Aronofsky and producer Eric Watson. Selby had always intended to adapt the novel into a film, and he had written a script years prior to Aronofsky approaching him. Aronofsky was enthusiastic about the story and developed the script with Selby, despite initial struggles to obtain funding for the film's production. He and the cast speak of the film being about addictions in general, and not just drugs, and how one’s attempts to fulfill their dreams can fuel an addiction with a theme of loneliness and avoidance of reality in different ways. Principal photography took place in Brooklyn, New York, from April to June 1999. During the post-production process, the music was composed by Clint Mansell while Jay Rabinowitz worked for editing. The film premiered at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, selected as an out-of-competition entry, followed by the United States theatrical release on October 6, 2000, by Artisan Entertainment. The film grossed $7 million against a $4 million budget and received a positive response from critics. The film's visual style, direction, screenplay, editing, musical score, cast, emotional depth, and themes were all praised, with Burstyn receiving Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress.
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Tables
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated |
| American Film Institute Awards | Movie of the Year | Won | |
| Austin Film Critics Association Awards | Top 10 Films of the Decade | 5th Place | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards (2000) | Best Motion Picture | Eric Watson and Palmer West | Won |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Leading Role | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Jennifer Connelly | Runner-up | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Runner-up | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Runner-up | |
| Best Film Editing | Jay Rabinowitz | Won | |
| Best Original Score | Clint Mansell | Won | |
| Best Sound Editing | Runner-up | ||
| Best Sound Mixing | Runner-up | ||
| Best Cast Ensemble | Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans | Runner-up | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards (2012) | Best Original Score of the Decade | Clint Mansell | Won |
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor | Marlon Wayans | Nominated |
| Outstanding Film Poster | Nominated | ||
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | 3rd Place | |
| Bram Stoker Awards | Best Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Chlotrudis Awards | Best Movie | Won | |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Nominated | |
| Best Cast | Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated |
| Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Limited-Release/Direct-to-Video Film | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Score | Clint Mansell | Nominated | |
| Best Makeup/Creature FX | Vincent J. Guastini | Nominated | |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |
| Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing – Foreign Feature | Nelson Ferreira, Craig Henighan, Stephen Barden and Jill Purdy | Nominated |
| Golden Trailer Awards | Best of Show | Won | |
| Best Art and Commerce | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Nominated | ||
| Most Original | Nominated | ||
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Feature | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Female Lead | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Supporting Female | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
References
- Tied with Maggie Cheung for In the Mood for Love.
- Tied with The Town Is Quiet.
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