Romeo + Juliet – Baz Luhrmann 1996 – February 6th 7:30pm At Byron Theatre

Every generation has its Romeo and Juliet — and for many, Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film is the defining version.

Bold, beautiful, and endlessly rewatchable, Romeo + Juliet broke with tradition to become a true cult classic, fusing Shakespeare’s original language with a hyper-modern world of youth, violence, devotion, and desire. What could have been a risky experiment instead became a cultural touchstone — adored, debated, quoted, and rediscovered for nearly three decades.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in luminous, vulnerable performances, the film captures the reckless intensity of young love and the devastating cost of chaos left unchecked. Its maximalist style gives way to moments of profound stillness and grief, revealing a deep sincerity at the heart of the spectacle. Despite its unmistakable 90s aesthetic, the film endures because it treats Shakespeare’s tragedy with absolute seriousness — love overwhelms, violence is irreversible, and youth burns brightly and briefly.

Experience this iconic film on the big screen at Byron Theatre, home to one of the largest cinema-size screens in the region, with immersive digital projection and sound that lets Luhrmann’s operatic vision truly soar.

To celebrate this special anniversary screening, we’re also offering a Date Night Special — an invitation to all the star-cross’d lovers of the region to share a night of passion, poetry, and tragedy together.‍

ROMEO and JULIET (1996) -120 min