Bangladeshi fan’s tribute to ‘Before Sunrise’ appreciated by writer

For Durba Saha, a former Charukola student currently living in Germany, “The Before Trilogy” has long been more than a series of films—it has been a source of comfort.

For years, she dreamed of visiting Vienna in June, the city and month where Jesse and Céline first met in Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise”. Their fictional encounter began on June 16, 1994, setting in motion one of cinema’s most beloved love stories.

Two weeks ago, Durba finally made the journey. While exploring Vienna, she decided to follow the footsteps of the two characters and visit the locations featured in the film.

Some places were easy to recognise, while others required a little searching. A few were unexpectedly far apart, and some—such as the boat restaurant—no longer exist. Still,the experience was deeply special. While talking to The Daily Star, she said, “It was such a fun experience walking through the city and seeing these places in real life after knowing them only through the movie for so long.”

Durba filmed her journey and created a short video as a tribute to the film, posting it online on June 16—the anniversary of Jesse and Céline’s first meeting.

She uploaded it without expecting much. Then came an unexpected surprise.

Kim Krizan, who co-wrote “Before Sunrise” with Richard Linklater, discovered the video and left a simple but touching comment: “Thanks for loving our movie.”

Among thousands of tributes shared by fans over the years, Durba’s video had reached one of the people who helped create the story she loved. It was a small interaction, but for a lifelong admirer, it made an already memorable journey feel like a scene from the film itself.