The City Dark_
"A search for night on a planet that never sleeps"
When filmmaker Ian Cheney moves to New York City and discovers skies almost completely devoid of stars, a simple question – what do we lose, when we lose the night? – spawns a journey to America's brightest and darkest corners. Astronomers, cancer researchers, ecologists and philosophers provide glimpses of what is lost in the glare of city lights. Blending a humorous, searching tone with poetic footage of the night sky, what unravels is an introduction to the science of the dark, and an exploration of the human relationship to the stars.
Starring
Ian Cheney
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Year context
The City Dark was released 14 years ago in 2012.
Overview
When filmmaker Ian Cheney moves to New York City and discovers skies almost completely devoid of stars, a simple question – what do we lose, when we lose the...
The City Dark is a Documentary film with a runtime of 1h 24m.
CAST (1)
Ian Cheney
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The City Dark about?
When filmmaker Ian Cheney moves to New York City and discovers skies almost completely devoid of stars, a simple question – what do we lose, when we lose the night? – spawns a journey to America's brightest and darkest corners. Astronomers, cancer researchers, ecologists and philosophers provide glimpses of what is lost in the glare of city lights. Blending a humorous, searching tone with poetic footage of the night sky, what unravels is an introduction to the science of the dark, and an exploration of the human relationship to the stars.
How long is The City Dark?
The City Dark has a runtime of 84 minutes (1h 24m).
Who stars in The City Dark?
The cast of The City Dark includes Ian Cheney.
What is the rating of The City Dark?
The City Dark has a rating of 7.5 out of 10 based on 11 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Documentary