Two Lovers is a 2008 American romantic drama film, directed by James Gray, and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw. The film takes its inspiration from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 1848 short story "White Nights", which had already been turned into a film seven times, first by Luchino Visconti: Le Notti Bianche (1957). Two Lovers was directed by James Gray, and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw. It is set in the largely Russian Jewish neighborhood Brighton Beach in New York City, as was Gray's first film Little Odessa. Two Lovers premiered in competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in May. The film was Gray's third to enter the competition at this festival. It was released on February 13, 2009.