At the Gates is a 2023 psychological thriller written and directed by Augustus Meleo Bernstein in his feature debut, starring Miranda Otto, Noah Wyle, Ezekiel Pacheco, Vanessa Benavente, and Sadie Stanley. Picturehouse gave the film a limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles on November 3, 2023. The score is by Julia Newman, in her feature scoring debut.
Note: At the Gates is sometimes confused with the similarly titled horror film “The Gates” (2023, directed by Stephen Hall) — a completely unrelated serial-killer story. This guide covers the Bernstein/Otto/Wyle thriller only.
Quick Facts
| Film | At the Gates (2023) |
| Director/Writer | Augustus Meleo Bernstein |
| Starring | Miranda Otto, Noah Wyle, Ezekiel Pacheco, Vanessa Benavente, Sadie Stanley |
| Composer | Julia Newman |
| Distributor | Picturehouse |
| Genre | Psychological Thriller (immigration themes) |
| Runtime | 97 minutes |
| Release Date | November 3, 2023 (limited theatrical, NY/LA) |
| Where to Stream | Tubi (free), The Roku Channel (free), Apple TV |
Who Composed the At the Gates Score?
Julia Newman composed the score for At the Gates — her feature scoring debut. Newman is the daughter of Academy Award-nominated composer Thomas Newman, granddaughter of Hollywood composing legend Alfred Newman, and niece of composers Randy Newman and David Newman, making her part of one of film music’s most decorated composing dynasties. She has since gone on to co-compose FX’s Feud: Capote vs. The Swans and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story alongside her father, the latter earning a Primetime Emmy nomination. Newman released an 11-track score album for At the Gates on November 15, 2023, now streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.
At the Gates Score Album Tracklist
| # | Track | Length |
| 1 | At the Gates | 2:29 |
| 2 | Should I Tell Them | 1:52 |
| 3 | Cooperation Is Everything | 3:29 |
| 4 | Colors of the Dark | 1:09 |
| 5 | Don’t Get Ideas | 1:55 |
| 6 | I Saw You | 2:31 |
| 7 | Lo Siento Mamá | 2:47 |
| 8 | ¿Hiciste algo? | 2:46 |
| 9 | Kitchen Knife | 3:26 |
| 10 | Sanctuary | 1:43 |
| 11 | Nico Ibarra | 3:26 |
About At the Gates
Ana, a housekeeper from El Salvador, brings her teenage son Nico to help her clean an affluent family’s Los Angeles home. After her employers, Marianne (Miranda Otto) and Peter Barris (Noah Wyle), warn her that immigration officers are searching for her, she accepts their invitation to shelter in their house until the crisis blows over. As the days pass and the tension between the two families builds, Nico begins to question whether they’re being protected — or imprisoned.
At the Gates premiered on the festival circuit in 2022, including the Deauville American Film Festival in France, before its wider run took in the New York Latino Film Festival (where it won the Best U.S. Narrative prize), the Woodstock Film Festival, and the SCAD Savannah Film Festival ahead of its November 2023 theatrical release.
Where to Stream At the Gates
At the Gates is available to stream for free on Tubi and The Roku Channel, and to rent or buy digitally on Apple TV.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the score for At the Gates?
Julia Newman, daughter of composer Thomas Newman and part of the Newman film-scoring dynasty, composed the score in her feature scoring debut. An 11-track album was released on November 15, 2023.
Is At the Gates (2023) the same movie as The Gates (2023)?
No. At the Gates is Augustus Meleo Bernstein’s immigration-themed thriller starring Miranda Otto and Noah Wyle. The Gates is a separate, unrelated horror film directed by Stephen Hall about a serial killer who curses a prison in 1890s London. The two titles are easy to mix up but share no cast, crew, or story.
What is At the Gates about?
A Salvadoran housekeeper and her teenage son accept an affluent Los Angeles family’s offer to hide them from immigration officers, only to grow increasingly uncertain whether their hosts are protecting them or holding them captive.
Where can I watch At the Gates?
It’s streaming free on Tubi and The Roku Channel, and available to rent or buy on Apple TV.
What festivals did At the Gates play?
It premiered at the Deauville American Film Festival in 2022, then played the New York Latino Film Festival (winning the Best U.S. Narrative prize), the Woodstock Film Festival, and the SCAD Savannah Film Festival ahead of its November 2023 theatrical release.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks | Streaming Guide
(External Link: Deadline)