Coming Soon: Come See Me in the Good Light (2025) by Ryan White: Love, Loss, and Light in the Face of Mortality
- dailyentertainment95
- Sep 14
- 5 min read
When Poetry Becomes Survival
Come See Me in the Good Light is Ryan White’s profoundly moving documentary chronicling the love story between celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, set against Andrea’s cancer diagnosis and terminal prognosis. The film celebrates the way the couple met adversity with humor, intimacy, and courage, allowing the audience to witness a love story that became even more luminous in the face of impending death. White, known for Good Night Oppy and The Case Against 8, crafts an intimate portrait that moves between laughter and heartbreak, turning Andrea’s final two years into a testament to the power of art, partnership, and presence.
Why to Recommend Movie: A Tender Farewell, A Celebration of Life
A Rarely Seen Love Story on Screen — The documentary offers a raw, unfiltered look at the bond between two queer poets navigating mortality together. It is not just a chronicle of illness but a story of joy, silliness, and devotion that remains intact until the very end.This makes it a must-watch for anyone who values love stories that defy clichés and dig into what it means to truly share a life, and a death, with someone.
Emotional but Uplifting — Rather than focusing on tragedy alone, the film explores the ways Andrea and Megan still laughed, created, and grew closer despite the looming shadow of loss.Viewers leave with both tears and hope, reminded that grief and joy can coexist — sometimes in the very same moment.
Poetry as Narrative Spine — Andrea’s words serve as a guide through the film, adding lyricism and depth to the unfolding story.Their poetry turns the film into more than a record of events — it becomes an artistic experience, letting the audience feel every emotional beat rather than just watch it.
A Career High for Ryan White — White has called this film the most joyful experience of his career despite its difficult subject matter.His careful, loving direction ensures that Andrea’s story is handled with dignity, honesty, and beauty — turning it into something deeply universal.
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34966013/
Link Review: https://deadline.com/2025/09/come-see-me-in-the-good-light-camden-film-festival-1236530670/
About movie: https://deadline.com/2025/09/come-see-me-in-the-good-light-camden-film-festival-1236530670/
Release Date on Streaming
The film will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on November 14, 2025, bringing its emotional resonance to a worldwide audience.
What is the Trend Followed: Intimate, Art-Driven Documentaries
The film follows a growing trend of personal, vulnerable documentary storytelling where subjects invite cameras into their private struggles and triumphs.
Audiences have embraced films like Dick Johnson Is Dead and All That Breathes that blur the line between art and lived experience.
This trend values authenticity, emotional rawness, and a willingness to sit with complex feelings rather than offer easy resolutions.
Director’s Vision: Preserving Love in Motion
Ryan White frames the story not as a tragedy, but as a celebration — a refusal to let Andrea’s final years be defined solely by illness.
His direction uses poetry readings, home video, and observational footage to craft a visual language that mirrors Andrea’s spirit: playful, fierce, and reflective.
White’s commitment to centering Megan Falley’s voice after Andrea’s passing creates a sense of continuity, letting the audience feel the love that continues beyond death.
Themes: Mortality, Art, and Connection
Love in the Face of Loss — The film explores what it means to stay emotionally open when the person you love is slipping away.
Art as Survival — Poetry is depicted as a means to process pain, transform fear, and leave a legacy of meaning.
Queer Representation with Tenderness — Andrea and Megan’s story stands as a representation of queer love told with dignity and intimacy, not as spectacle but as human truth.
Grief as Transformation — The film reframes grief as something that reshapes us, not just breaks us, offering space for healing and growth.
Key Success Factors: Why It Resonates
Authentic Access: The intimacy of the footage makes the viewer feel like a part of Andrea and Megan’s circle, experiencing their highs and lows in real time.
Emotional Range: It balances heartbreak with humor, showing that life remains vibrant even as it grows short.
Cultural Impact: The film gives voice to Andrea’s work at a global level, preserving their words for future audiences and ensuring their poetry continues to inspire.
Craftsmanship: White’s direction, paired with sensitive editing, creates a seamless rhythm between poetry, conversation, and visual storytelling.
Awards & Nominations: Festival Darling and Oscar Hopeful
Come See Me in the Good Light has already secured major wins, including top jury awards at the Seattle International Film Festival and Boulder International Film Festival, and audience awards at Sundance, Hot Docs, Provincetown, and Cleveland. With its strong reception, it is considered a frontrunner for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar, making it one of the most talked-about docs of 2025.
Critics Reception: Universally Emotional
IndieWire hailed the film as “a vital celebration of love and legacy,” noting that it turns private grief into something collectively healing.
The Hollywood Reporter praised its editing and emotional restraint, writing that “the film earns every tear it elicits without ever feeling manipulative.”
Variety called it “a festival highlight and a front-runner for awards season,” citing Andrea’s presence as magnetic and unforgettable.
Overall, critics agree it is both devastating and inspiring, leaving audiences with a renewed appreciation for love and life.
Reviews: Audience and Critical Favorite
Viewers at Sundance and Camden International Film Festival reported multiple standing ovations, with many describing the experience as “life-changing.”
Megan Falley’s appearance at post-screening Q&As has been described as emotional but cathartic, helping audiences process the story alongside her.
Overall: The film is not simply watched — it is experienced, leaving audiences feeling cracked open but somehow lighter.
Theatrical Release
Following its Sundance debut in January 2025, the film screened at multiple festivals including CIFF, Provincetown, and Hot Docs, and had special theatrical engagements leading up to its streaming release.
Movie Trend: The Rise of Intimate Love-and-Loss Docs
This film joins the movement of personal, poetic documentaries that embrace vulnerability and emotion, capturing moments of real human connection and using them to create universal stories.
Social Trend: Conversations About Death and Dignity
The film reflects a growing social movement toward open conversations about mortality, dying with dignity, and celebrating life’s final chapter without fear. It mirrors a shift toward finding joy even in the shadow of loss and destigmatizing terminal illness discussions.
Final Verdict: A Poetic Goodbye That Stays With You
Come See Me in the Good Light is not just a documentary — it is a love letter, a farewell, and a reminder that joy can coexist with grief. It will likely leave viewers in tears, but also with a sense of gratitude for the fleeting beauty of life and love. Highly recommended for anyone ready to be moved, challenged, and inspired.
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