From humble working-class origins to the height of fame as a globally celebrated poet and activist, Andrea Gibson has long made an unyielding frankness and vulnerability the foundation of their art. But in 2021, while living a quiet life in rural Colorado alongside partner and fellow poet Megan Falley, Gibson’s life was sent into a tailspin when a painful stomach bug quickly became a stomach anaconda, leading to a devastating diagnosis of ovarian cancer, a radical hysterectomy and an eventual recurrence of the disease — now spread throughout the body and deemed incurable. Yet, with daily life centered around oncology visits and the emotional see-saw of good news/bad news delivered in three-week increments, the couple find their love deepening in the face of uncertainty, as well as a newfound appreciation for the preciousness of life in this rich, unforgettable new documentary, produced by Tig Notaro.

With a clear eye and incredible access to the couple’s most intimate moments, acclaimed documentarian Ryan White (Ask Dr. Ruth, TF ‘19) has crafted an unflinching portrait of a life lived on its own terms, with or without the body’s cooperation. Featuring Gibson’s own readings of the works that made them a rock star in the slam poetry world, Come See Me in the Good Light is at once a powerful story of love and commitment forged against the unknowable — and one person’s singular path toward embracing the eternal.—Cedar Sherbert

Ryan White