The Life-Affirming Story of Cancer, Poetry, and Love Behind Come See Me in the Good Light

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Though it centers around death, the film Come See Me in the Good Light is ultimately a celebration of life. The movie, filmed over nearly a year starting in January 2024, follows the lives of poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley. Their relationship began in 2015, and they became engaged in the summer of 2022. The film beautifully captures their love, making it one of the year’s most compelling romance stories.

The documentary Come See Me in the Good Light chronicles a profoundly challenging period for the couple, as they navigate Gibson’s battle with incurable ovarian cancer. She received her diagnosis on July 14, 2021, and passed away exactly four years later. Now available to stream on Apple TV, the film’s director, Ryan White (Pamela: A Love Story), and Falley recently discussed this powerful documentary with TIME.

Comedian Tig Notaro and producer Stef Willen, close friends with the film’s subjects, Gibson and Falley, first came up with the idea for the documentary. Producer White explains that she and Jessica Hargrave often asked Notaro for potential comedy documentary ideas. When Notaro called with this concept, it didn’t immediately seem like a funny topic.

The film Come See Me in the Good Light is genuinely funny and heartwarming, capturing the loving connection between Falley and Gibson as they relax at home in Colorado with their three dogs. Filmmaker White and his team felt an immediate sense of joy when they visited the couple, and knew they had to make the movie after just a few days of filming. He says the experience was even better than he’d hoped for.

Despite sharing a very personal and sensitive time in their lives on camera, Falley and Gibson were enthusiastic about the project from the start. “We agreed to it right away,” Falley explains.

Making the documentary helped the couple focus on what mattered most: their relationship. Falley explains that they received difficult news shortly before being asked to participate, and the idea of filming actually gave them a reason to stay strong. ‘Having a crew around would remind us to keep going as we had been – with love and connection, and by focusing on the present moment and finding joy,’ she says. That’s why they decided to say yes to the project.

From the very beginning, everything just clicked on set. As Falley put it, there was a real, special connection between all of us. I remember when Jack White first arrived, the whole crew went with him to Gibson’s radiation appointment. It was an incredibly moving experience, and I’ll never forget the amazing pink sunset as they were leaving. Andrea and I both waved goodbye, telling them how much we loved them – it felt like saying goodbye to family.

Filmmaker White and his team quickly became close to Falley and Gibson, feeling like a family. Gibson especially bonded with cinematographer Brandon Somerhalder. White was initially worried about intruding on their lives when he first met them, but Gibson’s warmth immediately put him at ease. White believes this connection extends to the film’s audience. “So many people who watched the film discovered a love for poetry,” he explains, “and from all walks of life – even people you wouldn’t expect, like older conservative men in Florida, are now fans of Andrea’s work.”

If you’re new to the work of poet Maggie Gibson, Come See Me in the Good Light is a great place to start. Their poetry is known for its simplicity—Gibson playfully claims to only use five words! It’s easy to understand and deeply moving, making it appealing even to people who don’t typically enjoy poetry. As Gibson explains in the film, the goal should be to connect with readers, not to overwhelm them with complex language.

According to White, choosing which of Gibson’s poems to feature in the film was the most challenging aspect of the editing process, given the breadth of their work – seven published books and albums of poetry. These poems provided a unique way to tell Gibson’s life story. White explains that while documentaries usually rely on interviews to introduce subjects, using the poet’s own words offered a remarkable creative chance to do things differently.

A particularly moving part of the film is called “Little Things.” It focuses on a list of simple goals Gibson had for herself before she passed away, and it was written specifically for the movie. According to White, although Gibson wasn’t writing much during filming, she often asked for ideas to inspire her. Gibson often expressed that, after receiving a terminal diagnosis, she wasn’t interested in big adventures, but rather in completing small tasks around the house, like fixing a broken doorknob. White suggested she write about this, and the resulting piece was included in the film.

The documentary Come See Me in the Good Light highlights both the work of artist Gibson, and the close relationship between Gibson and filmmaker Falley. Released during a period of political tension and threats to the LGBTQ+ community in America, Falley hopes the film can shift how people view queerness, and she’s already seen its impact. She recounts how her brother, a staunch conservative, was deeply moved by the film after a long history of political disagreements. After seeing it at the Tribeca Film Festival, he broke down in tears, apologized for his past views, and expressed a desire to improve their relationship, making their previous arguments seem insignificant.

There’s something really special about this film. Cancer affects everyone, no matter their beliefs. Because the film features queer characters, it unintentionally feels political, which is frustrating. However, unlike Andrea’s poetry, the film doesn’t force a political message. You can simply watch it, and it takes a while to realize the main character is non-binary. By that point, you’ve already connected with Andrea, and you’ve opened yourself up to someone you might not have considered before.

The story isn’t really about Gibson’s cancer; it’s about the large spoken word poetry show they were preparing for at the Paramount Theatre in Denver. White explains that everyone was really hoping Gibson would be able to perform. It wasn’t certain they would, as Gibson had canceled a whole tour before due to health issues. However, on May 30th and 31st, 2024, Gibson did perform at the Paramount, and these turned out to be their final shows.

Seeing parts of the performance is deeply moving, particularly how captivated the audience is by Gibson’s words. White also shared a sweet story that didn’t make the final cut. Throughout the film, Meg wears a necklace with the name ‘Andrea’ on it. She also wore it during the live performance. White’s producer, Jess, made around 100 of these necklaces and gave them to everyone working at the Paramount—from the stage crew to the box office staff and drivers. It was a surprise for them all, and the necklaces served as a quiet way for everyone to show their support for Andrea.

Though Thugh Gibson passed away in July, they had been healthy enough to attend the film’s premiere at Sundance six months prior, alongside Falley.

Falley recalls watching the film with Andrea several times, and later, after Andrea’s passing. Andrea hadn’t been able to write much during their final year because the medication they were taking caused vision problems, making it difficult to use a computer. Falley explains that Andrea found peace in the idea that simply living their life would be enough to contribute to the artistic process of filmmaking.

Gibson didn’t expect to ever see the movie, and even thought it would end with their passing. So, they were incredibly touched to be able to watch it. Falley recalls that Gibson wasn’t feeling well at the festival, but was well enough to travel. They specifically remember Gibson turning to them in the theater, overwhelmed with thankfulness, and saying, ‘This film will make a real difference in a lot of lives.’

Says Falley, “For Andrea, that was the highest achievement in any art form.”

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2025-11-14 21:09