just arrived Apple TV+ General award winners sundance festivalThe documentary was a contest viewer favorite for its unexpected look at the illness and death of one of the poets and activists who is an undisputed reference point for LGTBI rights in the United States. andrea gibson.
documentary directed by ryan white (Responsible for works that were evaluated as such) keepers) delves into the daily life of Gibson and his wife, who is also a poet. megan farley He was diagnosed at his home in Longmont, Colorado, in the final stages of Gibson’s disease. ovarian cancer It won’t be fixed in 2021.
The camera captures the couple’s daily life, the oncologist’s visit, chemotherapy session An intimate moment that shows both pain and the ability to find joy and beauty In the midst of adversity. The access Gibson and Farley granted their film crew allowed them to shoot scenes of unusual honesty, with humor and vulnerability naturally intertwined.
The movie begins with an important scene. When Ryan White arrives at the couple’s home, Gibson greets him with a hug and the phrase “When I die, you will be with me.” This reception, far from being dramatic, sets the tone for the piece. avoid sensationalism Focuses on the lived experience of living with a terminal illness.
In this documentary, the current footage cuts to: Archive material The book traces Gibson’s career from his childhood in Maine, through his performances in clubs and slam competitions, to his dedication as Colorado Poet Laureate in 2023. “Performative” PoetryAlthough he was political, he had a deep humanity and gained many followers.
For Gibson and Farley, living with the disease and deciding to document the process became a way to reaffirm their commitment to life. like fary said observerthe couple reached a love pact.Live with beauty even if you get hurt;Finding joy even when your body is broken. It turns vulnerability into an art form. ”
This determination is reflected in the film, as the couple face their respective medical outcomes, relapses, and days of pain with gratitude. humor And kindness. Farley explained that her friends and family struggle to understand how she can be so happy in the midst of adversity, but it is important not to let the sadness get the better of her.
Humor, though often dark and disturbing, is one of the pillars of this documentary. One of the first scenes shows the couple joking about the disease in the kitchen, a conversation that drew laughs from the film crew and, according to director White, made them a “unique subject” because they had the ability to: Open your heart in front of the camera From the first moment.
This attitude is also emphasized by: Tig NotaroThe producer and close friend of Gibson said that Andrea’s way of life, in which she chose to train every day and remain curious and cheerful even in the worst of moments, “was the most exceptional example.” don’t give up”.
Gibson’s poems have always asked questions. gender issuesidentity, politics, and social justice acquire an existential dimension in the documentary. Gibson himself expresses this in one of his interventions. “I thought this was the beginning of a nightmare…my worst fears have come true. But please stay with me…because my story is that finding happiness becomes easier when you understand that you don’t have forever to find it.”
The film features some of his most iconic poem fragments, including: tincture Either life hymnand shows what writing and speaking can be like tools to deal with pain and finding meaning in the experience of illness.
The relationship between Gibson and Farley, characterized by collusion and mutual support, is another axis of the story. The two met on the poetry circuit and married in 2022 after dating for many years.
Farley is involved in observer how living with illness It made them live “more lovingly and happier than ever before,” and they talked about how their decision to record the documentary was born out of a need to share their experience with the world. The film captures both the extraordinary and the most mundane of moments, and director Farley: Thousands of hours of recording “Everyone loses someone, but not everyone records thousands of hours of love,” she said of her life with Gibson.
The documentary doesn’t end with Gibson’s death. Died in July 2025 at the age of 49I am surrounded by my wife, family, friends, and pets. The film chooses to stop early at the midpoint between life and death, showing Gibson alive and full of existential wonder.
Come see me in a good light This work is therefore presented as a glorious testimony about life, love, and death, and as Andrea Gibson’s most enduring legacy, full of tenderness that cringes from within.
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