Ghostlight

Ghostlight

TIFF65: Greek Premiere
A morose and somber middle-aged construction worker struggles to cope with the recent loss of his son. Having to deal with the delinquent behavior of his smart yet rebellious daughter, he is plunged further down the depths of anger and loneliness, until he incidentally gets involved with an amateur theater group, staging Romeo and Juliet, that rehearses near the construction site he works at. From the duo that gave us the unforgettable Saint Frances five years ago, Ghostlight exemplifies the definition of independent cinema: shot minimally and equipped with a scenario studied in exhaustive detail, along with memorable quips, the film tells a bittersweet story about reconciliation and the ability to overcome trauma through the consolatory power of art, acceptance, and emotional connection. It is a subtle ode to humanity’s mysterious, misunderstood institution; family. The fact that the three main protagonists – father, mother, and daughter, all of them amazing actors – are a family in real life suffuses the film with such emotion that no one will be left indifferent.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson
Script: Kelly O’Sullivan
Cinematography: Luke Dyra
Editing: Mike S. Smith
Sound: Tom Myers, Austin Spann, Scott Wietrzykowski
Music: Quinn Tsan
Actors: Keith Kupferer, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen, Dolly De Leon, Hanna Dworkin, Dexter Zollicoffer, H.B. Ward, Tommy Rivera-Vega
Production: Little Engine, Runaway Train
Producers: Ian Keiser, Alex Wilson, Pierce Cravens, Eddie Linker, Chelsea Krant, Alex Thompson
Production Design: Linda Lee
Executive producer: Dolly De Leon, Adam Kersh, Jeanne Mcinerney, Elissa Morgante, Fred Wilson, Eric Ashworth, Amar Gupta, Stephen Lanus, Brian Lee, Raphael Nash, Daniel Sanchez, Fred Levine, Tami Mizrahi, Bob & Lynne Ryan, Nathan Smith
Format: DCP
Color: Color
Production Country: USA
Production Year: 2024
Duration: 115'
Contact: Visit Films
Awards/Distinctions: Best Director, Best Male Performance – Seattle IFF 2024

Kelly O’Sullivan

Kelly O’Sullivan is a writer, director, and actor. She wrote and starred in Saint Frances, which premiered at SXSW and won a Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Voice and the Audience Award for Narrative Feature. Kelly was recently seen in Cooper Raiff’s acclaimed 2022 film Cha Cha Real Smooth, and will next be seen in the independent films Hangdog and The Graduates. On the small screen, Kelly has appeared in two seasons of Sirens and Hulu’s Battleground, and FOX’s The Mob Doctor.

Filmography

2019 Saint Frances (co-director)
2022 My Summer Vacation (short)
2024 Ghostlight (co-director)

Alex Thompson

Alex Thompson is a writer, director, and producer based in Chicago. His debut feature Saint Frances premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Voice and the Audience Award.

Filmography

2011 Strange Loop (short)
2014 Calumet (short)
2018 Big Bad Wolf (short)
2019 Saint Frances (co-director)
2022 Rounding
2024 Ghostlight (co-director)