‘Come and See Me in the Good Light’ chronicles last year of Colorado State Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson’s cancer journey

For a documentary, the light doesn’t get much better than it does at the Academy Awards.

The critically acclaimed “Come See Me in the Good Light,” which focuses on the late Colorado State Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson’s journey after receiving an incurable cancer diagnosis, was today included among the five nominees for best documentary at the 2026 Oscars. The winner will be announced March 15 in Los Angeles.

Social media was flooded this morning with well-wishes for the film. One representative comment: “I’m crying. This is sooooo deserved. I love you, Andrea Gibson. I will never stop thinking about you.”

Gibson, a celebrated spoken-word poet, author and activist who lived in Longmont, died last July 14 at age 49, four years after an initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

The new film, directed by Ryan White, is an evisceratingly intimate (and often quite funny) chronicle of Gibson’s final year with wife and fellow poet Megan Falley after being told that Gibson’s cancer had become terminal. The film builds to a sold-out concert appearance at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Denver.

The closing song (“Salt Then Sour Then Sweet”), a tender meditation on healing and self-acceptance, is a Gibson poem set to music by Sara Bareilles (“Waitress”) and Brandi Carlile, both producers on the film.

“The thing that feels most present to me in Andrea’s lens of the world is a deep sincerity, a bent towards telling the truth,” Bareilles told The Ankler. “A very sincere seeking of what could be the most true and the most loving.” 

Read more: Poet Laureate’s story finally sees the ‘Light’

At this time a year ago, “Come and See Me in the Good Light” was premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Favorite Award. The winner, determined by audience vote, can go to any film from any genre. That’s been followed by awards and effusive critical praise.

Also among the film’s big-name producers is red-hot comedian, cancer survivor (and former Denver resident) Tig Notaro, who talked up the film recently on Ted Danson’s podcast, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.”

She called Gibson an unstoppable life force.

“I haven’t had many moments in life where I really used the word ‘brave’ in a real way,” said Notaro. “And seeing somebody, especially at 49, heading toward their early death, the way Andrea did, it was astounding.”

Read more: Andrea Gibson dies at 49

Notaro, who got her start in stand-up comedy in Westminster, met Gibson backstage at a “Vox Feminista” show in Boulder.

“That was a political and social activist group in Boulder,” Notaro said. “There were comedians and all sorts of musicians. But backstage when our mutual friend introduced us saying, ‘Andrea is a poet,’ I remember thinking, ‘This isn’t a poet. This is a rock star.’ And then Andrea goes on stage and just annihilates the room to where you’re just sobbing deeply and then laughing deeply. And it was a confirmation that, yes, this is a rock star.”

It was Notaro and fellow producer Stef Willen who first brought the idea of a documentary to Ryan and fellow filmmaker Jessica Hargrave. Notaro swore that the story would be warm, illuminating, and even funny. “To which we politely replied, ‘No thank you, that sounds like the opposite of fun,” White said. “Best of luck with your ‘funny’ cancer poetry film.”

About three days later Ryan called back to say: “Hey, we looked into Andrea. We’re buying plane tickets and heading out to Colorado.’”

Read more: Wife of Poet Laureate on Andrea Gibson’s last words

As for their newly nominated film, Notaro told Danson: “It’s so exciting to have this underdog project be discussed on mainstream, like Drew Barrymore and Stephen Colbert and Katie Couric. I mean, Oprah posted about this. It’s unbelievable.”

The message of the film, Notaro said, “is not waiting for that terrible diagnosis to start living your life and to start appreciating every single moment that you have.

“I will go anywhere, any time to talk about this movie and to talk about my friends. I’m so deeply proud. I will truly do anything to get the word out.”

2026 Best Documentary Academy Award nominees

• “The Alabama Solution”

• “Come See Me in the Good Light”

• “Cutting Through Rocks”

• “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”

• “The Perfect Neighbor”

Wire services contributed to this report.