SUNLIGHT
Nina Conti | 2024 | UK | 1h36m | Presented in the original English audio with English subtitles
SUNLIGHT begins with a suicidal radio host being rescued by a woman dressed from head to toe as a monkey. She calls herself Monkey, refuses to take the costume off, and insists that the woman underneath it should mostly be ignored.
Nina Conti directs and plays Monkey, adapting the simian character from her own ventriloquism into something much more personal. As she and Roy travel across New Mexico together, the film gradually reveals that the costume is less a joke than a form of protection. Monkey can say and do things that Jane cannot, and the longer she stays inside the character, the harder it becomes to separate performance from identity.
What starts as an absurd road movie develops into a surprisingly tender story about shame, loneliness and the ways people invent new versions of themselves when ordinary life becomes unbearable. The humour is dry and often very funny, but Conti never lets the central relationship become a gimmick.
SUNLIGHT works because it commits completely to its premise. A woman in a monkey suit could easily have been a one-note joke. Instead, the film turns it into a way of asking a much more interesting question: if pretending to be someone else finally lets you speak honestly, which version of you is the real one?
If you’re unfamiliar with Nina Conti's work, she's probably the finest ventriloquist working today. Search “Nina Conti Monkey” on YouTube and you’ll understand very quickly where the idea for this hilarious and heartfelt feature originated.
FOOD AND DRINK POLICY: SHEREKILEBI Bar in FOMO Secret Cinema opens 1 hour before the first screening of the day and closes at 01:30, serving a wide selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic refreshments including coffee and tea, as well as fresh hot popcorn! Outside food is allowed in the bar but not in the cinema. No alcohol or drinks from outside are allowed. All guests are invited to arrive early and stay late!
LOCATION: FOMO Secret Cinema, Bazari Orbeliani, Tbilisi. A five minute walk from Liberty Square metro.
HOW TO FIND FOMO: Enter Bazari Orbeliani via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs on your left to Level 1. Signage on the door. You can also check our Instagram story highlights for a video showing exactly how to find us: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTMzMTA2Mjk0MDI5MjM1
REFUND & CREDIT POLICY: If FOMO cancels a screening, all ticket holders will receive a full refund. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, we’ll issue you a credit for the value of your ticket, which can be used for any FOMO film screening within the following 30 days.
TICKETS are also available at SHEREKILIBER Bar on arrival unless sold out.
FOMO Secret Cinema • Bazari Orbeliani, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
