Tig Notaro didn’t bother setting an alarm to locate out if she’d received an Oscar nomination. “My wife happened to wake up at five in the morning, just so happened — she really did,” Notaro recounted on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. “And there I am, snoozing, next to her, with my earplugs in, my eye mask on, my CPAP machine tubes coming out of my head.”
The nomination, announced Saturday, recognizes Notaro as one of the producers of “Come See Me in the Good Light,” a documentary directed by Ryan White. The film intimately portrays the life and work of poet Andrea Gibson (they/them) and their wife, Meg, as they navigate love, illness, and art. Notaro shares the nomination with Jessica Hargrave and Stef Willen. She approaches the project, and the recognition, with a characteristic blend of humor and dedication.
“I’ve always been insufferable, but this just gives me a reason for it all to make sense,” Notaro joked when asked if the nomination had altered her demeanor, according to Variety. This self-deprecating humor, however, belies a deep commitment to the film’s sensitive subject matter.
Notaro emphasized the importance of a careful and compassionate approach to the production. “This project has to be led fully by love and patience,” she said. “There can’t be a weirdo rattling around in the production. It has to be all, all good.” This ethos, she explained, is central to why “Come See Me in the Good Light” resonates with audiences.
The documentary, praised by GLAAD, avoids sensationalism, instead offering a comforting and hopeful perspective. Viewers leaving screenings have expressed gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose, according to Notaro. “There are sad moments, but there are also deeply funny moments that surprise people,” she noted. “It fills people with a sense of hope.”
Notaro’s involvement stemmed from a personal connection to Gibson and a documentary fan’s enthusiasm. Initially, she admitted, she had little understanding of the Oscar campaign process. “None, zero,” she quipped, recalling friends discussing downtime after “award season” as a foreign concept. “Now I’m like, full-blown in award season — it’s no joke.”
The film’s journey from independently financed project to an Apple TV+ release, and ultimately an Oscar nomination, was unexpected. “Getting this movie made about my scrappy poet friend in the mountains of Colorado…that was just mind-blowing,” Notaro said.
A key decision during production involved resisting the conventional narrative arc of a film about terminal illness. Ryan White, the director, advocated for a different approach, questioning the necessity of depicting Gibson’s death. “Ryan came to everybody and said, ‘Why do we need our hero to die?’” Notaro recalled. The team wanted to allow Gibson the possibility of seeing the completed film, a prospect that seemed unlikely given their health. They submitted the film to Sundance without informing Gibson or Meg, to avoid potential disappointment.
When “Come See Me in the Good Light” was accepted into the Sundance Film Festival, the news was met with joy. Following the festival, the crew continued to visit Gibson and Meg, demonstrating a sustained commitment beyond the film’s completion.
Notaro, a cancer survivor herself, reflected on the tendency to cling to optimistic outcomes, even in the face of demanding realities. She acknowledged her own initial belief that Gibson would have more time. “I honestly thought we were going to make this movie, we’re going to put it out, people are going to be blown away, learn all about Andrea Gibson on a wider level, and Andrea is going to have another five to 10 years to be the rock star in the poetry world that they were,” she said.
Gibson died shortly after the film’s completion, a loss that Notaro continues to process. She remembers Gibson’s strength and spirit, particularly their dedication to working out even although battling stage 4 ovarian cancer. “That’s somebody with hope, and that is incredible to watch somebody pumping iron with stage four cancer.”
Notaro ultimately cherishes the memory of Gibson’s laughter and the depth of their connection. “Every time I would see Andrea perform intense poetry, but there was also so much light-hearted, funny coming out of that mouth,” she reflected. “There’s depth, but there was nothing better than kicking back and laughing.”
