Lunar sway: On the red carpet with the cast and director at BFI Flare 2026

Canadian filmmaker Nick Butler’s dark comedy Lunar Sway is set in the fictional, slow-paced town of Mooncrest, home to Cliff (Noah Parker), a young man with a job making cool neon signs with a deep desire to escape the oppressive confines of this small enclave. Filmed in Canada, cinematographer Dmitry Lopatin mixes wide-lensed shots of the expanse of desert paired with intimate close-ups that draw the viewer deep into the surreal narrative.

When Cliff embarks on several romantic relationships with eccentric male artists, he feels disconnected. These toxic encounters are then recounted and drip-fed to his therapist, who seems less-than-invested. Frustrated and detached, when his birth mother Marg (Liza Weil) unexpectedly arrives in town, Cliff finally starts to finally feel tethered to someone. When she suggests they run away and work together, he leaps towards the newfound freedom, unaware that secrets are waiting to rise to the surface.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to Butler about what inspired this quirky, queer story, as well as the casting process and the setting he created to build this unique film.

Parker spoke to us about what drew him to the script, how he got into his role and what it was like working alongside Weil to bring those characters to life.

We chatted to Douglas Smith about his role as Stew, how he liked the weird and wonderful work Butler created and what he liked about his character.

Kaden Connors spoke about Flare and how it felt to be part of such a brilliant line-up. He spoke about what made him come on board with the role and working with such a brilliant ensemble cast.

Weil was happy to share her reasons for taking the role as eccentric Marg, her own love for quirky stories and what she hoped audiences would enjoy from the storylines.

Ezelle Alblas

Lunar Sway does not have a release date yet. Read our review here.

Read more reviews from our BFI Flare coverage here.

For further information about the event, visit the BFI Flare website here.

Watch the trailer for Lunar Sway here: