Supernova – an intimate portrait of love in the face of loss

Supernova is released in cinemas nationwide on June 25th.

In 2015, Harry MacQueen’s directorial debut, Hinterland, wowed critics with an intimate and delicate portrayal of love, and now he is back with his second feature in the director’s chair. Supernova builds on the themes present in his directorial debut with a compelling level of intimacy and emotion. In Supernova, we witness the deep and enduring love of an older gay couple as they face the crushing horror and loss of early-onset dementia.

Tusker (Stanley Tucci) and his partner Sam (Colin Firth) are about to embark on a holiday to the Lake District – the rolling hills, lakes and woodland an escape from their busy lives as an author and a pianist. As they drive, they share memories of their previous trips while bickering about the plans for their journey as they look forward to visiting family and friends before a rare public piano recital from Sam. But, as Sam pulls over at a service station for food and drinks, Tusker goes missing. Sam desperately searches for his partner, only to find him standing on a nearby road, their dog at his side. This trip is far more precious than it first seems as Tusker slowly succumbs to early-onset dementia – the couple’s vacation a final opportunity to be together as equals before Tusker vanishes into himself.

The emotional power of Supernova sits within Harry Macqueen’s tender screenplay and the film’s two-person play structure. Tucci and Firth are stunning as they encapsulate the pain, love and fear of a couple facing their greatest challenge through a poignant road trip full of love. Macqueen’s delicate direction always ensures both men remain the sole focus of the picture, creating a truly intimate space we feel privileged to enter as we are swept up into a single moment in time where love and loss collide. Just as a supernova marks the final explosion of a dying star, the bright shining star of Tusker and Sam’s love burns in the sky before slowly fading in a movie packed with emotion, warmth, love and loss.