Spotlight: Nick Butler (Lunar Sway)
September 12, 2026
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Filmmaker Spotlight
Lunar Sway
Nick Butler · CANADA · 98 min
What led you to creating Lunar Sway?
I was in an unrequited love situation and wanted to explore characters who were looking for love in all the wrong places. I’d had the basic premise in mind for many years but always imagined a very different version of the film that was much more naturalistic. Once I started imagining a more surreal version it came to life in a new way and I felt inspired to make it.
The desert can be freeing and inspiring but also dangerous and wild. All of those contradictory elements made sense for this story.
What were some inspirations going into the creative process?
I was really inspired by the setting of the movie. It’s set in a fictional desert town and I was excited to be able to create an imaginary place that reflected the characters. The desert can be freeing and inspiring but also dangerous and wild. All of those contradictory elements made sense for this story.
Tell us what you hope the audience gets from Lunar Sway and why is a story like this important to tell?
I hope audiences relate to the sense of uncertainty experienced by the character. He never knows who to trust or what to believe. Often in life we feel the need to ignore the uncertainties and just keep going. I hope this movie is a space where people can stop and sit with uncertainty.
How did you become a filmmaker?
I wanted to be a filmmaker since I was a kid. I dug up an old camera from the attic and started making stop motion movies with my toys. From there I went to film school and made short films before getting my first feature off the ground. Lunar Sway is my second feature.
| Film | Lunar Sway |
|---|---|
| Director | Nick Butler |
| Section | Narrative Features |
| Runtime | 98 min |
| Screening | Fri 25 Sep, 5:10 pm |
