King She Captures Unyielding Strength of Human Spirit with 'Lightrunner'

In the extended, 90-second cut of 'Lightrunner,' King She has crafted a film that transcends narrative convention to tap into something deeper, more primal, and unmistakably human. Made for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation in partnership with agency Broken Heart Love Affair, this film is an exploration of the greater truth that lies in the marrow.

Set to “Seven Nation Army,” granted personally by the song’s author and performed by Ely Eira, the spine of this story is deeply rooted in fact. Grounded in real-life experience, King She began by interviewing Brandon Throop, the film’s hero, as well as his doctor and family to compose a deeply personal story. In the aftermath of his diagnosis, Brandon charted a hero’s course by running a full marathon in his hospital gown to raise money for cancer research. The process revealed core understandings that served as narrative and emotional ballasts.

The story unfolds following a lone, glowing figure - an inner spark refusing to dim - as it steps into a corridor carved from shadow. What begins as one person’s confrontation with diagnosis is transmuted into something universal: a portrait of the moments that break us open and reveal what’s real, what’s human, what survives.

When the figure rises back into daylight - changed, tender, unbroken - viewers are reminded that transformation is often slow and hard won. It is a whisper in the darkness, a breath taken when breath feels impossible, a journey undertaken by placing one foot in front of the other.

Through one lens, the film is a powerful testament to personal acceptance and the life-altering metamorphosis that follows. Through another, it becomes a reflection of the soul-shaking moments experienced by all: those moments that strip to the bone and force us to choose who to be next. In reframing relationships with these moments, the film offers not a message about 'the hero within,' but about the human within.

At a time often defined by speed, spectacle, and separation, 'Lightrunner' explores shared humanity. It invites us to remember the fragile brilliance and the unconquerable human spirit that remains after everything else is burned away.

“Working with Brandon was such a highlight of the production process. Even with no acting, let alone on-set experience, he was a total star,” said the film’s producer Amy Prickett. “Two back-to-back overnight shoots meant everyone was that extra bit all-in, and Brandon was right there with us, going strong take-after-take, moving on once it was just right. His commitment to helping make this project its best was telling of his resolute character - someone so determined to make it happen that it does.”

​Spencer Houghton, executive producer at FELON, said, “King She creates epic work with such care and intention, and we felt that with their style and process, they were a perfect fit for this project. This needed to be both a rally cry and a respectful retelling of a human story of resistance and strength. They stayed close to our hero, Brandon Throop, throughout the process, working with him and the agency partners to ensure his story was told in the most impactful and respectful way.”