When Motion Becomes Meaning: The Story Behind ‘Lightrunner’

Brooklyn-based directing duo King She understands that movement is never just physical. It is emotional, internal, and often invisible. It is a quiet force that propels people forward when standing still is no longer an option. Looking through their cannon of creative work, there is a common theme, a desire to convey the ways in which motion becomes meaning. Through their partnership, King She has finessed the ability to demonstrate how feeling is carried not only through performance, but through pace, rhythm, and restraint.

That philosophy is powerfully realised in their latest collaboration with Felon, Broken Heart Love Affair and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Canada’s largest cancer charity. Released in October, Lightrunner quickly resonated for its ability to translate endurance into something felt as much as seen. Now, King She has unveiled the full 90-second version of the film, an extended cut originally conceived as a director’s edit, but ultimately embraced by both agency and client as the definitive telling of the story.

To understand how this deeply human narrative was shaped on screen, LBB’s April Summers speaks with King She’s Radha Ganti and Robert Lopuski about the making of Lightrunner, and how movement became the emotional engine of a purposeful project.

LBB> The full-length cut is brilliant, the storytelling feels concise but also inherently creative. I’m curious, what drew you to this project?

King She> This is an incredibly human story about confronting the unknown and facing darkness head-on. Brandon Throop is a real-life superhero. He made a very difficult choice, right away – choosing an experimental course of cancer treatment. And as soon he was in remission, he chose to give back.

He ran a marathon in a hospital gown thinking he’d raise a few thousand dollars. But he raised over $100,000 and became an inspiration to so many other people. And now he’s known as the man running in a hospital gown for cancer. That is a powerful and moving metaphor.

LBB> What did you learn in your interviews with Brandon, his doctor, and his family that surprised you or shifted the story?

King She> That he is a badass. He’s a very funny guy, not at all a mush. And he carries a quiet power.

Our interviews confirmed that his experience having cancer became a big calling for him to help others. In a way, this seems to have become a life purpose. The interviews brought us closer to the story we wanted to tell as filmmakers. We met his wife and got a bunch of pictures and videos from them that we wanted to bring into the storytelling.

LBB> ‘Seven Nation Army’ is an iconic track and a great choice for this spot. What did the rhythm and tone of the song allow you to express that dialogue or images alone couldn’t? How did the track influence the pacing or structure?

King She> We were thrilled when we heard Jack White liked the film and gave us the song. It’s one of our all time favorite tracks. There’s a shape to it that fits incredibly well and the final chords at the end felt triumphant and powerful. Lyrically, it carried the theme of Brandon’s journey.

LBB> The glowing figure is a central image in the film. Where did the idea for this motif come from and what does that light represent to you?

King She> Brandon told us about the specific colour of his chemotherapy bag. The almost neon, bright liquid that had to pump through his body during his treatment. There was a nice overlap between this liquid and the idea of him carrying the light and how he is a light runner. We felt he needed to visually glow and the hospital gown became a really nice canvas for that.

LBB> The return to daylight at the end carries enormous weight. What transformation did you want that moment to signify?

King She> Brandon’s actions didn’t begin and end with the single race. This is someone who ran into the dark and came out as light. And so it made sense to craft the run as starting at pre-dawn, when a lot of runners go out, and emerge into the dawn.

We also wanted to show the hospital at the break of day. That this was a place that opened its doors to help others, every day.

LBB> Given the fact that Brandon had no acting experience, how did you approach guiding him through such an intimate, vulnerable performance?

King She> It was about building rapport and trust with talent. You want the people whose stories you are telling to feel like they’re being seen and the film is articulating them in wonderful ways.

LBB> What parts of Brandon’s journey felt universal as you were crafting the narrative?

King She> Family, perseverance and athleticism.

LBB> How do you hope viewers see themselves in this film?

King She> Health is a universal currency we all understand – it’s worth running toward.

LBB> What was the biggest creative challenge in balancing realism with symbolism?

King She> Film has this amazing ability to bring you even closer to the feeling of reality in ways that subvert simple logic. There’s a language and conversation between the two that can help articulate realism in ways that stock reality cannot.

LBB> How did collaborating with Felon help crystallise your vision on screen?

King She> They’re wonderful, supportive people and hands down some of the best producers in the game. It was a pleasure.

LBB> What conversations do you hope ’Lightrunner’ sparks within families, communities, or culture?

King She> We want to get the message out there that PMCF is a really special, really unique hospital. Their treatment is 100% free and all the money they raise goes towards cutting-edge cancer research. They’re really worth supporting.

Learn more about the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation here.