A spiritual teacher is having a mental breakdown – and it’s showtime. His only hope comes from an unassuming source.

Director’s Statement

Written, directed, and acted by Carl Bird McLaughlin, Human Sun showcases a day in the life of a spiritual teacher who is shaken when one of his followers confronts him after a show. On stage, Corey Forsythe is able to maintain his spiritual persona, giving theatrical performances and pulling an audience member on stage to explore his troubles. But in the dressing room, we see a broken man, someone who despite spending his life trying to help others, clearly cannot help himself. Zach, the stranger that was pulled on stage, represents a symbol, an unlikely source of inspiration.

There are no easy answers or a tidy ending in the short, and it’s clear from the film’s conclusion that Corey still has a long way to go to embrace his own message of hope. But it leaves viewers with their own meditative space to contemplate their own journeys in life, and how our own inner obstacles keep others from connecting and contributing to us, even in our darkest vulnerabilities.