Love Meets in the Sunshine

Production Announcement

Road drama begins filming across rural New Mexico

Film employs more than 100 New Mexicans

SANTA FE — The feature film, “Love Meets in the Sunshine,” has begun principal photography in Socorro, Truth or Consequences, and Magdalena, utilizing New Mexico’s 10% Rural Uplift tax credit to direct investment in rural communities.

The film is directed by Christian Guiton and stars James Franco and Nick Antonyan. It follows a despairing man whose failed suicide attempt lands him in a mental health facility, where he is reluctantly paired with an eccentric, terminally ill roommate who is eager to live. The two embark on a desperate cross-country road trip — one searching for a cure, the other seeking a legal way to die. Their unlikely bond forces them to confront their deepest pains, ultimately proving that hope and meaning can emerge even in the most chaotic places.

The wide, lonely landscapes of southern and central New Mexico serve as the backdrop for this story of a deep, unlikely friendship.

“This project embodies the spirit of our Rural Uplift incentive by basing its entire production in New Mexico’s smaller communities, injecting crucial economic activity and creating valuable jobs,” said Steve Graham, director of the New Mexico Film Office. “The film’s producers recognized that our diverse landscapes, from the high desert plains to healing springs, offer unparalleled versatility.”

Led by producers Noli Molla, Jacques Abrahmian, and Jim Burleson, the film will bring an economic boost to the rural communities of Socorro, Truth or Consequences, and Magdalena, and will employ more than 100 New Mexicans. Filming will continue through November.

“New Mexico has revealed itself to be the perfect location for this ‘multi-state’ road film,” said Molla.

For more information, contact: thesunshinemovie@gmail.com