The independent film Under the Lantern Lit Sky directed by Michelle Bossy will premiere at the 23rd Brooklyn Film Festival on June 12 at Windmill Studios in Brooklyn. Billed as written in the tradition of Tennessee Williams, the period piece drama explores female trauma, sisterhood, LGBTQ+ issues and the sacrifices we make for those we love.

Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is the backstory of one of film’s most fascinating characters, Blanche DuBois. The film begins as Blanche unwittingly marries a gay man, the inspiration taken from a single page in the original Williams’ script. The screenplay was written by Jaclyn Bethany, and says Michelle Bossy, “is deeply personal to me, as I married a man who came out recently as a homosexual.”

The main character, Blanche, is a fragile bird desperately searching for love and affection from her husband Allen. When she discloses her assault to her sister, she is shut down; when she questions her husband’s motives, she is gaslit. Through vulnerable storytelling and nuanced performances, Blanche and Allen’s tragic love affair is revealed.

Under the Lantern Lit Sky is Michelle Bossy’s first feature: an independent art film that was shot for under 100K. Says Bossy, “we shot the film on location in New Orleans, capturing the lush, evocative world of the South.” The cast is comprised of a diverse theater ensemble, highlighted by an original score written by Dalal Bruchmann and Maesa Pullman. As a first-generation Latina woman, whose father was born in Sonora, MX, telling diverse, dynamic stories has always been of the utmost importance to the filmmaker.