First Light – Q&A with James J. Robinson

Sister Yolanda, whose grace and selflessness make her a quiet but valued figure in her Philippine mountain town, leads a simple life working as a nurse and living in a convent. But when she performs last rites on a young construction worker, suddenly things aren’t so simple. The unusual circumstances surrounding the death begin to weigh on her conscience, and an unavoidable question begins to resonate: Has she spent a dutiful life in service to the wrong thing?

Selected at prestigious film festivals across the world – including Rotterdam, Sydney, and Marrakech – First Light is an Australian-Philippines co-production and Australia’s submission for best international feature at the 2027 Academy Awards.