Light Thereafter

Light Thereafter is a 2017 drama film written and directed by Bulgarian filmmaker Konstantin Bojanov. A co-production between Bulgaria and Belgium, it screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.

The film centers on Pavel, a withdrawn, autistic teenager living with his mother in London. Dreaming of meeting the celebrated French painter Arnaud, whom he idolizes, Pavel embarks on a journey to France, crossing paths with figures such as his aunt and the hitchhiker Julie along the way. Yet the long-awaited encounter with the artist, and the apprenticeship that follows, fall short of the boy's hopes because of his mentor's harsh discipline.

Barry Keoghan plays Pavel, with Kim Bodnia as the painter Arnaud. The cast also features Solène Rigot, Thure Lindhardt, and Lubna Azabal as Soumaya.