Nina Conti Embraces Her Inner Monkey in Dark Comedy Sunlight
When it comes to “writing what you know,” few filmmakers have taken the advice as literally as Nina Conti. A renowned ventriloquist and comedian, Conti’s first feature film, Sunlight, is a raw and absurd dark comedy centered around a woman who never takes off a full-body monkey suit — a natural extension of the character that has defined her career.
A Career Built on a Puppet
Conti’s signature puppet, Monkey, is known for his wide-eyed, emotionless face and brutally honest commentary. For over two decades, Conti has built her comedy around this character, using it as both a shield and an amplifier of her own voice. From live theatre to appearances in Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration, Monkey became an inseparable part of her comedic identity.
But Sunlight represents a turning point. Rather than performing beside the puppet, Conti now becomes him — physically embodying Monkey in a full costume. The transition was sparked after a brief experience with the creature department during her cut role in Solo: A Star Wars Story, where she learned Monkey could be scaled up into a Chewbacca-sized suit. That realization launched the bizarre yet cathartic creative journey that became Sunlight.
Plot: Comedy Meets Darkness
Sunlight follows a suicidal man (played by Shenoah Allen, Conti’s co-writer) who befriends a woman in a monkey suit. Together, they go on a morbid quest to exhume the man’s father’s grave and retrieve a valuable watch buried with him. What sounds like the setup for slapstick quickly unfolds into a strange and moving tale about loneliness, identity, and human connection.
While undeniably absurd, the film navigates themes of depression and emotional repression with honesty. Conti has said the idea emerged from her growing identification with Monkey — a character through which she felt more authentic than in her own skin.
“I felt like this is actually a more truthful version of who I am than the one I present socially,” she explained.
Improvised Origins and Creative Liberation
The project emerged from a series of improvised stage gigs with Allen, where Conti performed entirely in costume. Without the puppet as a separate entity, she explored even more unhinged comedic possibilities, including crowd-surfing in small clubs.
“We never had material,” Allen recalls. “It was totally unpredictable. I couldn’t even tell what was going on under the mask.”
What began as a spontaneous character sketch evolved into a feature-length film driven by emotional truth and darkly funny scenarios.
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Inside the Suit: The Burden and the Freedom
Filming in New Mexico under the blazing sun, Conti endured the challenges of the monkey suit: heat, lack of oxygen, and zero visibility. But paradoxically, it became her refuge.
“This is kind of my happy place, this hellhole underneath the fur,” she said.
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The suit, with its unreadable face, gave her the freedom to express emotions unfiltered — something she often struggled with using her own face.
“That face is a suit of armor. It’s not needy. Whereas my own face leaks neediness I can’t control.”
A Love Letter to a Lifelong Persona
At its core, Sunlight is a love story — not just between its two damaged protagonists, but between Conti and Monkey. The film captures the surreal humor and vulnerability that have defined her career, now expanded into a cinematic universe where absurdity and sincerity co-exist.
While Conti hints that her next film might not involve fur, Sunlight stands as a deeply personal debut. It’s not just a comedy — it’s an identity unmasked by a mask.
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Sunlight
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Director: Nina Conti
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Co-Writer: Shenoah Allen
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Release Date: Now playing in select theaters
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Genre: Dark Comedy / Indie
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Runtime: 97 minutes
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Distributor: Vertigo Releasing
