500 Fireflies
★★★★
Honored to have selected this as the winner of Best Narrative Feature at the 2025 deadCenter Film Festival. Sharing this review after the jury process has concluded.
I was completely taken by 500 Fireflies. It’s a simple, heartfelt tale of a middle-aged man (Brian Villalobos) in the middle of a separation who brings his teenage daughter (Brett Cooper) back to his small Virginia hometown for the summer. What unfolds is one of my favorite kinds of stories—the kind that’s quiet on the surface but packed with rich character work and emotional resonance.
Set in 1995, the film is steeped in nostalgia without overplaying its hand. It explores our divisions—personal, political, generational—but with compassion rather than commentary. It doesn’t argue that we’re not divided now, but reminds us that we’ve always had different worldviews. And despite that, we still find ways to connect, to heal, to grow. There’s a beautiful message in there if you’re willing to sit with it.
The ensemble is fantastic, filled with lived-in performances that never outshine each other but work together in harmony. Villalobos especially struck me—his voice weirdly reminded me of Bill Paxton (close your eyes and you’ll hear it!). He brings a kind of gentle weariness that fits this story perfectly.
I grew up in a bigger town, but I still caught fireflies in the summer—and the film uses that imagery with subtlety and purpose. It’s never too precious or too heavy-handed. Just the right amount of sentimentality.
One of my favorite details? The teenagers actually looked like teenagers. Acne and all. And the small-town folks looked like real people who’ve been through some things. The authenticity here is off the charts.
Director Lysandra Petersson has a serious knack for drawing out moving, grounded performances and crafting stories that sneak up on your heart. I’ll be first in line for whatever she does next.
