Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Story.Photo:Zeb Newman
Zeb Newman
Melissa McCarthyand her husbandBen Falconeare helping illuminate one man’s charity — and triumph over his own adversity.
“We were immediately in,” McCarthy tells PEOPLE of boarding the short film midway through the process as executive producers. “In today’s world, society tends to focus on the negative, so to help shine the light on love and kindness felt like a gift.”
“Tim Sullivan’s selfless act of service is one that deserves to be spotlighted and as a community we need to recognize the power each of us has to have a meaningful impact on another person’s life, no matter how big or small,” says Zeberiah Newman, co-director ofRelighting Candlesalongside Michiel Thomas.
He adds, “Kindness and second chances are some of our most powerful tools and Tim reminds us of this each day at his candle shop.”
Sullivan himself tells PEOPLE the “extraordinary” process of unspooling his life story to Newman and Thomas — for eight hours straight — was an eye-opening one. “I didn’t know I had done so much,” he jokes.
“I’ve never felt it so easy to be so honest and truthful about my whole life — from my time in New York when I was a child to when I was in advertising to when I came out here and got sober in 1981. And it was just a wonderful, wonderful thing to go through.”
Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Story.Zeb Newman
The film highlights the growing homelessness and drug addiction crises in Los Angeles that inspired Sullivan to use his candle shop as a community base, means of employment and even a home. “I’ve had the shop for over 25 years now,” he tells PEOPLE. “And there were always people coming in and out of recovery and, you know, people sleeping on the floor.”
“In about 80 percent of the cases, these people are still sober and have found lives," Sullivan says. “That’s the best part about it. That’s what I’m happy about — being able to be of service.”
At Outfest in July, McCarthy and Falcone will be honored with the James Schamus Ally Award, recognizing their efforts to promote queer stories to a broader audience. Newman says the honor is more than deserved. “Having worked with Ben and Melissa for years as theirLate Late Showproducer, and being a massive fan of their body of work, this collaboration has been especially meaningful to me,” he tells PEOPLE, calling them both “allies” and a “power couple.”
“Not only are they incredibly talented, they are as much fun and playful to work with as you’d imagine.”
Sullivan, who didn’tmeet McCarthy in personuntil she appeared in theWeHo Pride ParadeJune 4, agrees. “I was down on my corner,” he remembers. “And she finally came down in this open car with the balloons behind it and everything else. And I just walked right out in the street into the parade.
“And she went, ‘Oh my God, Tim!’ And she stopped the parade,” he remembers with a laugh.
Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy.Jesse Grant/Getty
Jesse Grant/Getty
The producing duo also became close enough to their film’s subject to enjoy his products. While Falcone claims that “all of Tim’s candles are excellent,” he does admit to having a favorite. “As a child of the ’70s, I’m a sucker for sandalwood.”
“I have different favorites depending on my mood,” adds McCarthy. “ButHavanais definitely always a winner for me.”
As for Sullivan, he trusts the tastes of his clientele — which include Diana Ross, Tom Ford and Elton John. “Our gardenia is, like, magic for people,” he says. “My clients tell me how much they love that stuff. I kind of tend to go with what they like after 25 years.”
Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Storywill screen at the 41st annual Outfest Los Angeles on June 16.
source: people.com
