The road for Alex Thompson’s “Saint Frances” began on March 11, 2019, at the South by Southwest Film Festival where it won the audience award and a special jury prize for breakthrough voice. Written by and starring Kelly O’Sullivan, the film was picked up by Oscilloscope Laboratories and released in theaters on Feb. 28, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a nationwide lockdown. Since then, it’s picked up two nominations at the Gotham Awards, including breakthrough actor for O’Sullivan and the Bingham Ray breakthrough director prize for Alex Thompson. The film remains in the conversation for the awards season.