Category Archives: Sundance

In Person Sundance Is Back!

Sundance Film Festival Marquee

The Sundance Institute today announced their initial plans for an in person Sundance for 2023, taking place from January 19-29, 2023.

First and foremost is their priority of bringing the film community back together with actual butts in seats to watch and experience next year’s culture-shaping stories. Therefore, the Sundance Film Festival begins in person, in Utah in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, on January 19 and runs through the 29th. The first weekend will be in-person only but then beginning the following Tuesday, January 24, the Festival expands to online with select films.

The digital side will offer an on-demand, curated selection of feature films from the 2023 Festival, including all competition titles (U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary, and NEXT), as well as other sections of the feature film program, alongside episodic work and short films.

Audiences globally can experience a regenerated edition of New Frontier that tunes to today’s times, emphasizing independent artistic practice and environmental engagement at the crossroads of film, art, and new media technology. New Frontier will feature a cutting-edge lineup of multimedia works and keynote discussions on a bespoke spatialized digital platform beginning January 24 when the online portion of the Festival kicks off.

“We are excited to bring the Sundance community together for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, a celebration of independent filmmaking. After two years of being apart, our priority is reuniting in person, while still sharing bold new films with audiences across the country through online access,” said Joana Vicente, CEO of the Sundance Institute.

“The health and safety of the Sundance Institute staff, artists, volunteers, and audiences remain of the utmost importance to the Institute. We are continuing to work with our COVID-19 safety team and are following all CDC guidelines.” All staff and volunteers working the Festival will be required to mask and test weekly. Attendees will be encouraged to wear masks in all Sundance Film Festival spaces to keep themselves and other Festival community members safe.

Program Submissions are currently open. They close on the following dates: Feature film submissions close September 5 (official) and September 26 (late), 2022. Short film submissions close September 5 (late), 2022. New Frontier submissions close September 9 (late), 2022. Episodic content submissions closed August 26 (official) but late submissions have until September 12, 2022. Details on applications, including frequently asked questions, are available here.

Information on ticket packages and venues will be announced in late September. Stay up to date at festival.sundance.org, and visit lodging.sundance.org to help plan your stay at the Festival.

38th Sundance Film Festival Off To A Rocky Start

38th Sundance Web Page

It may be Day Three but there’s still plenty of time to get in on the Sundance Film Festival game. Unlike the in-person experience where everything is sold out months in advance and people wait hours in a freezing-cold standby line, hoping package holders don’t show up for a particular screening, the online or “virtual” Sundance Film Fest is the ultimate version of “inclusive”. No matter where you live, your socio economic status or the company you keep, the only thing holding anyone back from watching a Sundance flick will be their tech savviness.

Only Buffers a Few Times

The complaints and drama abound regarding the 38th Annual Sundance Film Festival. In an effort to “do the right thing”, organizers killed the live part and went virtual without much notice. The technology was in place thanks to last year’s Covid chaos but visitors expecting to finally travel to Park City, Utah, for January had purchased ticket packages upwards of $750 for live screenings and events that would not happen. Sundance’s response to the request for refunds was to thank everyone for their donation; leaving people with only one option – rage on Facebook and dispute the charges with their credit card companies.

Then there was the automatic cancelling of everyone’s ticket selections (including thoses who only had online tickets) in order to transition to their online platform and forcing everyone to start anew. Because the live screenings moved to virtual, there was shuffling to be done and it wouldn’t be fair to make those with live tickets have to take the leftovers.

Another issue that was immediately apparent were the struggles older generations faced trying to link computers to smart TVs. Sundance developed a Festival app that, if you could understand the instructions, was fairly easy to download, connect to your account and stream all of your selections on Roku, FireTV, etc. Your movies sit on a screen of thumbnails and switch from “coming soon” to “renting” as soon as they hit their screening time. However, many took to Facebook to complain about not getting pin codes, not finding their films after the setup, or having their movie stop mid-play and getting kicked out of the app. It did happen once to me but I was able to immediately return to my film where it left off. Another bonus is the ability to pause to grab a snack or use the bathroom.

Taking Your Online Picks

If you’ve done it once, you can do it again. With my former selections in hand, I easily navigated to my first choices and selected them all over again. Thanks to increased bandwidth, only a handful of films are now sold out – like the three awesome movies I’ve seen so far (The Worst Person in the World, Call Jane, Fresh) and the Sundance team is holding out on the Best of Fest tickets until later in the week so those might be available to watch then. If you want to watch a Sundance film it’s entirely possible.

Single Ticket Prices For Sundance Films

It’s a pricey $20 ($15 for Utahns) to screen one Sundance film from your couch but invite five friends and it suddenly makes sense. Have them buy the cocktails, popcorn or pizza and it’s a better deal than the theater. The only differences between a Premiere ticket and a second screening ticket is that you have a shorter window to watch your movie (three-hour window vs. 24-hour window) and the chance to participate in a 30-minute live Q and A after the premiere. But because these live chats can only be viewed on a computer and, let’s be real, we all would rather toss to a 55″, you’re better off going for the second screening tickets where you have more flexibility to see the movie and you can watch the replay of the Q and A for free later if you want. For example, I watched Call Jane and a few hours later, I opened up my computer, surfed to the film description and clicked “watch the Q and A replay”. BTW, these recorded Q&As are available to all and not just ticket holders.

You can also purchase a Day Pass, $75, and watch movies until your brain explodes or the day ends; whichever comes first. The Explorer Pass ($25) will get you access to the short films, the New Frontier and three of the Indie Series programs.

See Sundance Films In Theaters

Twenty cities including Salt Lake City are planning in-person ‘satellite’ screenings. If you want a pseudo Sundance experience check out this list of live events to see if there’s a theater near you.

What’s Free At the Sundance Film Festival

There are so many ways to check in with Sundance, the movies and the filmmakers for free. Navigate here to see what’s on tap for any particular day. Sundance does a How to Fest Daily with Festival Director Tabitha Jackson at 10 a.m. MST presented by Acura. There are Daily Recap Videos presented by Adobe, and the highlights of what happened the day before all on Sundance’s YouTube Channel. In case you missed it, be sure to watch the Robert Redford 2022 Festival Welcome.

2022 Sundance Film Festival Goes Virtual and Cancels “Hybrid” Event

Crowds at Sundance Film Festival

2022 Sundance Film Festival: Update

The Sundance Institute announced today that they’re caving to the Omicron variant.

“The 2022 Sundance Film Festival’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online this year. While we’re disappointed to not provide the full hybrid experience and gather in-person as intended, audiences this year will still experience the magic and energy of our Festival with bold new films and XR work, the discovery of new storytellers, direct encounters with artists, and an innovative globally accessible social platform and gallery space.”

The Institute had hoped to bring their annual Sundance Film Festival back to an in-person experience, but the recent record spread of the Covid-19 virus in Park City and beyond forced their hand. When you think about it, it’s not really that thousands of attendees might get sick; it’s that staff, volunteers and resources would fall victim. Look at what happened this Christmas- hundreds of employees got sick and stayed home leaving the resorts and support services to operate at half-capacity, obscene liftlines, limited terrain, no dining availability, cancelled flights and all-around pissed-off guests. Can you imagine the lines at the theaters and venues if half the volunteer staff went missing?

No Hybrid 2022 Sundance Film Festival

Sundance had been looking forward to the first fully hybrid 2022 Sundance Film Festival (and I was too! Watching movies from my couch but hitting the speaker series and parties that were cancelled last year). However, Omicron’s high transmissibility rates “is pushing the limits of health safety, travel and other infrastructures across the country. We do not believe it is safe nor feasible to gather thousands of artists, audiences, employees, volunteers, and partners from around the world, for an eleven-day festival while overwhelmed communities are already struggling to provide essential services.”

The Festival is the most important fundraising tool the Sundance Institute has for underwriting the year-round artist support labs so they’re not about to go silent for a year. Therefore in two weeks, audiences will gather online starting Jan. 20, 2022 as promised. Screening schedules are being adjusted to add those that would have only premiered in person. I’m totally psyched for the entire Animation Program to be online! Seven “satellite partners” will also host screenings for locals from January 28-30. As previously announced, single tickets will go on sale January 13 (January 12 for the membership pre-sale) at 10 a.m. MST. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, this is a good call. The Christmas period had a terrible impact on our town. Sure, the hotels and CEOs at Vail Resorts were rejoicing but locals and guests struggled. Sundance brings nearly 50 thousand people to town. Egads! The bright side of this is that if you are thinking about a Park City ski vacation, get your asses out here! Lodging will be clearance sale cheap and the resorts and restaurants empty. And I’m now freed up for more private lessons. 😉

Free Sundance Film Festival Tickets For Locals

Sundance Film Festival Marquee
I just picked my Festival films! The program went live this week and the Sundance Film Festival tickets went on sale for Press and Industry today with everything being released to the general public on December 17.

Sundance Film Festival is back with in-person screenings, lectures and gatherings but for those still afraid of catching Covid in a movie theater, the Institute has instituted a variety of protocols that should make you feel safer. They range from mandatory vaccination card presentation and onsite PCR tests to online viewing of just about everything the Fest has to offer. Would you believe that you have to download an app and show it to people at the door to prove you’re infection free? If you attend a party, they will also force you to get another PCR test if you want back in on the public screenings!

And while there are some restrictions on movie choice if you are not in the USA, organizers have made the Festival more accessible than you could ever imagine- and that includes local opportunities.


Sundance Film Festival Locals

The Sundance Film Festival will once again offer locals-only opportunities for the 2022 Festival. The Festival takes place January 20–30, 2022, and as part of its new Local Lens program, they have planned a handful of free in-person and online screenings, ticket discounts, student screenings, and more.

This 2022 version features a lot less opportunities for the public to have a seat at the table- three less theaters, no Music Cafe and more. It’s to “protect the health safety of the community,” said Festival Director Tabitha Jackson.

Following are the Local Lens offerings with details on the specific film screenings. Locals can prepare for the 2022 Sundance Film Festival by registering online at festival.sundance.org and sign up for Insider emails here. Details for how to get tickets to the free screenings and how to take advantage of the discount offer will be on the locals page (and more on that below.)

In-Person Free Screenings
For residents in and around Summit and Salt Lake counties, the Festival will offer the following free screenings. Thursday, January 27: Two Summit County screenings at the Park City Library and Redstone theaters. One Salt Lake County screening at the Grand Theatre
Friday, January 28: One Salt Lake County screening at the Grand Theatre
Additionally, there will be two free Best of Fest screenings in Park City and Salt Lake City on Sunday, January 30, with each venue exhibiting an award-winning fiction and nonfiction feature from the 2022 Festival. Two films at the Eccles Theatre in Park City. Two films at the Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City.

Online Free Screenings
Utahns from across the state can participate in two free Sundance Film Festival feature film screenings from the comfort of their homes.
On Saturday, January 22, catch a film during the first weekend of the Festival on the online Festival platform.
On Saturday, January 29, locals can log back in for a Best of Fest award-winner film.

Free Screenings for Students
The Sundance Institute provides Utah high school students (and their families ;)) with the opportunity to watch three screenings of feature-length films and/or view a shorts program during the Sundance Film Festival, and then have a conversation with the artists who created it about the film’s themes, storytelling, and production. These free screenings engage students with emerging and leading independent filmmakers, introducing them to new perspectives.

The screenings for high school students will be available through the online platform exclusively, allowing young film lovers in grades 9–12 to participate from anywhere in Utah. Educators interested in having their classes attend an online screening should contact studentprograms@sundance.org.

Discounted Access to the Festival
For a limited time only, the Salt Lake City Package can be purchased at an early bird 20% discount ($100 savings) for $400 starting on December 17, 2021, through January 3, 2022, after which the package price will return to $500. Created for Utah residents, this package offers 10 in-person tickets to feature film screenings at all Salt Lake City venues, with early access to ticket selection, and includes all the benefits of our Explorer Pass.

Beginning Wednesday, January 26, the Festival will offer a 25% discount on single tickets – $15 ($5 savings)- for locals for in person screenings taking place on Wednesday, January 26, through to the end of the Festival. Utah residents can receive a $5 discount for up to four single tickets per person, based on availability. Utah residents who have created a Sundance account will receive the discount and tickets can be purchased online or in person at any box office location beginning January 26th at 8:00 a.m. MT.

Sundance Film Festival Venues
Festival venues for 2022 include both theater and non-theater locations. Non-theater venues will host conversations and events (including live music and panels) — an ideal spot for Utah artists to converge. The Sundance Film Festival’s online platform will expand the reach by increasing accessibility for audiences across Utah (and beyond).

Park City
All Park City theater venues will be operating for the duration of the Festival (January 20–30):
The Eccles Theatre, 1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City, UT 84060
The Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St., Park City, UT 84060
Holiday Village Cinemas, 1776 Park Ave., Park City, UT 84060
The Library Center Theatre, 1225 Park Ave., Park City, UT 84060
Prospector Square Theatre, 2175 Sidewinder Dr., Park City, UT 84060
The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave., Park City, UT 84060
Redstone Cinemas, 6030 Market St., Park City, UT 84098

Two Park City non-theater venues will be operating from Friday, January 21, to Tuesday, January 25. These venues are free and open to all Festival patrons:
The Filmmaker Lodge, Elks Building, 550 Main St. (2nd Floor), Park City, UT 84060
The Craft, 950 Iron Horse Drive, Park City, UT 84060

Salt Lake City:

All Salt Lake City venues will be in operation for the duration of the Festival as well:
The Grand Theatre, 1575 S. State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
 Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. Broadway (300 S.) Salt Lake City, UT 84101 
Broadway Centre Cinemas (2 screens), 111 E. Broadway (300 South) Salt Lake City, UT 84111
SLC Library Theatre, 210 E. 400 S., Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 

Two Salt Lake City non-theater venues, hosted by Visit Salt Lake, will be open from Friday, January 21, to Saturday, January 29:
Festival Lounge at Copper Common, 111 E. Broadway #190, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
The Queer Lounge at Twist, 32 Exchange Place, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Sundance Mountain Resort
Sundance Mountain Resort Screening Room, 8841 N. Alpine Loop Road, Sundance, UT 84604

Sundance Labs Hits 40 Years

Sundance Labs Films

As I search for something to stream, I constantly run into a “Sundance Movie”. After 40 years of helping independent filmmakers find their voice, it’s inevitable. The Sundance Labs basically cultivated the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Cary Fukunaga, Chloé Zhao, Taika Waititi, Gregory Nava, Dee Rees, James Mangold, Darren Aronofsky, Wes Anderson, and others.

It all started with an idea by Robert Redford 1981.

Sundance Lab Films

The First of the Sundance Labs

Redford’s Sundance Institute -located at his Sundance Ski Resort near Provo at the time- held its first lab for 15 independent filmmakers to develop their original projects with the mentorship from advisors like Sydney Pollack and Waldo Salt. Redford recalled in an email to MSN the impulse behind later founding the Sundance Film Festival.

“The Sundance labs will always be the core of our mission and the origin of the institute — once we started the labs and saw the inspiring work, it was clear that we needed to find ways to make sure that these films were seen, which lead to the festival. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

Writer-directors apply to the open call for scripts in the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Those chosen go through an intensive five-day workshop to rework and enhance their current scrip through one on one story sessions with professional creative advisors. There’s also a Director’s Lab, Episodic Lab, Native Lab, and Producers Lab to which filmmakers can apply.

This year, the Institute celebrates 40 years. In honor of this anniversary, they’ve compiled a chronological list of 40 thought-provoking independent projects that emerged from their Sundance Labs. See how many you know or add them to your must-watch lists before the 2022 Sundance Film Festival begins January 20!

1. El Norte (1984)

A still from Gregory Nava's film "El Norte."

Teen siblings Enrique and Rosa flee Guatemala after their father is killed and their mother arrested by the government. They survive a perilous journey north only to find themselves struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles, constantly in fear of deportation and relying solely on each other as they try to build a new life. The film that Roger Ebert called a modern Grapes of Wrath was developed in a Sundance Institute Directors Lab in 1981. Gregory Nava directed and co-wrote the script with Anna Thomas, and their screenplay received a 1985 Oscar nomination.

the first film to go through their process.

And my God, it was life-changing. It improved the script tremendously. And one of the things I’ve got to say about it is that they not only said, “Here are things that can help you,” but they were also very open to what we wanted to do. That was different. It wasn’t imposing on you the whole Hollywood development system. It was like, “Let us help you do what you want to do.” Well, that was like the sky opening up and a light coming through, because all you heard [from the industry] was, “This is no good. You can’t do this, it’s not commercial. It won’t work.” But suddenly you had people like [advisors] Waldo Salt and Sydney Pollack telling you, “No, what you want to do is good.”

 [WATCH NOW]

2. Old Enough (1984)

Two girls from two extremes of New York City — one from the poor and streetwise side, the other from a well-to-do family — form an unlikely and enlightening friendship. Writer-director Marisa Silver developed the project in a 1982 Directors Lab. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1984 Utah/U.S. Film Festival (precursor to the Sundance Film Festival). [WATCH NOW]

3. A Dry White Season (1989)

A still from "A Dry White Season."

A white schoolteacher in South Africa begins to openly question apartheid when the son of his Black longtime gardener goes missing after participating in a public demonstration. Writer-director Euzhan Palcy went undercover in Soweto to interview South Africans, both white and Black, about conditions. “When I see white people seeing the light, I cry,” Palcy said in a 2020 Vulture interview. “Oh my God. Do you know how long we’ve been fighting for that?” Palcy, one of the first Black women to direct a U.S. studio film, brought this project to the 1985 Directors Lab, and Marlon Brando received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role. [WATCH NOW]

4. Thousand Pieces of Gold (1990)

Her Chinese father sells her to an overseas trader in 1870, and her new husband, a saloon keeper in a remote Idaho mining town, renames her Polly and plans to put her to work as a prostitute. Which all sounds demeaning, cruel, and hopeless — reflecting the status of many Chinese in America long after the government outlawed slavery. But Lalu has a strong will that resists subjugation. Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto worked on the project in the 1987 Directors Lab — read more about their journey with the historical drama, recently restored and rereleased by Kino, here[WATCH NOW

5. Pretty Woman (1990)

A still from "Pretty Woman."

Believe it or not, this popular Hollywood movie had its roots in the Sundance Screenwriters and Directors Labs in 1988, where J.F. Lawton workshopped his project, then known as Three Thousand — after the $3,000 offered to the sex worker Vivian (Julia Roberts) by a business executive (Richard Gere) to pretend to be his girlfriend for a week. The original story was much darker than the one that finally made it to the big screen: Vivian was a crack addict who returned to the street at the end. [WATCH NOW]

6. Dogfight (1991)

On the eve of the day in 1963 that they are to leave for Vietnam, Eddie and his military friends participate in a bar event called a “dogfight,” a degrading tradition in which the guys compete to bring the ugliest date. But Eddie (River Phoenix) starts to fall for his girl. Bob Comfort brought the project to the 1987 Screenwriters and Directors Labs, and Nancy Savoca ultimately directed the project — released in 1991 — for Warner Brothers. [WATCH NOW]

7. Johnny Suede (1991)

Johnny Suede (Brad Pitt) wants to be a musician like his idol Ricky Nelson. He has the hairstyle and the cool, so when some snazzy black suede shoes fall into his lap, he takes that as a sign. Trouble is, he may be overestimating his own talent and maturity to achieve his dream. Writer-director Tom DiCillo workshopped this film in the 1990 Directors Lab; it later played the 1992 Festival as part of the Dramatic Competition. [WATCH NOW]

8. Crush (1992)

Emotional manipulation is the theme in this study of the relationships among a novelist father, his teenage daughter, and two women who enter their lives after a car crash. One woman, a femme-fatale type, was the driver of the car; the other, the passenger, is left in a coma. The seriously injured woman was en route to an interview with the novelist. Canadian director and co-writer Alison MacLean brought the project to the Sundance labs in 1991; the film later played the 1993 Festival. [WATCH NOW]

9. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

A still from Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs."

A brash young filmmaker named Quentin Tarantino introduced his penchant for graphic violence and dark humor, arguably changing the face of cinema, with his debut feature film. He workshopped it at a Sundance lab in 1991; it eventually played the 1992 Fest — and returned for a screening on its 25th anniversary. Insisting that his next film, his 10th, will be his last, Tarantino said this summer that he considered a remake of Reservoir Dogs as his final film, perhaps with an all-Black cast, but decided against it. He still might turn it into a stage play, however, he told IndieWire[WATCH NOW]

10. Corrina, Corrina (1994)

Writer-director Jessie Nelson brought Corrina, Corrina to the 1990 Directors Lab. The project tells the story of a white widower (Ray Liotta) who hires a Black nanny/housekeeper (Whoopi Goldberg) to care for his troubled young daughter. Set in the 1950s, the film is about healing, but it also brings into play issues of racial prejudice. [WATCH NOW]

11. Walking and Talking (1996)

Best buds Amelia and Laura maneuver through life, romance, and friendship in this low-key film filled with comfortable, witty, and tender dialogue by writer-director Nicole Holofcener. “Her take on female friendships, idle banter, and telecommunications in the Big City is true,” wrote programmer Andrea Alsberg. “But what makes this film unique is her creation of characters who are so likeable and human that you really want to spend a few hours with them and are sorry to have to leave them at the film’s end.” Catherine Keener and Anne Heche star. The film, developed in 1992 writing and directing labs, was screened at the Festival again on its 10-year anniversary, in 2006. [WATCH NOW]

12. Manny & Lo (1996)

Sisters Amanda, 11, and Laurel, 16, break out of their separate foster homes and go on the run. When Laurel discovers she is pregnant, the two kidnap a shop clerk to help them with the delivery. “Lisa Krueger has crafted a tale with incredible insight into the raw need for family,” wrote then-programmer John Cooper (who later became director of the Sundance Film Festival). “On one level, Manny and Lo is the story of three misfits, but on another, it raises the intriguing question of what constitutes ‘family.’” Krueger worked on the film in the 1994 Directors Lab, and Scarlett Johansson played the youngest sister in the finished film. [WATCH NOW]

13. Cop Land (1997)

A still from James Mangold's "Cop Land."

An aging small-town New Jersey sheriff (Sylvester Stallone) who wants nothing more than to become a New York City police officer takes on a corrupt force. Among a cast that included Harvey Keitel and Robert DeNiro, Stallone drew acclaim for his performance. James Mangold developed the project in 1994 Screenwriters and Directors Labs at the Sundance Institute. [WATCH NOW]

14. Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)

A desperate father (Alan Arkin) shepherds his family from apartment to apartment in the darkness of night, one step ahead of the landlord. Meanwhile, growing up in a family of males, Vivian (Natasha Lyonne) is struggling with teenhood in the 1970s. Enter troubled cousin Rita (Marisa Tomei) and a monetary allowance from Rita’s father — and things can only get worse. Tamara Jenkins workshopped her debut feature at 1995 Sundance Screenwriters and Directors Labs. [WATCH NOW]

15. The Wood (1999)

It’s six hours to the nuptials, and the groom (Taye Diggs) has gone missing. As his two best friends (Omar Epps and Richard T. Jones) go looking for him, the tale turns into a coming-of-age story of these three young Black men growing up in Inglewood, California. Rick Famuyiwa brought the project through the 1997 Screenwriters and Directors Labs, and he later returned to Sundance with Dope, which played the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. [WATCH NOW]

16. Love and Basketball (2000)

Since they were 11 years old and new next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, it’s been all about basketball — and love. Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) meet on the neighborhood court, eventually become friends — and more. But can their relationship stand the test of the pros? Sundance programmers praised Gina Prince-Bythewood’s debut feature film, which was incubated in our 1998 labs and eventually premiered at the 2000 Festival: “Love and Basketball is cinema romance at its best, emotionally exhilarating and sexy, with absorbing characterizations and fully satisfying, perfectly executed drama.” [WATCH NOW]

17. Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000)

A still from "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her."

The lives of five California women intersect in surprising and unlikely ways, in this first feature film by Rodrigo García, developed in the 1998 labs. “Gently swathed with humor and pathos, Things You Can Tell is a film of uncommon delicacy and resonance,” wrote programmer Rebecca Yeldham. “In his contemplation of solitude and the fragile cloth of interconnectedness, García has created a passionate foray into the depths of human longing and desire.” The ensemble cast includes Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Amy Brenneman, Kathy Baker, Cameron Diaz, and Calista Flockhart. [WATCH NOW]

18. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

John Cameron Mitchell’s film adaptation of his off-Broadway musical grabbed the director and audience awards at the Festival — and a host of awards at festivals around the globe. “With a sparkling performance by Mitchell as Hansel/Hedwig, a Grammy-nominated soundtrack by Stephen Trask, and beautiful animation sequences by Emily Hubley, Hedwig and the Angry Inch seems destined to take its place beside The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a cult classic for a new generation,” predicted Sundance programmer Shari Frilot. The film was workshopped at 1999 labs. [WATCH NOW]

19. The Motel (2005)

Writer-director Michael Kang brought the darkly comic story of Ernest Chin, 13, a Chinese American boy living and working in his family’s hourly-rate motel through the 2002 labs. Kang said he wanted to explore the rites of passage for the American male, setting the tale in “the worst place” to sort out the issues of growing up. In his Meet the Artist video from the 2005 Festival, where the project had its world premiere, Kang confessed: “I guess the initial inspiration for this film came from my own terrible puberty.” [WATCH NOW]

20. Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)

The lives of a lonely artist and a newly single father/shoe salesman merge in this debut film by performance artist Miranda July, who also plays one of the leads. “July’s film is a poetic and penetrating observation of how people struggle to connect with one another in an isolating and contemporary world,” wrote Sundance programmer Shari Frilot. The film — a product of our 2003 labs — won a Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the Festival; July has since returned to Park City with The Future in 2011 and Kajillionaire in 2020. [WATCH NOW]

21. Sherrybaby (2006)

A still from "Sherrybaby."

Fresh out of a stretch in prison on drug charges, Sherry is determined to stay clean, find a job, and be a mother to her 5-year-old daughter. Director Laurie Collyer and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal portrayed her excruciating path and, for their work, earned recognition at festivals around the world. “Collyer’s sharply observed characters are brought to indelible life by all-around strong performances, led by Maggie Gyllenhaal’s deeply inhabited Sherry,” wrote Sundance programmer Shari Frilot of the project, which was incubated in the 2001 labs before having its world premiere at the 2006 Fest. [WATCH NOW]

22. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

Writer-director Dito Montiel workshopped his semi-autobiographical ’80s-set coming-of-age story in the 2004 labs before the finished project played the 2006 Festival. The cast — Rosario Dawson, Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBoeuf, Chazz Palminteri, Channing Tatum, and Dianne Wiest — captured the Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Performance, and Montiel won a directing prize at the Festival. [WATCH NOW]

23. Eagle vs. Shark (2007)

A still from Taika Waititi's "Eagle vs. Shark."

A couple of socially awkward, quirky outsiders negotiate romance in this film by writer-director — and Sundance regular — Taika Waititi. Waititi, whose father is of Māori descent, is a Renaissance man of sorts — actor, artist, writer, director, comedian. A bit of trivia from IMDb: He and Jemaine Clement, who plays one of the leads in this film, met at Victoria University of Wellington, and they later formed a comedy duo known as The Humourbeasts. Waititi brought Eagle vs. Shark through the 2005 labs on its way to the 2007 Festival, and has since gone on to rack up accolades on projects like Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok[WATCH NOW]

24. Sleep Dealer (2008)

Maybe Alex Rivera had a crystal ball when he was developing this science-fiction film in Sundance labs in 2000 and 2001. He and co-writer David Riker imagined a world where private companies hijack water supplies to sell at exorbitant prices and Mexican citizens are exploited remotely via technology. “Sleep Dealer was an early warning that the internet might appear borderless and community oriented, but as a tool, it can be harnessed for the purposes of authoritarianism, bigotry, and exploitation,” according to Joanne McNeil in a 2018 article in Filmmaker magazine. The film won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Festival. [WATCH NOW]

25. Treeless Mountain (2008)

A mother leaves her two young daughters with their cold, indifferent aunt in the rural countryside of South Korea and goes off to search for their father. She promises to return when they have filled their pink plastic piggy bank with coins. Writer-director So Yong Kim developed the film in part in Sundance Institute labs in 2006, and has since returned to Park City with 2012’s For Ellen and 2016’s Lovesong[WATCH NOW]

26. Cold Souls (2009)

Inspired by a dream in which Woody Allen opens a box containing his soul and finds a chickpea, writer-director Sophie Barthes came up with the idea for a film about removing souls for convenience and profit. Paul Giamatti portrays a version of himself, an actor stressing out over his role in Chekhov’s Vanya, who arranges to have his soul extracted to escape the anxiety. Wrote programmer Caroline Libresco of the 2007 lab project, “(Giamatti) comes to value that happiness isn’t merely the absence of pain, but the integration of the full range of emotion into life.” [WATCH NOW]

27. Pariah (2011)

Torn between the feminine version of herself that her parents expect and the butch version she displays among her friends, Alike, 17, is trying to find her true self. “I was coming out myself at the time,” said writer-director Dee Rees, looking back at the project she brought through the Institute’s labs in 2007 and 2008. “I’m not butch and I’m not femme, so I’d go to the clubs and I’d be kind of invisible.” Rees chose a handheld vérité camera style for the story, a technique that drew an Excellence in Cinematography Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition when the project had its premiere at the 2011 Festival. [WATCH NOW]

28. Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

In Sean Durkin’s 2011 Festival feature, Elizabeth Olsen mesmerizes as Martha, who escapes an abusive cult and tries to assimilate back into society. But she is haunted by her experiences and increasingly panicked by the feeling that she is being hunted. “I wanted to tell a story about an intense experience of exploring someone’s guilt and past and things that haunt them,” said Durkin of his debut feature. Durkin, who worked on the project in Sundance labs in 2010, won a Festival directing award for the film. [WATCH NOW]

29. Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

A still from "Beasts of the Southern Wild."

Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and the Excellence in Cinematography Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2012 Festival, Benh Zeitlin’s debut film centers on Hushpuppy, 6, and her father, Wink, as they scratch out a living in a remote Mississippi Delta community. “When Wink contracts a mysterious illness, nature flies out of whack — temperatures rise, and the ice caps melt, unleashing an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs,” wrote programmer John Nein, who summed up the engaging film succinctly: “Beasts of the Southern Wild exists entirely in its own universe: mythological, anthropological, folkloric, and apocalyptic.” The film benefited in part from 2009 Institute labs for writing, directing, and producing. [WATCH NOW]

30. Drunktown’s Finest (2014)

Set in a beautiful, hypnotizing New Mexican landscape, the Navajo Nation comes alive through the eyes of three Native characters — a father-to-be, a transgender woman who dreams of becoming a model, and a young woman adopted and raised as Christian by a white family. All three are looking for a way out. Sydney Freeland’s feature film debut was inspired by a news story that characterized her hometown of Gallup, New Mexico, as “Drunktown, USA.” She worked the film through Sundance writing, directing, and producing labs in 2010, as well as the 2009 Native Filmmakers Lab. [WATCH NOW]

31. The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)

A still from Marielle Heller's "The Diary of a Teenage Girl."

A bright, lonely teenager named Minnie draws to express herself and makes regular confessions to her tape recorder as she matures during those crazy, psychedelic 1970s. One evening, she finds herself alone with her mother’s boyfriend… and her world changes. Writer-director Marielle Heller, who worked on the project in the Sundance labs in 2012, combined animation and live action to tell this story, winning the Festival’s Special Jury Award for Excellence in Cinematography in the process. [WATCH NOW]

32. Swiss Army Man (2016)

When a dead body washes ashore on the deserted island that has become home to hapless Hank, hapless Hank becomes hopeful Hank. He believes the dead man provides him a path back to civilization. Co-writers and co-directors Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, who previously partnered making music videos, turn out a lively, creative debut feature, which earned them a Festival directing award in 2016. They worked on the project in 2014 Sundance labs on screenwriting, directing, producing, and music and sound design. Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe star. [WATCH NOW]

33. Spa Night (2016)

A still from "Spa Night."

A young Korean American man takes a job at a spa to help his parents weather the closing of the family restaurant business. There, he begins to explore his sexuality as he discovers a world that is both frightening and exciting. Actor Joe Seo’s portrayal was so nuanced in conveying the young man’s commitment to his traditional family and his own desires that it drew a Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance. Andrew Ahn wrote and directed the film; he took the project through screenwriting and producing labs in 2013. [WATCH NOW]

34. We the Animals (2018)

Three brothers grow up in a volatile household. Two become just like their father. The youngest, a dreamer, imagines a world of his own making. Director Jeremiah Zagar, who was formerly known for his documentary films, impressed Festival juries with a dash of animation and magical realism, earning a NEXT Innovator Prize for his adaptation of Justin Torres’ novel. The film benefited in part from 2014 labs on writing, directing, and producing. [WATCH NOW]

35. Little Woods (2018)

A still from Nia DaCosta's "Little Woods."

In this modern-day western set on the border between the U.S. and Canada, two sisters stray outside the law in an attempt to ease their struggles during an economic downturn. DaCosta — who has since gone on to direct this year’s Candyman remake — developed the project in part with the aid of Sundance Institute labs and grants between 2015 and 2017. She actually met two actors who became part of the powerful Little Woods cast — Tessa Thompson and Luke Kirby — while all three were attending a Directors Lab. [WATCH NOW]

36. Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Telemarketer Cassius Green (LaKeith Stanfield) discovers a magical power of salesmanship inside himself, in this witty, fantastical film backed by a funky soundtrack and a score by Tune-Yards. “Writer-director Boots Riley pulls no punches in this immensely intelligent comedy about overcoming your perception of your own powers of persuasion,” wrote programmer Shari Frilot, of the project, which went through our labs in 2015 and 2016. “Sorry to Bother You is a sparkling debut feature that surfs a macabre universe with a disturbing likeness to our own.” [WATCH NOW]

37. The Mustang (2019)

A still from "The Mustang."

A hardened prisoner in a Nevada maximum security prison enrolls in a rehabilitation program that will teach him to train wild mustangs. As he works with an equally hardened and ornery mustang, could he also be taming the beast within himself? Matthias Schoenaerts stars; Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre directed and co-wrote the script, bringing it through our screenwriting, directing, producing, and music and sound design labs in 2015. [WATCH NOW]

38. Bull (2019)

Kris, a teen headed down the path of delinquency, and her neighbor, Abe, an aging former bull rider eking out a living as a rodeo clown, are thrown together when Kris trashes his house.  Director Annie Silverstein and co-writer Johnny McAllister developed this film in part in labs in 2016 at the Sundance Institute; the finished film eventually screened at Cannes as part of the Un Certain Regard section in 2019. [WATCH NOW]

39. Selah and the Spades (2019)

A still from "Selah and the Spades."

Selah Summers, 17, leads the dominant faction of the student body at a prestigious Pennsylvania boarding school. As tensions among the five “ruling” factions grow and feeling increasingly threatened by her new protégée, Selah struggles with losing control — and losing herself. Writer-director Tayarisha Poe, who participated in multiple labs in 2017, made her feature debut with this film. Poe revealed in a 2020 interview with the Sundance Institute that she originally cast Lovie Simone as the protege Paloma, but it quickly became clear that Simone had to be Selah. [WATCH NOW]

40. The 40-Year-Old Version (2020)

Radha Blank proves herself a triple threat, writing, directing, and starring as a once-promising-but-still-struggling playwright as she faces the big 4-0. She turns to an old passion — rapping — and finds new energy and fulfillment. But then as interest in producing her play heightens, she puts her musical project on hold to negotiate the myriad compromises demanded to put her play on the stage. Blank, who went through writing, directing, and producing labs in 2017, won the directing award in the Festival’s U.S. Dramatic Competition in 2020 with this black-and-white film. [WATCH NOW]

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