{"id":341679,"date":"2025-12-10T20:24:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T20:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/341679\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T20:24:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T20:24:17","slug":"natalie-portman-charli-xcx-olivia-wilde","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/341679\/","title":{"rendered":"Natalie Portman, Charli xcx, Olivia Wilde"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tOscar winners, pop stars and hip-hop legends will light up Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival<\/a>\u2019s last hurrah before moving to Colorado.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Sundance Institute announced 90 feature films and seven episodic projects across multiple sections on Wednesday, featuring buzzy titles from the likes of Natalie Portman<\/a>, Olivia Wilde, Jon Hamm, Charli xcx<\/a>, Chris Pine and Judd Apatow. The final installment, ahead of the festival\u2019s paradigm-shifting relocation to Boulder, comes as a bittersweet farewell to its founder, Robert Redford, and a chance to honor Tammie Rosen, the festival\u2019s chief communications officer who died last week<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cEach of us has had a very long history with this festival in different ways, and we feel the weight and the significance of that in preparing for this year\u2019s festival \u2014 but also in laying the foundation for what Sundance will be in 2027 and beyond,\u201d said Sundance director Eugene Hernandez, who oversees public programming.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s such an important year for this festival, especially now, in the wake of Robert Redford\u2019s passing,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be really memorable. There are some familiar faces that have a history and a connection to Sundance, like John Turturro and Nicole Holofcener. But there are also lots of new faces, such as Charli xcx, that folks will be able to discover and to experience or see in new ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tLeading the U.S. dramatic competition is Chris Pine\u2019s \u201cCarousel,\u201d about a divorced doctor whose life is upended when his daughter\u2019s aspirations and the unexpected return of a past love force him to confront his own choices and embrace a second chance. Academy Award winner Portman is back with an indie comedy co-starring Jenna Ortega, \u201cThe Gallerist,\u201d about an art dealer who conspires to sell a dead body at Miami\u2019s Art Basel conference. <\/p>\n

\n\tWilde comes with a double-header starting with the anticipated, sexually charged Gregg Araki<\/a> thriller \u201cI Want Your Sex,\u201d co-starring Cooper Hoffman. Wilde also slips back into the director\u2019s chair for \u201cThe Invite,\u201d a darkly funny portrait of a dinner party from hell between two couples, written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (the duo behind the beloved \u201cCeleste & Jesse Forever\u201d). Wilde also stars opposite Seth Rogen, a pair who invite a neighbor couple (Penelope Cruz and Ed Norton) for a front-row seat to their marital crisis.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s a really interesting year for comedy,\u201d noted Sundance senior programmer John Nein. \u201cThere are some films that are just outwardly funny, comedic in every way, like David Wain\u2019s film or Macon Blair\u2019s film, \u2018The Shitheads.\u2019 But what\u2019s really interesting is that some of the strongest comedic voices are exploring subject matter that is pretty uneasy and difficult, dark corners \u2014 even films that are about loss and grief, but are very funny, like Jay Duplass\u2019 film, \u2018See You When I See You,\u2019 about recovering from the death of a sibling, or \u2018Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!\u2019 in competition, which is a really creative, formally inventive film about overcoming the loss of a partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThis year, nearly half (48%) of the features were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as women. In keeping with Redford\u2019s mission for the Sundance Institute, supporting films from underrepresented voices remains a central part of the festival\u2019s ethos.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSo much of it is baked into our process,\u201d explained director of programming Kim Yutani. \u201cWe are looking for those voices of the underrepresented, and also we are looking for stories we haven\u2019t heard before. So many of these stories are based on lived experiences, so the two go hand in hand.\u201d Yutani points to Beth de Araujo\u2019s film \u201cJosephine\u201d by way of example: \u201cThe film is really incredible in the way it looks at a child who has experienced something in the adult world. She doesn\u2019t know how to process it, and the adults around her are also flailing. It\u2019s a really gutsy film, and her bold approach completely pays off. This is a film that seared into my mind since seeing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe documentary section has top-of-field talent on hot-button issues, including festival vet Rory Kennedy, who will unveil \u201cQueen of Chess,\u201d about the life and times of female chess prodigy Judit Polg\u00e1r. Director Brydie O\u2019Connor brings \u201cBarbara Forever,\u201d about pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer, and \u00a0\u201cWho Killed Alex Odeh?\u201d examines the assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California whose death ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today.<\/p>\n

\n\tHernandez acknowledges that budgets are tight for many attendees, but hopes people will stick around for the second half, when special anniversary screenings and panels are planned. Wain and Araki will mark the anniversary of past Sundance successes with screenings of \u201cWet Hot American Summer\u201d and \u201cMysterious Skin,\u201d for example.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe festival will be celebrating a kind of culmination or crescendo in Utah this year, while also honoring its legacy, in which Utah has been such an important component \u2014 both the audience and the place,\u201d noted Hernandez. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a really cool event planned after the awards on Friday that will be really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIf a snowball fight tempts anybody, that\u2019s my goal for the end of the festival,\u201d joked Yutani.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe full lineup of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival:<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tGemma Chan and Channing Tatum co-star in \u2018Josephine.\u2019<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGreta Zozula<\/p>\n

\t\tU.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe U.S. Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at the world premieres of groundbreaking new voices in American independent film. The 10 films in this section are all world premieres. All 10 will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tBedford Park (Director and Screenwriter: Stephanie Ahn, Producers: Gary Foster, Chris S. Lee, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Theresa Kang, Son Sukku) \u2014 Haunted by an abusive childhood, Audrey, a Korean American woman in her 30s, faces her emotional past. When her mother\u2019s car accident brings her back to her parents\u2019 home, she meets the man responsible for the accident. Their relationship builds, passions ignite, and they form a loving connection. Cast: Moon Choi, Son Sukku, Won Mi Kyung, Kim Eung Soo, Jefferson White. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tCarousel (Director and Screenwriter: Rachel Lambert, Producers: Alex Saks, David Lipper, Robert A. Daly Jr., Ian Gotler, Chris Pine) \u2014 A divorced doctor\u2019s carefully constructed life in Cleveland is upended when his daughter\u2019s debate aspirations and the unexpected return of a past love force him to confront his own choices and embrace a second chance. Cast: Chris Pine, Jenny Slate, Abby Ryder Fortson, Sam Waterston, Katey Sagal. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Friend\u2019s House Is Here (U.S.-Iran \u2013 Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei) \u2014 In Tehran\u2019s underground art scene, two young women build a blissful world of freedom and sisterhood. But when their creative circle is exposed, they must fight to save each other. Cast: Mahshad Bahram, Hana Mana, Farzad Karen, Zohreh Pirnia. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tHa-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Josef Kubota Wladyka, Screenwriter: Nicholas Huynh, Producers: Kimberly Parker Zox, Mao Nagakura) \u2014 Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo\u2019s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, YOU, Yoh Yoshida, Dami\u00e1n Alc\u00e1zar. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tHot Water (Director and Screenwriter: Ramzi Bashour, Producers: Jesse Hope, Max Walker-Silverman, Josh Peters) \u2014 After he\u2019s kicked out of his Indiana high school, an American kid and his Lebanese mom hit the road west. Cast: Lubna Azabal, Daniel Zolghadri. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tJosephine (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Ara\u00fajo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang) \u2013\u2013 After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her. Cast: Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Philip Ettinger, Syra McCarthy, Eleanore Pienta. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Musical (Director: Giselle Bonilla, Screenwriter and Producer: Alexander Heller, Producers: Rob Lowe, Greg Lauritano, Findlay Brown, Jordan Backhus) \u2014 When a frustrated playwright and middle school theater teacher finds out his ex-girlfriend has started dating his nemesis, the school\u2019s principal, he decides to ruin the principal\u2019s chances of winning the Blue Ribbon of Academic Excellence. Cast: Will Brill, Gillian Jacobs, Rob Lowe. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tRun Amok (Director and Screenwriter: NB Mager, Producers: Julie Christeas, Frank Hall Green) \u2014 A teenage girl stages an elaborate musical about the one day her high school wishes it could forget. Cast: Alyssa Marvin, Patrick Wilson, Margaret Cho, Sophia Torres, Elizabeth Marvel, Molly Ringwald. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tTake Me Home (Director and Screenwriter: Liz Sargent, Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas) \u2014 Anna, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability, cares for her aging parents in a fragile balance of meeting one another\u2019s needs. When a Florida heat wave shatters their family and Anna\u2019s routine, her future is uncertain until she creates a world where she can thrive. Cast: Anna Sargent, Victor Slezak, Ali Ahn, Marceline Hugot, Shane Harper. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tUnion County (Director and Screenwriter: Adam Meeks, Producers: Brad Becker-Parton, Stephanie Roush, Sean Weiner, Faye Tsakas, Martha Gregory) \u2014 Assigned to a county-mandated drug court program, Cody Parsons embarks on the tenuous journey toward recovery amid the opioid epidemic in rural Ohio. Cast: Will Poulter, Noah Centineo, Elise Kibler, Emily Meade, Annette Deao. Available online.<\/p>\n

\t\tU.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe U.S. Documentary Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at world premieres of nonfiction American films illuminating the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day. The 10 films in this section are all world premieres. All 10 will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tAmerican Doctor (U.S.-State of Palestine-Malaysia-Qatar \u2013 Director and Producer: Poh Si Teng, Producers: Kirstine Barfod, Reem Haddad) \u2013\u2013 When three American doctors \u2014 Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian \u2014 enter Gaza to save lives, they find themselves caught between medicine and politics, risking everything to expose the truth. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tAmerican Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: David Alvarado, Producers: Lauren DeFilippo, Everett Katigbak, Amanda Pollak) \u2013\u2013 Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America\u2019s story. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tBarbara Forever (Director and Producer: Brydie O\u2019Connor, Producer: Elijah Stevens) \u2013\u2013 An archive-driven exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tJoybubbles (Director: Rachael J. Morrison, Producer: Sarah Winshall) \u2013\u2013 Joybubbles discovers he can manipulate the telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind and yearning for connection, his early obsession unwittingly lays the groundwork for a subculture that shapes the future of hacking and technology. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Lake (Director and Producer: Abby Ellis, Producer: Fletcher Keyes) \u2013\u2013 An environmental nuclear bomb looms in Utah. Two intrepid scientists and a political insider race the clock to save their home from unprecedented catastrophe. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tNuisance Bear (U.S.-Canada \u2013 Directors: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, Producers: Michael Code, Will N. Miller, Teddy Leifer) \u2013\u2013 A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tPublic Access (Director: David Shadrack Smith, Producers: Sara Crow, Anne-Marcelle Ngabirano) \u2013\u2013 An unprecedented look inside one of the greatest media experiments to hijack American screens. Rare archives from New York\u2019s underground capture a world of creators who shattered rules, defied censors, and transformed our televisions into a free-speech battleground where anyone could be a star. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tSeized (Director and Producer: Sharon Liese, Producers: Sasha Alpert, Paul Matyasovsky) \u2013\u2013 When the small town of Marion, Kansas, is thrust into the international spotlight after a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner, a fierce debate ignites about the abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the United States Constitution. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tSoul Patrol (Director and Producer: J.M. Harper, Producers: Sam Bisbee, Danielle Massie, Nasir Jones, Peter Bittenbender) \u2013\u2013 From deep behind enemy lines, a hidden chapter of American military history is uncovered, prompting the question of whether reckoning with the past can bring peace to those who lived it. The Vietnam War\u2019s first Black special operations team reunites to tell their story. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tWho Killed Alex Odeh? (Directors: Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans, Producer: Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J. Chalfen) \u2013\u2013 The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today. Available online.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tJessica Gabriel and Amanda Oruh appear in \u2018Lady.\u2019<\/p>\n

\t\tWORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThese narrative feature films from emerging talent around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles. The 10 films in this section are all world premieres. All 10 will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tBig Girls Don\u2019t Cry (New Zealand \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Paloma Schneideman, Producers: Vicky Pope, Thomas Coppell) \u2014 Over one transformative summer in rural New Zealand in 2006, 14-year-old Sid Bookman discovers desire, identity, and the internet as she imitates the people she longs to be loved by. Cast: Ani Palmer, Rain Spencer, Noah Taylor. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tHow to Divorce During the War (Lithuania-Luxembourg-Ireland-Czech Republic \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Andrius Bla\u017eevi\u010dius, Producer: Marija Razgut\u0117) \u2014 In Vilnius in 2022, Marija has a revelation that she wants to divorce her husband, Vytas, right before Russia invades Ukraine. Forced to confront their crumbling relationship, they navigate the process of divorce as it collides with the ongoing war. Cast: Marius Rep\u0161ys, \u017dygimant\u0117 Elena Jak\u0161tait\u0117, Amelija Adomaityt\u0117, Indr\u0117 Patkauskait\u0117, Gintar\u0117 Parulyt\u0117. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tExtra Geography (U.K. \u2013 Director: Molly Manners, Screenwriter: Miriam Battye, Producer: Sarah Brocklehurst) \u2014 In an English girls boarding school, two teenage best friends grapple with the challenges of girlhood \u2014 friendship, boys, studies, and growing up \u2014 and embark on their school project, falling in love. Cast: Marni Duggan, Galaxie Clear, Alice Englert. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tFilipi\u00f1ana (Singapore-U.K.-Philippines-France-Netherlands \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Rafael Manuel, Producers: Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev, Omar El Kadi) \u2014 Tee girl Isabel feels strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the president of the country club where she works. However, after piecing together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club\u2019s pristine surface, she realizes that what began as an innocent infatuation is actually rooted in a sinister shared history. Cast: Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat, Nour Houshmand. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tHold Onto Me (\u039a\u03c1\u03ac\u03c4\u03b1 \u039c\u03b5) (Cyprus-Denmark-Greece \u2013 Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Myrsini Aristidou, Producer: Monica Nicolaidou) \u2014 11-year-old Iris learns her estranged father, Aris, is back in town for his own father\u2019s funeral. Determined to know him, Iris tracks him down to a dilapidated shipyard, where he\u2019s been keeping to himself. What begins as a stubborn attempt to reconnect slowly unfolds into a fragile bond. Cast: Christos Passalis, Maria Petrova. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Huntress (La Cazadora) (Mexico-U.S. \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Suzanne Andrews Correa, Producers: Gabriela Maire, Edher Campos, Mynette Louie) \u2014 In the border city of Ju\u00e1rez, Mexico, where violence against women is perpetrated with impunity, an unlikely defender emerges with a desperate call for change. Inspired by true events. Cast: Adriana Paz, Teresa S\u00e1nchez, Jennifer Trejo, Eme Malafe, Guillermo Alonso. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tLady (U.K.-Nigeria \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Olive Nwosu, Producer: Alex Polunin) \u2014 In the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger and joy, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation. Cast: Jessica Gabriel\u2019s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, Bucci Franklin. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tLevitating (Indonesia-Singapore-France \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Wregas Bhanuteja, Screenwriters: Defi Mahendra, Alicia Angelina, Producers: Siera Tamihardja, Iman Usman, Amalia Rusdi) \u2014 In a town where pleasure equals being possessed by spiritual beings, Bayu aspires to be the shaman of a trance party so he can fundraise enough money to prevent an impending eviction. Cast: Angga Yunanda, Anggun C Sasmi, Maudy Ayunda, Bryan Domani, Chicco Kurniawan. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tShame and Money (Germany-Kosovo-Slovenia-Albania-N. Macedonia-Belgium \u2013 Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Visar Morina, Screenwriter: Doruntina Basha, Producers: Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, Kristof Gerega, Pia Hellenthal) \u2014 After losing their livelihood in a village, a Kosovar family is forced to move to the capital in pursuit of a place in a hypercapitalist society. Cast: Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxha, Fiona Gllavica, Alban Ukaj. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tTell Me Everything (Israel-France \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Moshe Rosenthal, Producers: Alona Refua, Maya Fischer, Roi Kurland, Ben Giladi, Emilie Georges, Naima Abed) \u2014 Amid the late \u201980s pop craze and rising HIV epidemic, 12-year-old Boaz uncovers a devastating secret about the father he idolizes that threatens to tear his family apart. Across a yearslong journey, Boaz seeks to heal the wound and reclaim the father-son bond he never stopped yearning for. Cast: Yair Mazor, Ido Tako, Assi Cohen, Keren Tzur, Mor Dimri, Neta Orbach. Available online.<\/p>\n

\t\tWORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThese nonfiction feature films from emerging talent around the world showcase some of the most courageous and extraordinary filmmaking today. The 10 films in this section are all world premieres. All 10 will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tAll About the Money (Ireland \u2013 Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Sin\u00e9ad O\u2019Shea, Producers: Claire McCabe, Harry Vaughn, Katie Holly, Sigrid Dyekj\u00e6r) \u2013\u2013 A son of one of America\u2019s wealthiest families creates a communist revolutionary base in rural Massachusetts as a means of disrupting the capitalist system he grew up in but has now come to despise. It\u2019s the starting point of an astonishing journey. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tBirds of War (U.K.-Syrian Arab Republic-Lebanon \u2013 Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak, Producer: Sonja Henrici) \u2013\u2013 The love story of a London-based Lebanese journalist and a Syrian activist and cameraman as told through 13 years of personal archives across revolutions, war, and exile. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tClosure (Poland \u2013 Director and Producer: Micha\u0142 Marczak, Producers: Monika Braid, R\u00e9mi Grellety, Katarzyna Szczerba, Karolina Marczak) \u2013\u2013 After his teenage son goes missing, Daniel scours the depths of the Vistula River, torn between the dread of a fatal leap and the hope that his son may still be alive. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tEverybody to Kenmure Street (U.K. \u2013 Director and Producer: Felipe Bustos Sierra, Producer: Ciara Barry) \u2013\u2013 In May 2021, a U.K. Home Office dawn raid triggers one of the most spontaneous and successful acts of civil resistance in recent memory. In Scotland\u2019s most diverse neighborhood, hundreds of residents rush to the streets to stop the deportation of their neighbors. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tHanging by a Wire (U.S.-U.K. \u2013 Pakistan (Director and Producer: Mohammed Ali Naqvi, Producer: Bilal Sami) \u2013\u2013 A routine school commute turns terrifying when a cable car\u2019s wire snaps, leaving eight passengers \u2014 including six schoolboys \u2014 dangling 900 feet above a ravine in the remote Himalayan foothills. With 10 hours before the remaining cable is expected to fail, a group of rescuers races to save them. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tKikuyu Land (Kenya \u2013 Directors and Producers: Andrew H. Brown, Bea Wangondu, Producers: Moses Bwayo, Mike Morrisroe, Joseph Njenga) \u2013\u2013 As a Nairobi journalist probes a land battle entangling the local government and a powerful multinational corporation, covered wounds are revealed and family secrets are exposed. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tOne in a Million (U.K. \u2013 Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer) \u2013\u2013 Filmed over 10 years, one girl\u2019s epic journey from Syria to Germany and back again. She and her family navigate war, exile, and heartbreak in a foreign land, illuminating the complexities of the refugee experience. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tSentient (Australia \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Tony Jones, Screenwriter: Rachel Grierson-Johns, Producer: Ivan O\u2019Mahoney) \u2013\u2013 An investigation into laboratory research on animals exposes a hidden world in which it\u2019s not just the animals getting hurt. The story of Dr. Lisa Jones Engel, a primatologist turned animal welfare advocate, asks whether harming animals and ourselves in science\u2019s name is justified. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tSilenced (Australia \u2013 Director: Selina Miles, Producer: Blayke Hoffman) \u2013\u2013 After #MeToo broke the cultural silence on gender violence, international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson fights against the weaponization of defamation laws to silence survivors. Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tTo Hold a Mountain (Serbia-France-Montenegro-Slovenia-Croatia \u2013 Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazi\u0107, Producers: Quentin Laurent, Rok Bi\u010dek) \u2013\u2013 In the remote highlands of Montenegro, a shepherd mother and daughter proudly defend their ancestral mountain from the threat of becoming a NATO military training ground, stirring memories of the violence that shattered their family. Available online.<\/p>\n

\t\tNEXT\t<\/p>\n

\n\tPure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape the greater next wave in global cinema. Eight of the nine films in this section are world premieres. All nine will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tAanikoobijigan [ancestor\/great-grandparent\/great-grandchild] (U.S.-Denmark \u2013 Directors and Producers: Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil, Producers: Steve Holmgren, Grace Remington, Jacque Clark, Franny Alfano) \u2014 Trapped in museum archives, Ancestors bend time and space to find their way home. History, spirituality, and the law collide as tribal repatriation specialists fight to return and rebury Indigenous human remains, offering a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tBurn (Japan \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Makoto Nagahisa, Producers: Yasuo Suzuki, Kazunori Seki, Takeyasu Koganezawa) \u2014 When runaway teen Ju-Ju is embraced by a tribe of misfit youths in Kabukicho, she finds belonging for the first time \u2014 until betrayal and despair twist her haven into a prison, and she\u2019s left with one way to take back control. Cast: Nana Mori. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tGhost in the Machine (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Valerie Veatch) \u2014 The untold origins of artificial intelligence lie not in machines but in power, revealing the fantasies behind the hype that got us here and where we go next. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tIf I Go Will They Miss Me (Director and Screenwriter: Walter Thompson-Hern\u00e1ndez, Producers: Josh Peters, Saba Zerehi, Ben Stillman) \u2014 Twelve-year-old Lil Ant struggles to connect with his father when he begins to see surreal, almost spectral visions of boys drifting around his neighborhood. Their presence reveals a link between father and son, laying bare the threads that bind family, legacy, and place. Cast: Danielle Brooks, J. Alphonse Nicholson. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Incomer (U.K. \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Louis Paxton, Producers: Shirley O\u2019Connor, Emily Gotto) \u2014 On a remote Scottish isle, siblings Isla and Sandy hunt birds and talk to mythical beings while fighting off outsiders. Their lives change when Daniel, an awkward official, arrives to relocate them. Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O\u2019Rourke, Emun Elliott, Michelle Gomez, John Hannah. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tJaripeo (Mexico-U.S.-France \u2013 Directors: Efra\u00edn Mojica, Rebecca Zweig, Producer: Sarah Strunin) \u2014 A journey to Michoac\u00e1n\u2019s hypermasculine rodeos descends into the subconscious of memory, queer desire, and longing, leading to a reckoning with the wounds and beauty of a home left behind. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tNight Nurse (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Georgia Bernstein, Producers: Edwin Linker, Liane Cunje, Veronica Barbosa, Lucy Rogers) \u2014 As a series of perverse scam calls unsettles an idyllic retirement community, a starry-eyed nurse becomes entangled with her mysterious patient. Cast: Cemre Paksoy, Bruce McKenzie, El\u00e9onore Hendricks, Colleen Rose Trundy, Mimi Rogers. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tTheyDream (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: William David Caballero, Screenwriters and Producers: Erin Ploss-Campoamor, Elaine del Valle, Producer: Brad Jones) \u2014 After 20 years of chronicling his Puerto Rican family, a director and his mother face devastating losses. Through tears and laughter, they craft animations that bring their loved ones back to life, discovering that every act of creation is also an act of letting go. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tzi (Director and Screenwriter: Kogonada, Producers: Chung An, Christopher Radcliff, Benjamin Loeb, Haley Lu Richardson, Michelle Mao, Jin Ha) \u2014 In Hong Kong, a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night \u2014 and possibly her life. Cast: Michelle Mao, Haley Lu Richardson, Jin Ha. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tCharli xcx appears in \u2018The Moment\u2019 by Aidan Zamiri.<\/p>\n

\t\tPREMIERES\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThis showcase of world premieres presents highly anticipated films on a variety of subjects in both fiction and nonfiction. The 26 films in this section \u2014 a mix of fiction and documentary features \u2014 are all world premieres. Only two will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (Directors: Daniel Roher, Charlie Tyrell, Producers: Daniel Kwan, Jonathan Wang, Shane Boris, Diane Becker, Ted Tremper) \u2014 A father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with the AI insanity, exploring the existential dangers and stunning promise of this technology that humanity has created. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tAntiheroine (U.K.-U.S. \u2013 Directors: Edward Lovelace, James Hall, Producers: Julia Nottingham, Melanie Archer, Hattie Bridges Webb, Jon Lullo) \u2014 Singer, songwriter, and actor Courtney Love has long had an impact on rock and pop culture. Now sober and set to release new music for the first time in over a decade, Courtney is ready to reveal her story, unfiltered and unapologetic. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Brittney Griner Story (Director and Producer: Alexandria Stapleton, Producers: Stacy Scripter, Funmi Akinyode, Megan Goedewaagen, Carolyn Hepburn) \u2014 Explores the circumstances that led to Brittney Griner playing basketball outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport, including her harrowing detainment, unwavering determination to secure her freedom, and her advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tChasing Summer (Director: Josephine Decker, Screenwriter and Producer: Iliza Shlesinger, Producers: Rob Guillermo, Ray Maiello, Nihaar Sinha, Houston King, Sam Pressman) \u2014 After losing both her job and boyfriend, Jamie retreats to her small Texas hometown, where friends and flings from a fateful high school summer turn her life upside down. Cast: Iliza Shlesinger, Garrett Wareing, Lola Tung, Cassidy Freeman, Tom Welling, Megan Mullally. (Fiction) Available online. <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Disciple (U.S.-U.K. \u2013 Director and Producer: Joanna Natasegara, Producers: Abigail Anketell-Jones, Lauren Dark, Vanessa Kirby) \u2014 An outsider fueled by relentless determination works his way into the inner circle of the Wu-Tang Clan, where his ambition and creativity converge in the making of an album poised to ignite global controversy. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tFrank & Louis (Switzerland-U.K. \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Petra Biondina Volpe, Screenwriter: Esther Bernstorff, Producers: Reto Schaerli, Lukas Hobi) \u2014 Frank, serving a life sentence, takes a prison job caring for aging inmates with Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia. What begins as a self-interested bid for parole becomes a profound, transformative bond with fellow inmate Louis, offering Frank a glimpse of redemption in an unforgiving place. Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rob Morgan, Ren\u00e9 P\u00e9rez Joglar, Rosalind Eleazar, Indira Varma. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tGail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: David Wain, Screenwriter: Ken Marino, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Peter Cron, Ken Marino, Crystine Zhang, Charles Zhong) \u2014 Midwestern bride-to-be Gail Daughtry has a \u201cfree celebrity pass\u201d agreement with her fianc\u00e9 \u2014 who uses it. With her relationship in crisis, Gail sets out on an epic journey through Hollywood to even the scales. Cast: Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Gallerist (U.S.-France \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Cathy Yan, Screenwriter: James Pedersen, Producers: Ash Sarohia, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Jonathan King, Tom McCarthy, Rae Baron) \u2014 A desperate gallerist conspires to sell a dead body at Art Basel Miami. Cast: Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis, Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph, Catherine Zeta-Jones. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tGive Me the Ball! (Directors and Producers: Liz Garbus, Elizabeth Wolff, Producers: Dominic Crossley-Holland, Dan Cogan, Chris James, Gentry Kirby) \u2014 World champion tennis trailblazer Billie Jean King has had a game-changing impact on culture and sports. Rare archive and candid interviews with Billie Jean and those closest to her reveal how one woman put changing the world ahead of saving herself. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe History of Concrete (Director: John Wilson, Producers: Clark Filio, Shirel Kozak, Allie Viti) \u2014 After attending a workshop on how to write and sell a Hallmark movie, filmmaker John Wilson tries to use the same formula to sell a documentary about concrete. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tI Want Your Sex (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Gregg Araki, Screenwriter and Producer: Karley Sciortino, Producers: Seth Caplan, Teddy Schwarzman, Michael Heimler, Courtney L. Cunniff) \u2014 When fresh-faced Elliot lands a job with artist and provocateur Erika Tracy, his fantasies come true as she taps him to become her sexual muse. But Elliot finds himself out of his depth as Erika takes him on a journey into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal, and murder. Cast: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, Charli xcx. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the Blink of an Eye (Director: Andrew Stanton, Screenwriter: Colby Day, Producer: Jared Ian Goldman) \u2014 Three storylines, spanning thousands of years, intersect and reflect on hope, connection, and the circle of life. Cast: Rashida Jones, Kate McKinnon, Daveed Diggs, Jorge Vargas, Tanaya Beatty. (Fiction) 2026 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize Winner.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Invite (Director: Olivia Wilde, Screenwriters: Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, Producers: David Permut, Ben Browning, Megan Ellison) \u2014 Joe and Angela are on thin ice, and tonight might be when it all falls apart. Unfortunately, their upstairs neighbors are about to arrive for dinner, and everything that can go wrong goes worse. Cast: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Pen\u00e9lope Cruz, Edward Norton. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tJane Elliott Against the World (Director and Producer: Judd Ehrlich, Producers: Max Powers, Elena Gaby) \u2014 A rural Iowa schoolteacher becomes a national voice against racism after leading a controversial 1968 lesson in discrimination with her all-white third-grade class. Now nearly 90, she refuses to hold back amid today\u2019s fights about race, history, and power after a lifetime of speaking out. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tKnife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie (Director and Producer: Alex Gibney, Producers: Erin Edeiken, Sruthi Pinnamaneni) \u2014 Previously unseen footage captured by Salman Rushdie\u2019s wife, Rachel Elizabeth Griffiths, documents his journey. Following not just his physical rehabilitation, but also the restoration of his spirit and optimism. Inspired by Rushdie\u2019s memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Last First: Winter K2 (U.S.-U.K. \u2013 Director: Amir Bar-Lev, Producers: John Battsek, Sean Richard, Sarah Thomson, Howard T. Owens, Ben Silverman) \u2014 The race to grab the last great prize in mountaineering, K2 in winter, left five dead. It exposed deep fault lines in alpinism today: pressures from commercialization, toxic effects of social media, and long-brewing tensions between those who\u2019ve been marginalized and those who\u2019ve always basked in the sport\u2019s glory. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Moment (Director and Screenwriter: Aidan Zamiri, Screenwriter: Bertie Brandes, Producers: Charli xcx, David Hinojosa) \u2014 A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut. Cast: Charli xcx, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Oldest Person in the World (Director: Sam Green, Producers: Alison Byrne Fields, Josh Penn) \u2014 A decade-long global journey chronicles the ever-changing record holders of the title of oldest person alive. What begins as a portrait of longevity becomes a meditation on the passage of time, the randomness of fate, and the joy and profound human experience of being alive. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tOnce Upon a Time in Harlem (Directors: William Greaves, David Greaves, Producers: Liani Greaves, Anne de Mare) \u2014 A decade after his death, genre-defying filmmaker William Greaves has one last trick up his sleeve with what he considered the most important event he captured on film: a 1972 party he engineered with the living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Only Living Pickpocket in New York (Director and Screenwriter: Noah Segan, Producers: Katie McNeill, Leopold Hughes, Ben LeClair) \u2014 When a theft goes awry, a veteran pickpocket is sent on a mission through New York to reclaim the stolen goods. Cast: John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, Will Price, Tatiana Maslany, Steve Buscemi. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tParalyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story (Directors and Producers: Judd Apatow, Neil Berkeley, Producers: Amanda Rohlke, David Heiman) \u2014 Blurring the line between performance and personal crisis, comedian Maria Bamford turns her mental health journey into material that\u2019s riotously funny and ultimately inspiring. What emerges is a portrait of an artist transforming vulnerability into creative strength through honesty. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tQueen of Chess (Director and Producer: Rory Kennedy, Screenwriters and Producers: Mark Bailey, Keven McAlester) \u2014 A Hungarian girl dreams of conquering international men\u2019s chess. After a 15-year battle against world champion Garry Kasparov and her domineering father, Judit Polg\u00e1r revolutionizes the sport\u2019s patriarchal culture to become one of the greatest chess prodigies in history and the greatest woman chess player of all time. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tSee You When I See You (Director and Producer: Jay Duplass, Screenwriter and Producer: Adam Cayton-Holland, Producers: Fred Bernstein, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon) \u2014 With the help of his family, a comedy writer battles PTSD after the tragic death of his sister. Cast: Cooper Raiff, David Duchovny, Kaitlyn Dever, Hope Davis, Lucy Boynton, Ariela Barer. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tThe Shitheads (Director and Screenwriter: Macon Blair, Producers: Alex Orr, Brandon James, Nathan Klingher, Mark Fasano, Josh Harris, Ford Corbett) \u2014 When two unqualified bozos are hired to transfer a rich teen to rehab, their straightforward gig quickly spirals into dangerous mayhem. Cast: Dave Franco, O\u2019Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thames, Kiernan Shipka, Nicholas Braun, Peter Dinklage. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tTime and Water (U.S.-Iceland \u2013 Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Sara Dosa, Screenwriters: Jocelyne Chaput, Erin Casper, Andri Sn\u00e6r Magnason, Producers: Shane Boris, Elijah Stevens, Jameka Autry) \u2014 Facing the death of his country\u2019s glaciers and the loss of his beloved grandparents, Icelandic writer Andri Sn\u00e6r Magnason turns his archives into a time capsule to hold what is slipping away \u2014 family, memory, time, and water. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tTroublemaker (S. Africa-U.S.-U.K. \u2013 Director and Producer: Antoine Fuqua, Screenwriter: Michael Toomey Mann, Producers: Mac Maharaj, Arthur Landon, Kevin Mann, Mark Bauch, Thabang Lehobye) \u2014 The struggle against apartheid is recounted through Nelson Mandela\u2019s own voice, drawn from recordings he made while writing his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom. (Documentary)<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Weight (Director: Padraic McKinley, Screenwriters: Matthew Booi, Matthew Chapman, Shelby Gaines, Producers: Simon Fields, Nathan Fields, Ryan Hawke, Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo) \u2014 In Oregon in 1933, Samuel Murphy is torn from his daughter and sent to a brutal work camp. Warden Clancy tempts him with early release if he smuggles gold through deadly wilderness, but betrayal festers within the crew, and Murphy questions how far he\u2019ll go to see his child again. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, Avi Nash, Sam Hazeldine. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\n\tWhen a Witness Recants (Director and Producer: Dawn Porter, Producers: Miriam Weintraub, Jennifer Oko) \u2014 In 1983, author Ta-Nehisi Coates learned that a 14-year-old boy was murdered in his Baltimore middle school. Upon revisiting the case, he uncovers the truth: Three innocent teenagers were wrongfully convicted and spent 36 years in prison \u2014 creating a lasting impact on the accused, the witnesses, and their community. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tWicker (Directors and Screenwriters: Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fischer, Producers: Ed Sinclair, Tom Carver, Justin Lothrop, Brad Zimmerman, Ryan Heller, Lia Buman) \u2014 A fisherwoman asks a basketmaker to weave her a husband. Cast: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd, Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tYvette Parsons, Hannah Lynch and Jonny Brugh star in \u2018Mum, I\u2019m Alien Pregnant.\u2019<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrances Carter<\/p>\n

\t\tMIDNIGHT\t<\/p>\n

\n\tFrom horror flicks and wild comedies to chilling thrillers and works that defy any genre, these films will keep you wide-awake and on the edge of your seat. Six of the seven films in this section are world premieres (all but \u201cThe Best Summer\u201d). Two of the films will be available to stream online.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Best Summer (U.S.-Australia-Indonesia-Thailand \u2013 Director and Producer: Tamra Davis, Producer: Shelby Meade) \u2014 Immersive POV camera footage reveals electric performances, candid interviews, and intimate backstage life with the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Pavement, Rancid, Beck, The Amps, and Bikini Kill \u2014 an all-access view inside an era-defining moment in music. (Documentary) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tBuddy (Director and Screenwriter: Casper Kelly, Screenwriter: Jamie King, Producers: Tyler Davidson, Drew Sykes, Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Tracy Rosenblum) \u2014 A brave girl and her friends must escape a kids television show. Cast: Cristin Milioti, Delaney Quinn, Topher Grace, Keegan-Michael Key, Michael Shannon, Patton Oswalt. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\n\tLeviticus (Australia \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Adrian Chiarella, Producers: Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton, Hannah Ngo) \u2014 Two star-crossed teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most \u2014 each other. Cast: Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Mia Wasikowska, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\n\tMum, I\u2019m Alien Pregnant (New Zealand \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Thunderlips, Producers: Alix Whittaker, Morgan Leigh Stewart, Ilai Amar \u2014 When a messy millennial underachiever accidentally gets alien-pregnant, she must overcome skeptical doctors, a useless baby daddy, and her oversharing mum in order to survive and reclaim her life. Cast: Hannah Lynch, Yvette Parsons, Arlo Green, Jackie van Beek. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\n\tRock Springs (U.S.-Canada \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Vera Miao, Producers: Stephen Feder,
\nKiri Hart, Poppy Hanks, Greta Talia Fuentes, Jason Michael Berman, Jordan Moldo) \u2014 After the death of her father, a grieving young girl moves to an isolated house in a new town with her mother and grandmother, only to discover there is something monstrous hidden in the town\u2019s history and the woods behind their new home. Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Benedict Wong, Jimmy O. Yang, Aria Kim, Fiona Fu. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

\n\tSaccharine (Australia \u2013 Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Natalie Erika James, Producers: Anna McLeish, Sarah Shaw) \u2014 Hana, a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorized by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes. Cast: Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald, Madeleine Madden. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\n\tUndertone (Canada \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Ian Tuason, Producers: Dan Slater, Cody Calahan) \u2014 The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way. Cast: Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, Mich\u00e8le Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas, Jeff Yung. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\t\tEPISODIC\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Episodic section was created specifically for bold stories told in multiple episodes, with an emphasis on independent perspectives and innovative storytelling.<\/p>\n

\n\tBait (U.K.-U.S. \u2013 Executive Producers: Riz Ahmed, Allie Moore, Ben Karlin) \u2014 Struggling actor Shah Latif auditions for the role of a lifetime, only to see his life spiral out of control over four frenetic days. Cast: Riz Ahmed, Guz Khan, Sheeba Chaddha, Sajid Hasan, Aasiya Sha. (Fiction) Six-episode season, screening first three episodes in person.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Screener (Directors: Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe, Producers: Michael J. McGarry, Thomas Cross) \u2013\u2013 An independent film screener leaks from a talent agency. Cast: Shereen Lani Younes, Jon Rudnitsky, B.K. Cannon, Boni Mata, Shaun Brown, Nicolette Doke. (Fiction) Five-episode series, screening first three episodes in person.<\/p>\n

\n\tEpisodic Pilot Showcase:<\/p>\n

Bulldozer (Writer and Executive Producer: Joanna Leeds, Director and Executive Producer: Andrew Leeds, Executive Producers: Rhett Reese, Caleb Reese) \u2013\u2013 An undermedicated, chronically impassioned young woman lurches from crisis to crisis of her own making. Cast: Joanna Leeds, Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Harvey Guillen, Allen Leech, Kate Burton. (Fiction) Available online.<\/p>\n

FreeLance (Directors: The Turner Brothers, Executive Producers: Cynthia Turner, Stephen Love Jr., Spence Moore II, Kevin Fredericks) \u2014 A young filmmaker documents his journey toward his first movie as he moves in with a friend group of ambitious creatives, all trying to support one another\u2019s dreams in an oversaturated market. This inexperienced crew of 20-somethings takes on unorthodox jobs to build their brand and pay rent. Cast: Spence Moore II, Lou Young, Lou Ratchett, Bernard \u201cB Nard\u201d Clark, Ren\u00e9 Vaca, Elijah Cooper. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

Soft Boil (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Alec Goldberg, Producers: Camille Wormser, Hannah Connery, Clay Susick, Vivian Kerr, Don Ohmer) \u2013\u2013 Lulu takes a job as a nanny only to discover that her new boss isn\u2019t who she expected. Cast: Camille Wormser, John Gemberling, Madison Shamoun, Vivian Kerr, Patrick Tabari. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

Worried (Director: Nicole Holofcener; Executive Producers: Tim Foley, Michael B. Clark, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins) \u2013\u2013 No one is more worried about Jules and Poppy than Jules and Poppy. Cast: Gideon Adlon, Rachel Kaly, Devon Bostick, Cora Kirk. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\n\t Nonfiction Pilot Showcase:<\/p>\n

Murder 101 (Director: Stacey Lee, Executive Producers: Stephanie Lydecker, Dianne McGunigle, Jon Watts) \u2014 A case that haunted Tennessee\u2019s best detectives for decades is cracked wide open by the most unlikely of investigators: a high school sociology class. (Documentary)<\/p>\n

The Oligarch and the Art Dealer (Denmark-France-U.S. \u2013 Director: Andreas Dalsgaard, Producers: Christoph J\u00f6rg, Miriam Norgaard) \u2014 Yves Bouvier brokers masterpieces, from da Vinci to Rothko, into the private collection of Dmitry Rybolovlev until Bouvier is accused of a billion-dollar betrayal. Rising ambitions, frayed relationships, and bruised egos fuel a decade-long all-out war between the Swiss art dealer and the elusive Russian oligarch. (Documentary)<\/p>\n

\t\tSPOTLIGHT\t<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love, presenting films that have played throughout the world.<\/p>\n

\n\tBroken English (U.K. \u2013 Directors and Screenwriters: Jane Pollard, Iain Forsyth, Screenwriter: Ian Martin, Producer: Beth Earl) \u2014 A portrait of the inimitable singer, songwriter, and icon Marianne Faithfull. (Documentary) <\/p>\n

\n\tTuner (Canada-U.S. \u2013 Director and Screenwriter: Daniel Roher, Screenwriter: Robert Ramsey, Producers: JoAnne Sellar, Lila Yacoub, Teddy Schwarzman, Michael Heimler) \u2014 A gifted piano tuner with a unique auditory condition discovers an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down. Cast: Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno. (Fiction) <\/p>\n

\t\tFAMILY MATINEE\t<\/p>\n

\n\tFor more than a decade, the Family Matinee section of the Festival (formerly known as KIDS) has been built for audiences of all ages, but especially for our youngest independent film fans.<\/p>\n

\n\tCookie Queens (Director and Producer: Alysa Nahmias, Producers: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw, Jennifer Sims) \u2014 It\u2019s Girl Scout Cookie season, and four tenacious girls strive to be a top-selling \u201cCookie Queen,\u201d navigating an $800 million business in which childhood and ambition collide. (Documentary) Salt Lake City Celebration Film.<\/p>\n

\n\tFing! (Australia-U.K. \u2013 Director: Jeffrey Walker, Screenwriters: David Walliams, Kevin Cecil, Producers: Jo Sargent, Todd Fellman) \u2014 A demanding little girl and her parents, the Meeks, battle an outrageously entitled viscount to protect their rare, furry, one-eyed Fing from those fixated on exploiting this wondrous creature. Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Blake Harrison, David Walliams, Iona Bell, Penelope Wilton, Taika Waititi. (Fiction)<\/p>\n

\t\tSPECIAL SCREENINGS\t<\/p>\n

\n\tOne-of-a-kind moments highlight new independent works that add to the unique Festival experience.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Story of Documentary Film (U.K. \u2013 Director: Mark Cousins, Producer: John Archer) \u2014 Tracing the evolution of documentary film across time, examining landmark works and hidden treasures, while revealing how the form has helped us see and make sense of our world. (Documentary)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Oscar winners, pop stars and hip-hop legends will light up Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":341680,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[19905,88,171447,59853,98265],"class_list":["post-341679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-charli-xcx","tag-entertainment","tag-gregg-araki","tag-natalie-portman","tag-sundance-film-festival"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=341679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/341680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=341679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=341679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=341679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}