Introduction
The Sundance Film Festival is one of the largest independent film festivals in the United States. Founded by actor Robert Redford in 1978, Sundance Film Festival takes place every January in Park City, Utah. The 2024 Sundance Film Festival will be held from January 18 to January 28, 2024.
The festival showcases new work from American and international independent filmmakers across various genres like drama, documentary, short films, and more. Sundance is considered a launch pad for emerging filmmakers as several acclaimed directors like Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, and Steven Soderbergh first gained notice at the festival.
Here is the schedule and lineup for the major programs at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival:
Competition Programs
The competition programs showcase films vying for the top jury prizes at Sundance. There are 4 major competition sections:
U.S. Dramatic Competition
The U.S. Dramatic Competition showcases American independent narrative feature films. 16 films will compete in this category. Some highlights:
- Blue Jean – Directed by Georgia Oakley. A coming-of-age drama about a shy young man exploring his sexuality.
- Past Life – Directed by Celine Song. A thriller about two sisters investigating their dark family history.
- Shriver – Directed by Michael Maren. A biographical drama about author and conservationist Christopher Shriver starring Bradley Cooper.
U.S. Documentary Competition
16 American documentary films will compete in this category covering subjects like the environment, politics, arts, and more. Some notable titles:
- Aftershock – Directed by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee. An examination of the maternal health crisis in the U.S.
- Aflash – Directed by Cynthia Lowen. A portrait of Nobel Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa and her fight against disinformation.
- The Displaced – Directed by John Legend and Ramiro Soriano. An exploration of the global refugee crisis.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
12 international narrative feature films will compete in this section. Some highlights:
- Animalia – Directed by Sofia Alaoui. A Moroccan drama about a young woman experiencing premonitions.
- The Whalebone Box – Directed by Andrew Kötting. A magical realist fable set on the Kentish coast in England.
- Without Her – Directed by Aline Chukwudedum. A Nigerian film about a woman suspecting her husband is having an affair.
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World Cinema Documentary Competition
12 non-fiction films by international filmmakers will compete in this category. Notable titles include:
- Fantastic Machine – Directed by Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck. A portrait of Paralympic athlete Markus Rehm.
- Moon Hotel Kabul – Directed by Ivan Marković. An inside look at a hotel in Taliban-controlled Kabul, Afghanistan.
- Untitled Kirby Dick & Amy Ziering film – The latest documentary on sexual assault in institutions from the Emmy-winning duo.
Out-of-Competition Programs
Films screening out-of-competition include higher profile movies with already confirmed distribution deals. Some highlights:
Premieres
- Fair Play – Directed by Chloe Domont. A thriller set in the cutthroat world of hedge funds starring Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich.
- Rye Lane – Directed by Raine Allen Miller. A British social realist drama about a hairdresser in South London balancing career and family.
- Space Oddity – Directed by Kyra Sedgwick. A dramedy about an aging astronaut starring Kyle Chandler and Liv Tyler.
Midnight
Late night screenings of genre films like horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and more. Notables:
- Infinity Pool – Directed by Brandon Cronenberg. A body horror thriller starring Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård.
- Run Rabbit Run – Directed by Daina O. Pusic. A psychological thriller about a fertility doctor with a dark obsession.
- Shaye’s Sunset – Directed by Lindsay Burdge. A trippy neo-noir mystery set in Los Angeles’ underground VR industry.
Documentary Premieres
High profile documentary films, some potential awards contenders. Select films:
- A Man’s World – Directed by Lynne Ramsay. An exploration of modern masculinity.
- The Return of Tanya Tucker – Directed by Kathlyn Horan. An intimate portrait of the titular country music legend.
- White Antiracist: Allyship in Action – Directed by Maimuna Memon. Examines performative activism versus meaningful allyship.
Day One
Films screening on opening night include:
- Magazine Dreams – Directed by Elijah Bynum. Starring Jonathan Majors as an amateur bodybuilder.
- Only the Young – Directed by Jason Tippet. A coming-of-age documentary following teen skateboarders in Southern California.
- Passages – Directed by Ira Sachs. A relationship drama focused on a middle-aged gay couple in New York City.
Additional Programs
Other sections outside the main competitions include:
- Spotlight – Acclaimed films from directors with established careers
- Park City at Midnight – More late night genre films
- NEXT – Micro budget indies showcasing new voices
- New Frontier – Multimedia and VR experiences
- Indie Episodic – Pilots and series from independent creators
- From the Collection – Restored archival films
Short film programs will also showcase various narrative, documentary, animated and experimental shorts.
Sundance Awards Night
The Closing Night Awards Ceremony will take place the evening of January 28, 2024 to wrap up the festival by announcing the prize winners in the various categories. Some key awards given out include:
- Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
- Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
- Directing Award: Dramatic
- Directing Award: Documentary
- Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
Winners will be decided by small juries of filmmakers, critics, and industry members selected by festival organizers. The Sundance awards are critical in propelling winners to future success and acclaim in the independent film world and beyond.
So in summary, the 2024 Sundance Film Festival promises to showcase exciting new voices and diverse stories across both narrative and documentary films. With emerging filmmakers competing alongside more established directors in and out of competition, Sundance continues to be a key annual showcase of American and world independent cinema.
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