#SUNDANCE: 2020 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Sundance is evolving for the 2021 festival and going predominantly virtual with limited drive-in screenings across the U.S. Although the festival is only running for seven days, its screening 71 Features, 50 Shorts, 4 Indie Series, and 14 New Frontier Projects. The Festival continues to include more diverse filmmaking voices. Of this year’s 139 films: 50% are directed by one or more women; 4% are directed by one or more non-binary individuals; 50% are directed by one or more artists of color, and 15% by one or more people who identify as LGBTQ+.

There is a lot of buzz surrounding many films screening at this year’s fest, and we are highly anticipating many of its feature film picks. Check out our Top Ten, in no particular order, programmes listed in parantheses.

CRYPTOZOO [NEXT]

Director & Screenwriter: Dash Shaw

>It’s rare Sundance includes an Animated Feature in their selection so we are expecting great things. It follows cryptokeepers who question if they should display or keep hidden the majestical beasts they find. The characters are voiced by Lake Bell, Michael Cera and Zoe Kazan just to name a few.

JOCKEY [U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION]

Director & Screenwriter: Clint Bentley

An ageing jockey in ill health attempts to win one more championship, but things turn upside down when a young jockey claims to be his son. This is Bentley’s first-feature as a director and his cast includes Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker and Moises Arias.

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH [PREMIERES]

Director & Co-Screenwriter: Shaka King

We’ve been waiting for this for a long time. It follows William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) who was offered a plea deal to infiltrate the Black Panther Party with the intent to gain intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). It has a powerhouse supporting cast consisting of Dominique Fishback, Jesse Plemons, Ashton Sanders and more.

This arrives February 12, 2021.

LAND [PREMIERES]

Director: Robin Wright (Variety’s 2021 Directors to Watch)

Wright makes her feature-film directorial debut and stars in this poignant story of a woman searching for meaning in the American wilderness, following an unfathomable event.

This will be released February 12, 2021.

ON THE COUNT OF THREE [U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION]

Director: Jerrod Carmichael

Sundance’s synopsis of Carmichael’s (The Carmichael Show) directorial feature debut is: “Two guns. Two best friends. And a pact to end their lives when the day is done.” It’s also got one killer cast: Carmichael, Christopher Abbott, Tiffany Haddish, J.B Smoove, Lavell Crawford and Henry Winkler.

PASSING [U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION]

Director & Screenwriter: Rebecca Hall

Based on the novella by Nella Larsen, this film follows two African American women who can “pass” as white and choose to live on opposite sides of the colour line in 1929 New York. It has a stellar cast consisting of Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, Alexander Skarsgård and Bill Camp.

PRISONERS OF A GHOSTLAND [PREMIERES]

Director: Sion Sono

Nicolas Cage and popular Japanese filmmaker Sono team up in this film that Cage has stated is his wildest yet. It follows a notorious criminal who is sent to rescue a woman who has disappeared into a dark supernatural universe.

SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) [U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION]

Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

This Film documents the Harlem Cultural Festival, which took place the same summer as Woodstock. The festival celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and culture.

VIOLATION [MIDNIGHT]

Co-Directors & Co-Screenwriters: Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli

Coming off the buzz from its TIFF premiere, this Canadian film is now travelling stateside. It follows Miriam (Sims-Fewer) whose quest for revenge is sparked when her sister and brother-in-law betray her.

A Canadian release has been confirmed for March 26, 2021 for this.

WILD INDIAN [U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION]

Director & Screenwriter: Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. (Variety’s 2021 Directors to Watch)

Years after covering up a savage murder of a schoolmate, two men confront how their secret has shaped their lives. It stars Michael Greyeyes, Chaske Spencer, Jesse Eisenberg, Kate Bosworth, and more.

Although these films are geoblocked to the U.S, there are many free events happening virtually around the globe. Some of the events happening are: The Sundance Dailies, The Cinema Cafe, The Big Question, Awards Night and more.

SUNDANCE DAILIES

Friday, January 29–Tuesday, February 2, 9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.

These take place every morning with Tabitha Jackson and others. Guests include: Eugenio Derbez (CODA), Rebecca Hall (Passing), Ed Helms (Together Together), Zoe Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein (How It Ends), and more.

CINEMA CAFÉ

Friday, January 29–Monday, February 1, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m

These cultural conversations with fascinating subjects could go just anywhere. This year we have:

Shaka King & Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Friday, January 29, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
 
Sonia Manzano & Rita Moreno
Saturday, January 30, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
 
Rebecca Hall & Robin Wright
Sunday, January 31, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
 
Tyson Brown, Patti Harrison & Emilia Jones
Monday, February 1, 10:30 a.m.–11:15am

Friday, January 29–Monday, February 1, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m., individual slots TBA

THE BIG CONVERSATION

These conversations tackle science, art, culture, and the movements that are fueling the imaginations of today’s independent artists. Topics include LGBTQ+ film, women at Sundance, race and more.

AWARDS NIGHT

This takes place Tuesday, February 2, 6:00 p.m. and is free for all to view on the Sundance online screening platform.

For information about films, events and more head to: https://festival.sundance.org/.

Stay tuned for our continued coverage as we bring you reviews daily of the most-buzzed films throughout the Festival.

The Sundance Film Festival runs from January 28 to February 3, 2021.

(Photo credit: Warner Bros.)