Sundance Announces 2016 Slate For Competitions & Next
It's a big day on the indie film calendar when the full list of films in the competitions sections for the Sundance Film Fest hits the net. We won't waste too much time now parsing this but a few of the notable director names to ScreenAnarchy readers include Matt Johnson's Operation Avalanche in Next (pictured), Director Q's Brahman Naman in World Dramatic, and Antonio Campos's Christine in US Dramatic.
Here's the full slate:
U.S.
DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative
feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at
groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.
As
You Are /
U.S.A. (Director: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Screenwriters: Miles
Joris-Peyrafitte, Madison Harrison) -- As You Are is the telling and retelling of a
relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their
friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police
investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell,
Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart
Masterson. World Premiere
The
Birth of a Nation /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nate Parker) -- Set against the antebellum
South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose
financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat's
preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities
against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer,
Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World
Premiere
Christine / U.S.A.
(Director: Antonio Campos, Screenwriter: Craig Shilowich) -- In 1974, a female
TV news reporter aims for high standards in life and love in Sarasota, Florida.
Missing her mark is not an option. This story is based on true events. Cast: Rebecca Hall, Michael C.
Hall, Maria Dizzia, Tracy Letts, J. Smith-Cameron. World Premiere
Equity / U.S.A.
(Director: Meera Menon, Screenwriter: Amy Fox) -- A female investment banker,
fighting to get a promotion at her competitive Wall Street firm, leads a
controversial tech IPO in the post-financial-crisis world, where regulations are
tight but pressure to bring in big money remains high. Cast: Anna Gunn, James Purefoy,
Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner. World Premiere
The
Free World /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jason Lew) -- Following his release from a
brutal stretch in prison for crimes he didn't commit, Mo is struggling to adapt
to life on the outside. When his world collides with Doris, a mysterious woman
with a violent past, he decides to risk his newfound freedom to keep her in his
life.Cast: Boyd
Holbrook, Elisabeth Moss, Octavia Spencer, Sung Kang, Waleed Zuaiter. World
Premiere
Goat / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Neel, Screenwriters:
David Gordon Green, Andrew Neel, Michael Roberts) -- Reeling from a terrifying
assault, a 19-year-old boy pledges his brother's fraternity in an attempt to
prove his manhood. What happens there, in the name of "brotherhood,"
tests both the boys and their relationship in brutal ways. Cast: Nick Jonas, Ben Schnetzer,
Virginia Gardner, Danny Flaherty, Austin Lyon. World Premiere
The
Intervention /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Clea DuVall) -- A weekend getaway for four
couples takes a sharp turn when one of the couples discovers the entire trip
was orchestrated to host an intervention on their marriage. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat,
Clea DuVall, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz. World Premiere
Joshy / U.S.A.
(Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) -- Josh treats what would have been his
bachelor party as an opportunity to reconnect with his friends. Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross
Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, Jenny Slate. World Premiere
Lovesong / U.S.A.
(Director: So Yong Kim, Screenwriters: So Yong Kim, Bradley Rust Gray) --
Neglected by her husband, Sarah embarks on an impromptu road trip with her
young daughter and her best friend, Mindy. Along the way, the dynamic between
the two friends intensifies before circumstances force them apart. Years later,
Sarah attempts to rebuild their intimate connection in the days before Mindy's
wedding. Cast: Jena Malone, Riley Keough,
Brooklyn Decker, Amy Seimetz, Ryan Eggold, Rosanna Arquette. World Premiere
Morris
from America /
U.S.A., Germany (Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) -- Thirteen-year-old
Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his
father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends
his German tutor-turned-confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials
and tribulations of adolescence. Cast: Markees
Christmas, Craig Robinson, Carla Juri, Lina Keller, Jakub Gierszał, Levin
Henning. World Premiere
Other
People /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chris Kelly) -- A struggling comedy writer,
fresh from breaking up with his boyfriend, moves to Sacramento to help his sick
mother. Living with his conservative father and younger sisters, David feels
like a stranger in his childhood home. As his mother worsens, he tries to
convince everyone (including himself) he's "doing okay." Cast: Jesse Plemons, Molly
Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Maude Apatow, Zach Woods, June Squibb. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM
Southside
With You /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Richard Tanne) --Southside With You is a chronicle of the summer
afternoon in 1989 when the future president of the United States of America,
Barack Obama, wooed his future First Lady on an epic first date across Chicago's
South Side. Cast: Tika Sumpter, Parker
Sawyers, Vanessa Bell Calloway. World Premiere
Spa
Night /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Ahn) -- A young Korean-American man
works to reconcile his obligations to his struggling immigrant family with his
burgeoning sexual desires in the underground world of gay hookups at Korean
spas in Los Angeles. Cast: Joe Seo, Haerry Kim, Youn Ho
Cho, Tae Song, Ho Young Chung, Linda Han. World Premiere
Swiss
Army Man /
U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan) -- Hank, a
hopeless man stranded in the wild, discovers a mysterious dead body. Together
the two embark on an epic journey to get home. As Hank realizes the body
is the key to his survival, this once-suicidal man is forced to convince a dead
body that life is worth living. Cast: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe,
Mary Elizabeth Winstead. World Premiere
Tallulah / U.S.A.
(Director and screenwriter: Sian Heder) -- A rootless young woman takes a toddler
from a wealthy, negligent mother and passes the baby off as her own in an
effort to protect her. This decision connects and transforms the lives of three
very different women. Cast: Ellen Page,
Allison Janney, Tammy Blanchard, Evan Jonigkeit, Uzo Aduba. World Premiere
White
Girl /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Elizabeth Wood) -- Summer, New York City: A
college student goes to extremes to get her drug dealer boyfriend out of jail. Cast: Morgan Saylor, Brian 'Sene'
Marc, Justin Bartha, Chris Noth, India Menuez, Adrian Martinez. World Premiere
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that
illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
Audrie
& Daisy / U.S.A. (Directors: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk) -- After two high
school girls in different towns are sexually assaulted by boys they consider
friends, online bullying leads each girl to attempt suicide. Tragically, one
dies. Assault in the social media age is explored from the perspectives of the
girls and boys involved, as well as their torn-apart communities. World Premiere
Author:
The JT LeRoy Story /
U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Feuerzeig) -- As the definitive look inside the
mysterious case of 16-year-old literary sensation JT LeRoy--a creature so
perfect for his time that if he didn't exist, someone would have had to invent
him--this is the strangest story about story ever told. World Premiere
The
Bad Kids / U.S.A. (Directors: Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe) -- At
a remote Mojave Desert high school, extraordinary educators believe that
empathy and life skills, more than academics, give at-risk students command of
their own futures. This coming-of-age story watches education combat the
crippling effects of poverty in the lives of these so-called "bad
kids." World Premiere
Gleason / U.S.A.
(Director: Clay Tweel) -- At the age of 34, Steve Gleason, former NFL defensive
back and New Orleans hero, was diagnosed with ALS. Doctors gave him two to five
years to live. So that is what Steve chose to do: Live--both for his wife and
newborn son and to help others with this disease. World Premiere
Holy
Hell /
U.S.A. (Director: undisclosed) -- Just out of college, a young filmmaker joins a
loving, secretive, and spiritual community led by a charismatic teacher in
1980s West Hollywood. Twenty years later, the group is shockingly torn apart.
Told through two decades of the filmmaker's archival materials, this is their
story. World Premiere
How
to Let Go of the World (and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change) / U.S.A.
(Director: Josh Fox) -- Do we have a chance to stop the most destructive
consequences of climate change, or is it too late? Academy Award-nominated
director Josh Fox (Gasland) travels to 12 countries on six continents to explore what
we have to let go of--and all of the things that climate can't change. World Premiere
Jim / U.S.A.
(Director: Brian Oakes) -- The public execution of American conflict journalist
James Foley captured the world's attention, but he was more than just a man in
an orange jumpsuit. Seen through the lens of his close childhood friend, Jim moves from adrenaline-fueled front
lines and devastated neighborhoods of Syria into the hands of ISIS. World Premiere
Kate
Plays Christine /
U.S.A. (Director: Robert Greene) -- This psychological thriller follows actor
Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares to play the role of Christine Chubbuck, a
Florida television host who committed suicide on air in 1974. Christine's
tragic death was the inspiration for Network, and the mysteries surrounding her final act haunt Kate and
the production. World Premiere
Kiki / U.S.A.,
Sweden (Director: Sara Jordenö) -- Through a strikingly intimate and visually
daring lens, Kiki offers a
riveting, complex insight into a safe space created and governed by LGBTQ
youths of color, who are demanding happiness and political power. The film is
an exciting coming-of-age story about agency, resilience, and the
transformative art form of voguing. World Premiere
Life,
Animated /
U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) -- Owen Suskind, an autistic boy who
could not speak for years, slowly emerged from his isolation by immersing
himself in Disney animated movies. Using these films as a roadmap, he
reconnects with his loving family and the wider world in this emotional
coming-of-age story. World Premiere
Newtown / U.S.A.
(Director: Kim A. Snyder) -- After joining the ranks of a growing club no one
wants to belong to, the people of Newtown, Connecticut, weave an intimate story
of resilience. This film traces the aftermath of the worst mass shooting of
schoolchildren in American history as the traumatized community finds a new
sense of purpose. World Premiere
NUTS! / U.S.A.
(Director: Penny Lane) -- The mostly true story of Dr. John Romulus Brinkley, an
eccentric genius who built an empire with his goat-testicle impotence cure and
a million-watt radio station. Animated reenactments, interviews, archival
footage, and one seriously unreliable narrator trace his rise from poverty to
celebrity and influence in 1920s America. World Premiere
Suited / U.S.A.
(Director: Jason Benjamin) -- Bindle & Keep, a Brooklyn tailoring company,
makes custom suits for a growing legion of gender-nonconforming clients.World Premiere
Trapped / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) -- American
abortion clinics are in a fight for survival. Targeted Regulation of Abortion
Providers (TRAP) laws are increasingly being passed by states that maintain
they ensure women's safety and health, but as clinics continue to shut their
doors, opponents believe the real purpose of these laws is to outlaw abortion. World Premiere
Uncle
Howard /
U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Aaron Brookner) -- Howard Brookner's first film, Burroughs: The Movie, captured the cultural revolution of downtown New York City
in the early '80s. Twenty-five years after his promising career was cut short
by AIDS, his nephew sets out to discover Howard's never-before-seen films to
create a cinematic elegy about his childhood idol. World Premiere
Weiner / U.S.A. (Directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse
Steinberg) -- With unrestricted access to Anthony Weiner's New York City mayoral
campaign, this film reveals the human story behind the scenes of a high-profile
political scandal as it unfolds, and offers an unfiltered look at how much
today's politics is driven by an appetite for spectacle. World Premiere
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents
around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Belgica / Belgium,
France, Netherlands (Director: Felix van Groeningen, Screenwriters: Felix van
Groeningen, Arne Sierens) -- In the midst of Belgium's nightlife scene, two
brothers start a bar and get swept up in its success. Cast: Stef Aerts, Tom Vermeir,
Charlotte Vandermeersch, Hélène De Vos. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM
Between
Sea and Land /
Colombia (Directors: Manolo Cruz, Carlos del Castillo, Screenwriter: Manolo
Cruz) -- Alberto, who suffers from an illness that binds him into a body that
doesn't obey him, lives with his loving mom, who dedicates her life to him. His
sickness impedes him from achieving his greatest dream of knowing the sea,
despite one being located just across the street. Cast: Manolo Cruz, Vicky
Hernandéz, Viviana Serna, Jorge Cao, Mile Vergara, Javier Sáenz. World Premiere
Brahman
Naman /
United Kingdom, India (Director: Q, Screenwriter: S. Ramachandran) -- When
Bangalore University's misfit quiz team manages to get into the national
championships, they make an alcohol-fueled, cross-country journey to the
competition, determined to defeat their arch-rivals from Calcutta while all
desperately trying to lose their virginity. Cast: Shashank Arora,
Tanmay Dhanania, Chaitanya Varad, Vaiswath Shankar, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy,
Sid Mallya. World Premiere
A
Good Wife /
Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia (Director: Mirjana Karanovic, Screenwriters: Mirjana
Karanovic, Stevan Filipovic, Darko Lungulov) -- When 50-year-old Milena finds
out about the terrible past of her seemingly ideal husband, while
simultaneously learning of her own cancer diagnosis, she begins an awakening
from the suburban paradise she has been living in. Cast: Mirjana Karanovic, Boris
Isakovic, Jasna Djuricic, Bojan Navojec, Hristina Popovic, Ksenija Marinkovic.
World Premiere
Halal
Love (and Sex) /
Lebanon, Germany, United Arab Emirates (Director and screenwriter: Assad
Fouladkar) -- Four tragic yet comic interconnected stories come together in this
film, which follows devout Muslim men and women as they try to manage their
love lives and desires without breaking any of their religion's rules. Cast: Darine Hamze, Rodrigue
Sleiman, Zeinab Khadra, Hussein Mokadem, Mirna Moukarzel, Ali Sammoury.
International Premiere
The
Lure /
Poland (Director: Agnieszka Smoczynska, Screenwriter: Robert Bolesto) -- Two
mermaid sisters, who end up performing at a nightclub, face cruel and bloody
choices when one of them falls in love with a beautiful young man. Cast: Marta Mazurek, Michalina
Olszanska, Jakub Gierszal, Kinga Preis, Andrzej Konopka, Zygmunt Malanowicz.
International Premiere
Male
Joy, Female Love /
China (Director and screenwriter: Yao Huang) -- Portrays an unlimited cycle of
love stories. Cast: Nan Yu, Daizhen
Ying, Xiaodong Guo, Yi Sun. World Premiere
Mammal / Ireland,
Luxembourg, Netherlands (Director: Rebecca Daly, Screenwriters: Rebecca Daly,
Glenn Montgomery) -- After Margaret, a divorcée living in Dublin, loses her
teenage son, she develops an unorthodox relationship with Joe, a homeless
youth. Their tentative trust is threatened by his involvement with a violent
gang and the escalation of her ex-husband's grieving rage. Cast: Rachel Griffiths, Barry
Keoghan, Michael McElhatton. World Premiere
Mi
Amiga del Parque /
Argentina, Uruguay (Director: Ana Katz, Screenwriters: Ana Katz, Inés
Bortagaray) -- Running away from a bar without paying the bill is just the first
adventure for Liz (mother to newborn Nicanor) and Rosa (supposed mother to
newborn Clarisa). This budding friendship between nursing mothers starts with
the promise of liberation but soon ends up being a dangerous business. Cast: Julieta Zylberberg, Ana
Katz, Maricel Álvarez, Mirella Pascual, Malena Figó, Daniel Hendler.
International Premiere
Much
Ado About Nothing /
Chile (Director: Alejandro Fernández, Screenwriters: Alejandro Fernández,
Jerónimo Rodríguez) -- An upper-class kid gets in trouble with the one percent. Cast: Agustín Silva, Alejandro Goic, Luis Gnecco,
Paulina García, Daniel Alcaino, Augusto Schuster. World Premiere
Sand
Storm /
Israel (Director and screenwriter: Elite Zexer) -- When their entire lives are
shattered, two Bedouin women struggle to change the unchangeable rules, each in
her own individual way. Cast: Lamis Ammar, Ruba
Blal-Asfour, Hitham Omari, Khadija Alakel, Jalal Masrwa. World Premiere
Wild / Germany
(Director and screenwriter: Nicolette Krebitz) -- An anarchist young woman
breaks the tacit contract with civilization and fearlessly decides on a life
without hypocrisy or an obligatory safety net. Cast: Lilith Stangenberg, Georg
Friedrich. World Premiere
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Twelve documentaries by some of the most
courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
Eleven documentaries are listed below, and a
twelfth will be announced in the weeks ahead.
All
These Sleepless Nights /
Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) -- What does it mean to be truly awake in a
world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences
of life and love to a breaking point as they restlessly roam the streets of
Warsaw in search for answers. World Premiere
A
Flag Without a Country /
Iraq (Director: Bahman Ghobadi) -- This documentary follows the very separate
paths of singer Helly Luv and pilot Nariman Anwar from Kurdistan, both in
pursuit of progress, freedom, and solidarity. Both individuals are a source of
strength to their society, which perpetually deals with the harsh conditions of
life, war, and ISIS attacks. North American Premiere
Hooligan
Sparrow /
China, U.S.A. (Director: Nanfu Wang) -- Traversing southern China, a group of
activists led by Ye Haiyan, a.k.a. Hooligan Sparrow, protest a scandalous
incident in which a school principal and a government official allegedly raped
six students. Sparrow becomes an enemy of the state, but detentions, interrogations
and evictions can't stop her protest from going viral. World Premiere
The
Land of the Enlightened /
Belgium (Director: Pieter-Jan De Pue) -- A group of Kuchi children in
Afghanistan dig out old Soviet mines and sell the explosives to child workers
in a lapis lazuli mine. When not dreaming of an Afghanistan after the American
withdrawal, Gholam Nasir and his gang control the mountains where caravans are
smuggling the blue gemstones. World Premiere
The
Lovers and the Despot /
United Kingdom (Directors: Robert Cannan, Ross Adam) -- Following the collapse
of their glamorous romance, a celebrity director and his actress ex-wife are
kidnapped by movie-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-il. Forced to make films in
extraordinary circumstances, they get a second chance at love--but only one
chance at escape. World Premiere
Plaza
de la Soledad /
Mexico (Director: Maya Goded) -- For over 20 years, photographer Maya Goded has
intimately documented the lives of a close community of prostitutes in Mexico
City. With dignity and humor, these women now strive for a better life -- and
the possibility of true love. World Premiere
The
Settlers /
France, Canada, Israel, Germany (Director: Shimon Dotan) -- The first film of
its kind to offer a comprehensive view of the Jewish settlements in the West
Bank, The Settlers is a historical overview,
geopolitical study, and intimate look at the people at the core of the most
daunting challenge facing Israel and the international community today. World Premiere
Sky
Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang / U.S.A.
(Director: Kevin Macdonald) -- Having reached the pinnacle of the global art
world with his signature explosion events and gunpowder drawings, world-famous
Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang is still seeking more. We trace his
rise from childhood in Mao's China and his journey to attempt to realize his
lifelong obsession, Sky Ladder. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM
Sonita / Germany,
Iran, Switzerland (Director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami) -- If 18-year-old Sonita
had a say, Michael Jackson and Rihanna would be her parents and she'd be a
rapper who tells the story of Afghan women and their fate as child brides. She
finds out that her family plans to sell her to an unknown husband for $9,000. North American Premiere
We
Are X /
United Kingdom, U.S.A., Japan (Director: Stephen Kijak) -- As glam rock's most
flamboyant survivors, X Japan ignited a musical revolution in Japan during the
late '80s with their melodic metal. Twenty years after their tragic
dissolution, X Japan's leader, Yoshiki, battles with physical and spiritual
demons alongside prejudices of the West to bring their music to the world. World Premiere
When
Two Worlds Collide /
Peru (Directors: Heidi Brandenburg, Mathew Orzel) -- An indigenous leader
resists the environmental ruin of Amazonian lands by big business. As he is
forced into exile and faces 20 years in prison, his quest reveals conflicting
visions that shape the fate of the Amazon and the climate future of our world.World Premiere
NEXT
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative,
forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital
technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this
section will shape a "greater" next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
THE
4TH /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andre Hyland) -- It's the Fourth of July in
Los Angeles, and Jamie, a broke illustrator who is behind on his rent, tries to
throw a cookout while his overbearing roommate is out of town, but everything
seems to go wrong. Cast: Andre Hyland,
Johnny Pemberton, Eliza Coupe, Yasmine Kittles, Anna Lee Lawson, Paul Erling
Oyen. World Premiere
Dark
Night /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) -- A suburban landscape plays
witness to the inevitable, unfolding events that culminate in a Cineplex
massacre. Over the course of one day, from sunrise to midnight, six
strangers--the shooter among them--share in this new American nightmare. Cast: Robert Jumper, Anna Rose,
Rosie Rodriguez, Karina Macias, Aaron Purvis, Eddie Cacciola. World Premiere
The
Eyes of My Mother /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nicolas Pesce) -- A young, lonely woman is
consumed by her deepest and darkest desires after tragedy strikes her quiet
country life. Cast: Kika Magalhães,
Will Brill, Paul Nazak, Flora Diaz, Clara Wong, Diana Agostini. World Premiere
First
Girl I Loved / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kerem Sanga)
-- Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl
at her L.A. public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend,
Clifton--who has always harbored a secret crush on her--he does his best to get
in the way. Cast: Dylan Gelula,
Brianna Hildebrand, Mateo Arias, Jennifer Prediger, Tim Heidecker, Pamela
Adlon. World Premiere
The
Fits /
U.S.A., Italy (Director: Anna Rose Holmer, Screenwriters: Anna Rose Holmer,
Saela Davis, Lisa Kjerulff) -- In this psychological portrait, Toni, an
11-year-old tomboy, is assimilating into a tight-knit dance team in
Cincinnati's West End when a mysterious outbreak of fainting spells plagues the
team, and her desire for acceptance is twisted. Cast: Royalty Hightower, Alexis
Neblett, Da'Sean Minor, Lauren Gibson, Makyla Burnam, Inayah Rodgers. North
American Premiere
How
To Tell You're A Douchebag /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tahir Jetter) -- This romantic comedy follows
a misogynist who falls in love. Cast: Charles Brice,
DeWanda Wise, William Jackson Harper, Alexander Mulzac, Jenna Williams, Tonye
Patano. World Premiere
Jacqueline
(Argentine) /
U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) -- A young French woman
hires a man to document her self-imposed political asylum in Argentina after
supposedly leaking highly confidential government secrets. Cast: Camille Rutherford, Wyatt
Cenac, James Benson, Martin Anderson, Sarah Willis, Enrique Dura. World Premiere
The
Land / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Steven Caple
Jr.) -- Four teenage boys devote their summer to escaping the streets of
Cleveland, Ohio, by pursuing a dream life of professional skateboarding. But
when they get caught in the web of the local queenpin, their motley brotherhood
is tested, threatening to make this summer their last. Cast: Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Moises
Arias, Rafi Gavron, Ezri Walker, Erykah Badu, Michael K. Williams. World
Premiere
Operation
Avalanche / U.S.A., Canada (Director: Matt Johnson,
Screenwriters: Matt Johnson, Josh Boles) -- In 1967, four undercover CIA agents
were sent to NASA posing as a documentary film crew. What they discovered led
to one of the biggest conspiracies in American history. Cast: Matt Johnson, Owen Williams,
Josh Boles, Ray James. World Premiere
Sleight / U.S.A.
(Director: JD Dillard, Screenwriters: JD Dillard, Alex Theurer) -- After a young
street musician is left to care for his little sister following their mother's
passing, he turns to dealing drugs, but quickly runs into trouble with his
supplier. When his sister gets kidnapped, he must rely on his smarts and
sleight of hand to save her.Cast:
Jacob Latimore, Dulé Hill, Seychelle Gabriel, Storm Reid, Sasheer Zamata,
Cameron Esposito. World Premiere