Sundance 2019 Preview: Documentaries

Hail Satan?
Penny Lane's (Nuts!, Our Nixon) latest is this look at the rise of the recent "religion" known as The Satanic Temple and their efforts to stop monotheistic coercion in our government. Magnolia is bringing this out in the Spring.

US Docu Competition

The Magic Life of V
Bulgarian director Tonislav Hristov's latest is this look at a woman confronting her childhood trauma though LARPing.

World Docu Competition

One Child Nation
Visionary documentarian Nanfu Wang (Hooligan Sparrow, I Am Another You) teamed up with Jialing Zhang for this look at China's former one-child policy.

US Docu Competition

Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love
Leonard Cohen and his relationship with Marianne Ihlen -- his "Norwegian muse" -- takes center stage in this new doc from Nick Broomfield (Whitney: Can I Be Me, Tales of the Grim Sleeper, Sarah Palin: You Betcha!).

Docu Premieres

Untitled Amazing Johnathan Documentary
Ben Berman's feature debut takes us along on illusionist Amazing Johnathan's final tour after a certain death medical diagnosis.

US Docu Competition

Pahokee
Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan's feature debut follows four high school seniors in the Florida Everglades.

US Docu Competition

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Alex Gibney marks his 200th Sundance film (just kidding) with this documentary about Elizabeth Holmes and the rise and fall of her sham company Theranos. HBO is on board.

Docu Premieres

Apollo 11
Dinosaur 13 director Todd Douglas Miller helms this full archival reconstruction of man's trip to the moon. Neon is releasing it in conjunction with CNN.

US Docu Competition

Love, Antosha
The tragic story of Anton Yelchin is explored in director Garret Price's feature debut. The film is produced by Drake Doremus, who directed Yelchin in his hit film Like Crazy.

Docu Premieres

Knock Down the House
Expect it-girl Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a.k.a. AOC, to be in the house for the world premiere of Rachel Lears's doc about the 2018 congressional elections.

US Docu Competition

Midnight Traveler
Hassan Fazili shot this super personal documentary with his and his family's phones after they were forced to flee Afghanistan when the Taliban put a price on his head.

World Docu Competition

The Brink
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry and Take Your Pills director Alison Klayman turns her attention to Steve Bannon in this searing documentary.

Docu Premieres