It's Sundance time! Yes the indie world's biggest fest kicks off Thursday in snowy Park City, Utah and the SA crew will be on hand to sort through the buzz and bring you the what's what. But before that starts, we'll be adding to the buzz a bit with our own preview series taking a guess at a few of the titles that might be worth checking out at the fest, at future fests, or in your local multiplex/VOD queue over the coming months.
We'll start things off with a quick tour of the narrative competitions. This includes the centerpiece US Dramatic Comp, the World Dramatic Comp, and the increasingly amazing Next section. While Next may not be a juried competition, its Best of Next audience prize has become one of the most coveted take-homes of the fest. Take a look and we'll be back tomorrow with more.
I Don't Feel at Home in the World Anymore
Macon Blair (of Blue Ruin fame) makes his directorial debut in this Melanie Lynskey comedy about a woman who goes on an impromptu investigation of her missing laptop. XYZ produced this Day One film which also stars Elijah Wood, David Yow, Jane Levy, and Devon Graye.
US Dramatic
Axolotl Overkil
Helene Hegemann has become quite the "it" girl in her native Germany when her debut novel (Axolotl Roakill) about a sexually rebellious, hard partying 16-year old girl in Berlin was published in 2010 when she was just 17. Now she makes her directorial debut directing the screenplay she adapted from her novel.
World Dramatic
L.A. Times
U.S. Editor Ben Umstead here to pinch hit for Ryland and give a quick mention to a film he produced.
In her feature directorial debut, Girl Most Likely screenwriter Michelle Morgan rallies a cool cavalcade of indie talent, including Dree Hemingway, Jorma Taccone and Robert Schwartzman. Following Morgan's Annette as she gauges what happiness means (or perhaps doesn't mean) within coupledom, L.A. Times looks to be a comedy led by a deep existentialist leaning, less in line with contemporary indie quirk and more comfortable nestled near the rich character pieces of Albert Brooks and Nicole Holofcener.
Next
Brigsby Bear
The Good Neighbor crew of SNL fame (that would be Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, Nick Rutherford, and Dave McCary) hits Sundance with their first feature about a man setting out to film the end to his childhood favorite TV show. McCary directs Mooney alongside an interesting cast that includes Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, and Michaela Watkins. The Lonely Island guys served as producers.
US Dramatic
The Yellow Birds
Alexandre Moors's follow-up to the critically acclaimed Blue Caprice is this Iraqi veteran drama co-written by David Lowery. It stars Tye Sheridan, Jack Huston, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Patric, Toni Collette, and Jennifer Aniston. Look for a potentially big sale here.
US Dramatic
Free and Easy
Chinese veteran filmmaker Jun Geng (Hawthorn, Diary in Bulk, Barbecue, Youth, The Hammer and Sickle are Sleeping) returns with this Northern China drama which has been described as "Jarmusch-esque."
World Dramatic
Thoroughbred
This black comedy about two ex-high school friends that plot to kill one of their fathers is the feature debut from Cory Finley. It stars Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Paul Sparks, Francie Swift, Kaili Vernof and notably, Anton Yelchin in one of his final roles.
Next
Ingrid Goes West
Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen star alongside O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, and Billy Magnussen in Matt Spicer's debut satire about a woman and her Instagram idol.
US Dramatic
Novitiate
Maggie Betts makes her feature narrative debut with this story of a woman choosing to become a nun in the 1950s/1960s. It stars Margaret Qualley, Melissa Leo, Julianne Nicholson, Dianna Agron, and Morgan Saylor and has already been getting some good pre-fest buzz.
US Dramatic
Dayveon
Compared to David Gordon Green's George Washington in the festival notes, Amman Abbasi's debut follows an African-American boy struggling for meaning after his brother is killed in their violent Southern town. Green (along with Jody Hill, Danny McBride, and James Schamus, amongst others) served as executive producers.
Next
The Nile Hilton Incident
Swedish/Egyptian director Tarik Saleh who you might remember as director of the Fantastic Fest-playing animated head tripper Metropia hits Sundance with this live action Egyptian political cop noir about a dead woman and powerful hotel owner.
World Dramatic
A Ghost Story
There has been no lack of head scratching as to why the follow-up to the $65 Million Pete's Dragon qualifies Ain't Them Bodies Saints director David Lowery for Next. Alas, this Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara ghost tale (which has already been scooped up by A24) finds itself in that section. It's certainly made us want to see it and find out why, not the least because of its all-star producing team of Adam Donaghey, Toby Halbrooks, and James M. Johnston.
Next
Golden Exits
Alex Ross Perry (Queen of Earth, The Color Wheel, Listen Up Philip) returns to Sundance with this story of Brooklyn dwellers and the upturning of their safe lives. It stars Emily Browning, Adam Horovitz, Mary-Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Jason Schwartzman, and Chloë Sevigny.
US Dramatic
Beach Rats
Eliza Hittman made a splash with her Sundance 2013 Next feature debut It Felt Like Love. Her sophomore effort moves her up to the US Dramatic comp but has a similar sounding under-the-radar cast. This time, instead of a boy-fascinated young girl at the beach, it's a boy-fascinated young boy.
US Dramatic
Person to Person
Dustin Guy Defa's sophomore follow-up to Bad Fever stars Abbi Jacobson, Michael Cera, Tavi Gevinson, Philip Baker Hall, Bene Coopersmith, and George Sample III in this NY-set ensemble. It's notably shot on 16mm and executive produced by Joe Swanberg and man-of-the-festival David Lowery.
Next