It's Sundance time again with the snowy nexus of the indie film industry kicking off on Thursday. We've got our customary set of previews coming over the next few days. We'll start things off by shining a spotlight on a few of the films playing the marquee US Dramatic Competition as well as the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. We can't cover them all, but here are a few that caught our eye.
We Are Little Zombies
The lone Japanese film in this year's festival is Makoto Nagahisa's debut feature about four orphans who form a band after meeting at the cremation of their respective parents. Expect things to get weird.
World Dramatic Competition
Honey Boy
One of the highest profile films in the US competition is this Shia LeBeouf-written story about a child actor and his ex-rodeo clown father. It's directed by Bombay Beach director Alma Har'el and stars Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe, FKA Twigs, Maika Monroe, Natasha Lyonne, and Martin Starr alongside Mr. LeBeouf.
US Dramatic Competition
Monos
Alejandro Landes's (Cocalero, Porfirio) third feature follows a group of South American rebels as they escort a hostage into the danger-filled jungle.
World Dramatic Competition
The Farewell
Crazy Rich Asians' Awkwafina stars in Lulu Wang's (director of Posthumous) comedy about an American woman returning to China to make her dying grandma happy.
US Dramatic Competition
Hala
Geraldine Viswanathan, Jack Kilmer, Gabriel Luna, Purbi Joshi, Azad Khan, and Anna Chlumsky star in Minhal Baig's (1 Night) Muslim teen girl coming-of-ager.
US Dramatic Competition
The Last Tree
Shola Amoo tells this story of a British boy of Nigerian descent plucked from his small town and moved to the big city.
World Dramatic Competition
Them That Follow
The all-star cast of Britt Poulton's directorial debut about an Appalachian snake-handling church includes Olivia Colman, Kaitlyn Dever, Alice Englert, Jim Gaffigan, Walton Goggins, and Thomas Mann.
US Dramatic Competition
Dirty God
Vicky Knight, Katherine Kelly, Eliza Brady-Girard, Rebecca Stone, Bluey Robinson, and Dana Marienci star in Sacha Polak's (New Boobs, Zurich) Dutch-Belgian story of a young woman attacked by acid.
World Dramatic Competition
Ms. Purple
Justin Chon makes the coveted move from Next to US Dramatic Competition with his Koreatown-set follow-up to Gook.
US Dramatic Competition
Queen of Hearts
May el-Toukhy (Long Story Short) directs this drama about a Danish woman who seduces her teenage stepson. It stars Trine Dyrholm, Gustav Lindh, and Magnus Krepper.
World Dramatic Competition
Imaginary Order
Debra Eisenstadt's (Daydream Believer, The Limbo Room, Before the Sun Explodes) latest is this comedy about a suburban mom (Wendi McLendon-Covey) going off her rocker.
US Dramatic Competition
Luce
Cloverfield Paradox-director Julius Onah tackles this story of an Eritrean-born boy struggling with High School secrets. It stars Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tim Roth, and Norbert Leo Butz.
US Dramatic Competition