(Part 3, last)

MIDNIGHT

From horror flicks and wild comedies to chilling thrillers and works that defy any genre, these films will keep you wide awake and on the edge of your seat. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include Infinity Pool, Talk To Me, FRESH, Hereditary, Mandy, Relic, Assassination Nation and The Babadook.

I Saw The TV Glow
Dir-scr. Jane Schoenbrun
Pdrs: Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Ali Herting, Sam Intili, Sarah Winshall
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack.
Cast: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler.
Fiction.

In A Violent Nature (Can)
Dir-scr. Chris Nash
Pdrs: Peter Kuplowsky, Shannon Hanmer
The enigmatic resurrection, rampage, and retribution of an undead monster in a remote wilderness.
Cast: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Lauren Taylor.
Fiction.

It's What's Inside
Dir-scr. Greg Jardin
Pdrs. William Rosenfeld, Kate Andrews, Jason Baum, Raúl Domingo
A pre-wedding party descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend shows up with a mysterious suitcase.
Cast: Brittany O'Grady, James Morosini, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Gavin Leatherwood, Reina Hardesty, Nina Bloomgarden.
Fiction.

Kidnapping Inc. (Hai-Fr-Can)
Dir-scr-pdr. Bruno Mourral
Scr-pdr. Gilbert Jr. Mirambeau
Scr. Jasmuel Andri
Pdrs. Samuel Chauvin, Yanick Letourneau, Gaëthan Chancy
Tasked with what appears to be a simple abduction for hire, two hapless kidnappers find out that it's anything but and end up in the middle of a political conspiracy.
Cast: Jasmuel Andri, Rolaphton Mercure, Anabel Lopez, Ashley Laraque, Gessica Geneus, Patrick Joseph.
Fiction.

Krazy House (Neth)
Dirs-scrs. Steffen Haars, Flip van der Kuil
Pdr. Maarten Swart
When Russian workers in Bernie's house turn out to be wanted criminals, Bernie has to man up and save his '90s sitcom family.
Cast: Nick Frost, Alicia Silverstone, Jan Bijvoet, Gaite Jansen, Walt Klink, Kevin Connolly.
Fiction.
Available online for public.

Love Lies Bleeding (US-UK)
Dir-scr. Rose Glass
Pdrs: Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman
Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou's criminal family.
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, Jena Malone, Anna Baryshnikov.
Fiction.

The Moogai (Australia)
Dir-scr. Jon Bell
Pdrs. Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings, Mitchell Stanley
A young Aboriginal couple bring home their second baby. What should be a joyous time takes a sinister turn as the mother starts seeing a malevolent spirit she is convinced is trying to take her baby.
Cast: Shari Sebbens, Meyne Wyatt, Tessa Rose, Jahdeana Mary, Clarence Ryan, Bella Heathcote.
Fiction.

Your Monster
Dir-scr-pdr. Caroline Lindy
Pdrs. Kayla Foster, Shannon Reilly, Melanie Donkers, Kira Carstensen
After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster.
Fiction.

EPISODIC

The festival's Episodic section was created specifically for bold stories told in multiple episodes, with an emphasis on independent perspectives and innovative storytelling. Past projects that have premiered within this category include Willie Nelson And Family, OJ: Made In America, Wild Wild Country, The Jinx, Bring On The Dancing Horses, Work In Progress, State Of The Union, Gentefied, Wu Tang Clan: Of Mics And Men and Quarter Life Poetry.

Better Angels: The Gospel According To Tammy Faye
Dir-scr. Dana Adam Shapiro
EPs. Elton John, David Furnish, Danny Gabai, Alexander Moore, Hellen Rollins, Peter Rollins, Screenwriter: Helen Rollins
As told by her family, friends, and enemies, the meteoric rise, scandalous fall, and unlikely resurrection of Tammy Faye, the "First Lady of the Electric Church," poses an increasingly relevant question: How did we get the story so wrong?
Documentary.
Four-part limited series, screening parts one and two.

Conbody Vs Everybody
Dir. EP. Debra Granik
EPs. Anne Rosellini, Victoria Stewart, Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Joslyn Barnes, Jonathan Scheuer
Taking place over eight years, Coss Marte builds ConBody, a gym inspired by workouts he developed while in prison. Committed to employing trainers who were formerly incarcerated, Coss creates a community fighting to break the cycle of recidivism while navigating society's many obstacles to reentry.
Documentary.
Six-part limited series, screening two episodes.
Available online for public.

God Save Texas
Three directors offer their unique and personal perspectives on their home state of Texas, creating vivid portraits of a state that mirrors the United States' past, present, and future. Inspired by the book God Save Texas: A Journey Into The Soul Of The Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright.
Documentary.
Anthology series.

God Save Texas: Hometown Prison
Dir-EP. Richard Linklater
EPs. Lawrence Wright, Alex Gibney, Peter Berg, Michael Lombardo, Elizabeth Rogers
Huntsville, Texas, known as "Prison City," sits at the heart of an expansive prison industrial complex. Yet, for many residents, these prisons exist in another realm, disconnected from their lives. Richard Linklater revisits his hometown to explore its diverse inhabitants, painting a vibrant portrait that encapsulates the essence of Texas.

God Save Texas: The Price Of Oil
Dir. Alex Stapleton
EPs. Lawrence Wright, Alex Gibney, Richard Linklater, Peter Berg, Michael Lombardo, Stacey Offman
As the world's energy capital, Houston is a city that manufactures both its prominence and demise. Alex Stapleton explores the industry's impact on her family, who arrived as enslaved people in the 1830's, built thriving communities, and now must cope with the human costs of Texas' biggest money-maker.

God Save Texas: La Frontera
Dir. Iliana Sosa
EPs. Lawrence Wright, Alex Gibney, Richard Linklater, Peter Berg, Michael Lombardo, Richard Perello
Iliana Sosa examines how "nepantla," an embrace of in-betweenness, characterises relations to both her Mexican heritage and her hometown of El Paso, Texas. An exploration revealing how the city's humanity and unique hybridity catalysed unity, nurturing healing in the aftermath of a devastating mass shooting in 2019.

LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA
Dir-pdr. Michael John Warren
Pdrs. James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte, Brian Levy, Mat Whittington, Daniel Gibbs
In the summer of '91, the Lollapalooza music festival was born. What started as a farewell tour for the band Jane's Addiction rose from the underground to launch a cultural movement and change music forever.
Documentary.
Three-part limited series, screening parts one and two.
Available online for public.
Paramount+ holds rights.

The Synanon Fix
Dir-pdr. Rory Kennedy
Pdr-scr. Mark Bailey
Pdrs. Alexandra Korba, Keven McAlester, Screenwriter: Jeff Swimmer
Exploring the rise and fall of the Synanon organisation — through the eyes of the members who lived it — from its early days as a groundbreaking drug rehabilitation programme to its later descent into what many consider a cult.
Documentary.
Four-part series, screening parts one and two.

Episodic Pilot Showcase:

Me/We
Dir-EP. Nzingha Stewart
EPs-scrs. Rob McElhenney, Keyonna Taylor
EPs. Jackie Cohn, Nick Frenkel, Jermaine Johnson
Amaria "Yaya'' Jones, an argumentative teenager with a passion for dance, must plead her case to her overprotective brother in hopes of winning his blessing to walk to school with her first crush. Yaya's story is a celebration of life.
Cast: Camryn Jones, Victor Musoni, Anji White, Travis Wolfe Jr., Nadirah Bost, Mike Sampson.
Fiction.

La Mesías (Sp)
Dirs-scrs-EPs. Javier Calvo, Javier Ambrossi
EPs. Domingo Corral, Susana Herreras, Fran Araújo
Siblings Enric and Irene have a dark childhood, unbearable memories, and a toxic relationship with their mother. They live outside their family sect and are now far from the reach of their mother, yet not completely free.
Cast: Roger Casamajor, Macarena García, Lofla Dueñas, Carmen Machi, Ana Rujas, Albert Pla, Amaia, Biel Rossell, Cecilia Roth. International Premiere.
Fiction.

Penelope
Dir-scr-EP. Mel Eslyn
Scr-EP. Mark Duplass
EPs. Jay Duplass, Shuli Harel
Feeling out of place in modern society, a 16-year-old is drawn into the unknown wilderness, where she begins forming a new life for herself.
Cast: Megan Stott, Austin Abrams.
Fiction.

SPOTLIGHT

The Spotlight section is a tribute to the cinema Sundance programmers love, presenting films that have played throughout the world. Films that have played in this category in recent years include Joyland, The Worst Person In The World, The Biggest Little Farm, Birds Of Passage, The Rider, Ida, and The Lobster. Spotlight is presented by Audible.

àma Gloria (Fr)
Dir-scr. Marie Amachoukeli
Pdr. Bénédicte Couvreur
Six-year-old Cléo loves her nanny, Gloria, more than anything. When Gloria must return to Cape Verde to care for her own children, the two must make the most of their last summer together.
Cast: Louise Mauroy-Panzani, Ilça Moreno Zego, Abnara Gomes Varela, Fredy Gomes Tavares, Arnaud Rebotini, Domingos Borges Almeida.
US premiere.
Fiction.

Hit Man
Dir-scr-pdr. Richard Linklater
Pdr-scr. Glen Powell
Pdrs. Mike Blizzard, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan
A strait-laced professor discovers his hidden talent as a fake hit man. He meets his match in a client who steals his heart and ignites a powder keg of deception, delight, and mixed-up identities. Inspired by an unbelievable true story.
Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao. Fiction.

How To Have Sex (UK)
Dir-scr. Molly Manning Walker
Pdrs. Ivana MacKinnon, Emily Leo, Konstantinos Kontovrakis
Three British teenage girls go on a rite-of-passage holiday, drinking, clubbing, and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. As they dance their way across the sun-drenched streets of Malia, they find themselves navigating the complexities of sex, consent, and self-discovery.
Cast: Mia McKenna-Bruce, Samuel Bottomley, Shaun Thomas, Lara Peake, Enva Lewis, Laura Ambler.
US premiere.
Fiction.
Mubi holds rights.

The Mother Of All Lies (Mor-Egy-Saudi-Qat)
Dir-pdr. Asmae El Moudir
On a handmade set recreating her Casablanca neighborhood, a young Moroccan filmmaker enlists family and friends to help unearth the troubling lies built into her childhood.
Documentary.
Available online for public.

FAMILY MATINEE

Geared towards the festival's youngest independent-film fans, this section is programmed for children and adolescents. Films that have played in this category in recent years include Blueback, The Elephant Queen, Science Fair, My Life As AZucchini, The Eagle Huntress, and Shaun The Sheep.

Out Of My Mind
Dir. Amber Sealey,
Scr. Daniel Stiepleman
Pdrs. Peter Saraf, Robert Kessel, Dan Angel, Michael B. Clark
Melody Brooks is navigating sixth grade as a nonverbal wheelchair user who has cerebral palsy. With the help of some assistive technology and her devoted, exuberant allies, Melody shows that what she has to say is more important than how she says it.
Cast: Phoebe-Rae Taylor, Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Kirby, Michael Chernus, Courtney Taylor, Judith Light.
Fiction.

10 Lives (UK)
Dir-scr. Christopher Jenkins
Scrs. Karen Wengrod, Ken Cinnamon
Prds. Guy Collins, Sean Feeney, Yann Zenou, Adrian Politowski, Martin Metz
A pampered cat takes for granted the lucky hand he has been dealt after he is rescued and loved by Rose, a kind-hearted and passionate student. When he loses his ninth life, fate steps in to set him on a transformative journey.
Cast: Mo Gilligan, Simone Ashley, Sophie Okonedo, Dylan Llewellyn, Zayn Malik, Bill Nighy.
Fiction.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

One-of-a-kind moments highlight new independent works that add to the festival experience.

War Game
Dir-pdr. Jesse Moss, Director: Tony Gerber
Pdrs. Todd Lubin, Jack Turner, Mark DiCristofaro, Jessica Grimshaw, Nick Shumaker
A bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations participate in an unscripted role-play exercise in which they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the US military, in the wake of a contested presidential election.
Documentary.

NEW FRONTIER

New Frontier champions artists practicing at the crossroads of film, art, performance, and new media technology. This year, the section focuses on the powerful rise of AI, the role of artists on the rapidly changing landscape of technologies, and empowering narrative agency and sustainable creative practice through design.

Being (the Digital Griot)
Lead Artist: Rashaad Newsome
In this innovative participatory experience, Being, an artificial intelligence digital griot, asks the audience to engage in unifying and challenging discussions. It features a soundscape and movement informed by a dataset from Black communities, theorists, poets, and activists, including bell hooks, Paulo Freire, Dazié Grego-Sykes, and Cornel West.

Eno (USA-UK)
Dir. Gary Hustwit
Visionary musician and artist Brian Eno — known for producing David Bowie, U2, Talking Heads, among many others; pioneering the genre of ambient music; and releasing over 40 solo and collaboration albums — reveals his creative processes in this groundbreaking generative documentary: a film that's different every time it's shown.

(Part 2 continues)

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

These nonfiction feature films from emerging talent around the world showcase some of the most courageous and extraordinary filmmaking today. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include The Eternal Memory, 20 Days In Mariupol, All That Breathes, Flee, Honeyland, Sea Of Shadows, Shirkers, This Is Home, Last Men In Aleppo and Hooligan Sparrow.

Agent Of Happiness (Bhu-Hun)
Dir-pdr. Arun Bhattarai
Dir. Dorottya Zurbó
Pdrs. Noémi Veronika Szakonyi, Máté Artur Vincze
Amber is one of the many agents working for the Bhutanese government to measure people's happiness levels among the remote Himalayan mountains. But will he find his own along the way?
Available online for public.

The Battle For Laikipia (Ken-US)
Dir-pdr. Daphne Matziaraki
Dir. Peter Murimi
Pdr. Toni Kamau
Unresolved historical injustices and climate change raise the stakes in a generations-old conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, a wildlife conservation haven.
Available online for public.

Black Box Diaries (Jap-US-UK)
Dir-pdr. Shiori Ito
Pdrs. Eric Nyari, Hanna Aqvilin
Journalist Shiori Ito embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country's outdated judicial and societal systems.
Available online for public.

Eternal You (Ger-US)
Dirs. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck
Pdrs. Christian Beetz, Georg Tschurtschenthaler
Start-ups are using AI to create avatars that allow relatives to talk with their loved ones after they have died. An exploration of a profound human desire and the consequences of turning the dream of immortality into a product.
Available online for public.

Ibelin (Nor)
Dir. Benjamin Ree
Scr. Ingvil Giske
Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.
Available online for public.

Igualada (Col-US-Mex)
Dir. Juan Mejía Botero
Pdrs. Juan E. Yepes, Daniela Alatorre, Sonia Serna
In one of Latin America's most unequal countries, Francia Márquez, a Black Colombian rural activist, challenges the status quo with a presidential campaign that reappropriates the derogatory term "Igualada" — someone who acts as if they deserve rights that supposedly don't correspond to them — and inspires a nation to dream.
Available online for public.

Never Look Away (NZ)
Dir-scr-pdr.: Lucy Lawless
Scrs-pdrs. Matthew Metcalfe, Tom Blackwell
New Zealand–born groundbreaking CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth risks it all to show the reality of war from inside the conflict, staring down danger and confronting those who perpetuate it.
Available online for public.

A New Kind Of Wilderness (Nor)
Dir. Silje Evensmo Jacobsen
Pdr. Mari Bakke Riise
In a forest in Norway, a family lives an isolated lifestyle in an attempt to be wild and free, but a tragic event changes everything, and they are forced to adjust to modern society.
Available online for public.

Nocturnes (India-US)
Dir-pdr. Anirban Dutta
Dir. Anupama Srinivasan
In the dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas, moths are whispering something to us. In the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on this secret universe.
Available online for public.

Soundtrack To A Coup d'Etat (Belg-Fr-Neth)
Dir-scr. Johan Grimonprez
Pdrs. Daan Milius, Rémi Grellety
In 1960, United Nations: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe denouncing America's color bar, while the U.S. dispatches jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the Congo to deflect attention from its first African post-colonial coup.
Available online for public.

NEXT

Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this programme. Unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape the greater next wave in American cinema. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include Kokomo City, A Love Song, RIOTSVILLE, USA, The Infiltrators, Searching, Skate Kitchen, A Ghost Story and Tangerine. Next is presented by Adobe.

Desire Lines
Dir-scr-pdr. Jules Rosskam
Scr. Nate Gualtieri
Pdrs. André Pérez, Amy E. Powell, Brittani Ward
Past and present collide when an Iranian American trans man time-travels through an LGBTQ+ archive on a dizzying and erotic quest to unravel his own sexual desires.
Cast: Theo Germaine, Aden Hakimi.
Documentary.
Available online for public.

Kneecap (Ire-UK)
Dir-scr. Rich Peppiatt
Pdrs. Jack Tarling, Trevor Birney
There are 80,000 native Irish speakers in Ireland. 6,000 live in the North of Ireland. Three of them became a rap group called Kneecap. This anarchic Belfast trio becomes the unlikely figurehead of a civil rights movement to save the mother tongue.
Cast: Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh, Michael Fassbender, Josie Walker, Simone Kirby).
Fiction
Available online for public.

Little Death
Dir-scr.: Jack Begert
Scr. Dani Goffstein
Pdrs. Darren Aronofsky, Andy S. Cohen, Dylan Golden, Brendan Naylor, Sam Canter, Noor Alfallah
A middle-aged filmmaker on the verge of a breakthrough. Two kids in search of a lost backpack. A small dog a long way from home.
Cast: David Schwimmer, Gaby Hoffmann, Dominic Fike, Talia Ryder, Jena Malone, Sante Bentivoglio.
Fiction.
Available online for public.

Realm Of Satan
Dir-scr. Scott Cummings
Pdrs. Caitlin Mae Burke, Pacho Velez, Molly Gandour
An experiential portrait depicting Satanists in both the everyday and in the extraordinary as they fight to preserve their lifestyle: magic, mystery, and misanthropy.
Cast: Peter Gilmore, Peggy Nadramia, Blanche Barton.
Documentary.
Available online for public.

Seeking Mavis Beacon
Dir-scr. Jazmin Renée Jones
Pdr. Guetty Felin
Launched in the late '80s, educational software Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing taught millions globally, but the programme's Haitian-born cover model vanished decades ago. Two DIY investigators search for the unsung cultural icon, while questioning notions of digital security, AI, and Black representation in the digital realm.
Documentary. Neon holds US rights.
Available online for public.

Tendaberry
Dir-pdr-scr. Haley Elizabeth Anderson
Pdrs. Carlos Zozaya, Matthew Petock, Zachary Shedd, Hannah Dweck, Theodore Schaefer, Daniel Patrick Carbone
When her boyfriend goes back to Ukraine to be with his ailing father, 23-year-old Dakota anxiously navigates her precarious new reality, surviving on her own in New York City.
Cast: Kota Johan, Yuri Pleskun.
Fiction.
Available online for public.

PREMIERES

This showcase of world premieres presents highly anticipated films on a variety of subjects, in both fiction and nonfiction. Fiction films that have screened in Premieres include Past Lives, Passages, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, Promising Young Woman, Kajillionaire,The Report, Late Night, and The Big Sick. Past documentary films include Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, Invisible Beauty, The Dissident, Lucy And Desi, On The Record and Miss Americana.

The American Society Of Magical Negroes
Dir-scr-pdr. Kobi Libii
Pdrs. Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman, Angel Lopez
A young man, Aren, is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people's lives easier.
Cast: Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, Rupert Friend, Nicole Byer.
Fiction.
Focus Features holds rights.

And So It Begins (US-Phil)
Dir-scr-pdr. Ramona S. Diaz
Amidst the traditional pomp and circumstance of Filipino elections, a quirky people's movement rises to defend the nation against deepening threats to truth and democracy. In a collective act of joy as a form of resistance, hope flickers against the backdrop of increasing autocracy.
Documentary.
Available online for public.

Devo (UK-US)
Dir. Chris Smith
Pdrs. Chris Holmes, Anita Greenspan, Danny Gabai
Born in response to the Kent State massacre, new wave band Devo took their concept of "de-evolution" from cult following to near–rock star status with groundbreaking 1980 hit "Whip It" while preaching an urgent social commentary.
Documentary.

A Different Man
Dir-scr. Aaron Schimberg
Pdrs. Christine Vachon, Vanessa McDonnell, Gabriel Mayers
Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.
Cast: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson.
Fiction.

Freaky Tales
Dirs-scrs-pdrs. Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Pdrs. Poppy Hanks, Jelani Johnson
In 1987 Oakland, a mysterious force guides The Town's underdogs in four interconnected tales: Teen punks defend their turf against Nazi skinheads, a rap duo battles for hip-hop immortality, a weary henchman gets a shot at redemption, and an NBA All-Star settles the score. Basically another day in the Bay.
Cast: Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani Kordei Hamilton, Dominique Thorne, Ben Mendelsohn, Ji-Young Yoo.
Fiction.

Ghostlight
Dir-scr. Kelly O'Sullivan
Dir-pdr. Alex Thompson
Pdrs. Pierce Cravens, Chelsea Krant, Ian Keiser, Eddie Linker, Alex Wilson
When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater's production of Romeo And Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life.
Cast: Keith Kupferer, Dolly de Leon, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen.
Fiction.

Girls State
Dirs-pdrs. Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss
Teenage girls from wildly different backgrounds across Missouri navigate a week-long immersive experiment in American democracy, build a government from the ground up, and reimagine what it means to govern.
Documentary.
Apple holds rights.

Look Into My Eyes
Dir-pdr. Lana Wilson
Pdr. Kyle Martin
A group of New York City psychics conduct deeply intimate readings for their clients, revealing a kaleidoscope of loneliness, connection, and healing.
Documentary.

Luther: Never Too Much
Dir. Dawn Porter
Pdrs. Trish D Chetty, Ged Doherty, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Leah Smith
Luther Vandross started his career supporting David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, and more. His undeniable talent earned platinum records and accolades, but he struggled to break out beyond the R&B charts. Intensely driven, he overcame personal and professional challenges to secure his place amongst the greatest vocalists in history.
Documentary.

My Old Ass
Dir-scr. Megan Park
Pdrs. Tom Ackerley, Margot Robbie, Josey McNamara, Steven Rales
The summer before college, bright-yet-irreverent Elliott comes face-to-face with her older self during a mushroom trip. The encounter spurs a funny and heartfelt journey of self-discovery and first love as Elliott prepares to leave her childhood home.
Cast: Maisy Stella, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Aubrey Plaza.
Fiction.

The Outrun (UK-Ger)
Dir-scr. Nora Fingscheidt
Scr. Amy Liptrot
Pdrs. Sarah Brocklehurst, Dominic Norris, Jack Lowden, Saoirse Ronan
After living life on the edge in London, Rona attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. She returns to the wild beauty of Scotland's Orkney Islands — where she grew up — hoping to heal. Adapted from the bestselling memoir by Amy Liptrot.
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, Stephen Dillane, Saskia Reeves. Fiction.

Power
Dir-pdr. Yance Ford
Pdrs. Sweta Vohra, Jess Devaney, Netsanet Negussie
Driven to maintain social order, policing in the United States has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, American policing embodies one word: power.
Documentary.

Presence
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Scr. David Koepp
Pdrs. Julie M. Anderson, Ken Meyer
A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they're not alone.
Cast: Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Julia Fox, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland,
Fiction.

Rob Peace
Dir-scr. Chiwetel Ejiofor
Pdrs. Antoine Fuqua, Rebecca Hobbs, Kat Samick, Jeffrey Soros, Andrea Calderwood, Alex Kurtzman.
Robert Peace grew up in an impoverished section of Newark and later graduated from Yale with degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry while on scholarship. Peace led a dual life in academia and research while also earning six figures selling marijuana. Based on Jeff Hobbs' bestselling biography.
Cast: Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Camila Cabello, Michael Kelly, Mare Winningham.
Fiction.
Available online for public.

Sasquatch Sunset
Dir-scr-pdr. David Zellner
Dir-pdr. Nathan Zellner
Pdrs. Lars Knudsen, Tyler Campellone, George Rush, Jesse Eisenberg
A year in the life of a singular family.
Cast: Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Christophe Zajac-Denek, Nathan Zellner.
Fiction.

Sue Bird: In The Clutch
Dir-pdr. Sarah Dowland
Pdrs. Emily Singer Chapman, Svetlana Zill
In her 21-year professional career, WNBA basketball legend Sue Bird has won five Olympic gold medals and become the most successful point guard to ever play the game. Alongside her fiancée, US soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Sue confronts her next challenge: retiring from the only life she's ever known.
Documentary.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (UK-US)
Dir-pdr. Ian Bonhôte
Dir-scr. Peter Ettedgui
Pdrs. Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford
Never-before-seen home movies and extraordinary personal archives reveal how Christopher Reeve went from unknown actor to iconic movie star as the ultimate screen superhero. He learned the true meaning of heroism as an activist after suffering a tragic accident that left him quadriplegic and dependent on a ventilator to breathe.
Documentary.
Salt Lake Opening Film

Thelma
Dir-scr. Josh Margolin
Pdrs. Zoë Worth, Chris Kaye, Nicholas Weinstock, Benjamin Simpson, Karl Spoerri, Viviana Vezzani
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell.
Fiction.
Available online for public.

Will & Harper
Dir-pds. Josh Greenbaum
Pdrs. Rafael Marmor, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Christopher Leggett
When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition, and America.
Documentary.

Winner (US-Can)
Dir-scr-pdr. Susanna Fogel
Scr. Kerry Howley
Pdrs. Amanda Phillips, Shivani Rawat, Julie Goldstein, Scott Budnick, Ameet Shukla
Reality Winner is a brilliant young misfit from a Texas border town who finds her morals challenged while serving as an NSA contractor. A sarcastic, gun-lovin, vegan, yogi, and CrossFit fanatic, Reality is an unconventional whistleblower who ends up being prosecuted for exposing Russia's hacking of the 2016 election.
Cast: Emilia Jones, Connie Britton, Zach Galifianakis, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez.
Fiction.
 
(Continues in the next post...)

(Part 1)

Sundance Film Festival (Utah, USA) has unveiled the 40th anniversary edition line-up for 2024 as Steven Soderbergh makes his return as director for the first time since his 1989 breakout sex, lies and videotape, and Ian Bonhote's Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story at Warner Bros is the opening night film.

The full slate of works announced includes 82 features representing 24 countries, and 91 selections including episodic programmes. World premieres make up 94% of the entire roster, and 40% of the filmmakers are debutants.

The festival will take place January 18-28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles available online nationwide (US only) from January 25-28, 2024.

The full selection appears below with synopses provided by the festival. All films are US and world premieres unless indicated otherwise.

US DRAMATIC COMPETITION

The US Dramatic Competition offers festival-goers a first look at the world premieres of groundbreaking new voices in American independent film. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include Fair Play, Nanny, CODA, Passing, Minari, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Farewell, Clemency, Eighth Grade and Sorry To Bother You.

Between The Temples
Dir. Nathan Silver
Scrs. Silver C. Mason Wells
Pdrs. Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Nate Kamiya, Adam Kersh, Taylor Hess
A cantor in a crisis of faith finds his world turned upside down when his grade school music teacher reenters his life as his new adult bat mitzvah student.
Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Carol Kane, Dolly de Leon, Caroline Aaron, Robert Smigel, Madeline Weinstein.
Available online for public.

Dìdi (弟弟)
Dir-scr-pdr. Sean Wang
Pdrs: Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters, Valerie Bush
In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mum.
Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua.
Available online for public.

Exhibiting Forgiveness
Dir-scr-pdr. Titus Kaphar
Pdrs. Stephanie Allain, Derek Cianfrance, Jamie Patricof, Sean Cotton
Utilising his paintings to find freedom from his past, a Black artist on the path to success is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father, a recovering addict desperate to reconcile. Together, they learn that forgetting might be a greater challenge than forgiving.
Cast: André Holland, John Earl Jelks, Andra Day, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
Available online for public.

Good One
Dir-scr-pdr. India Donaldson
Pdrs. Diana Irvine, Graham Mason, Wilson Cameron
On a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills, 17-year-old Sam contends with the competing egos of her father and his oldest friend.
Cast: Lily Collias, James Le Gros, Danny McCarthy.
Available online for public.

In The Summers
Dir-scr. Alessandra Lacorazza
Pdrs. Alexander Dinelaris, Rob Quadrino, Fernando Rodriguez-Vila, Lynette Coll, Sergio Lira, Cristóbal Güell
On a journey that spans the formative years of their lives, two sisters navigate their loving but volatile father during their yearly summer visits to his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Cast: René Pérez Joglar, Sasha Calle, Lío Mehiel, Leslie Grace, Emma Ramos, Sharlene Cruz. Available online for public.

Love Me
Dirs-scrs. Sam Zuchero, Andy Zuchero
Pdrs. Kevin Rowe, Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Shivani Rawat, Julie Goldstein
Long after humanity's extinction, a buoy and a satellite meet online and fall in love.
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Steven Yeun.
Available online for public.

Ponyboi
Dir. Esteban Arango
Scr. River Gallo
Pdrs. Mark Ankner, River Gallo, Adel "Future" Nur, Trevor Wall
Unfolding over the course of Valentine's Day in New Jersey, a young intersex sex worker must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways, forcing him to confront his past.
Cast: River Gallo, Dylan O'Brien, Victoria Pedretti, Murray Bartlett, Indya Moore.
Available online for public.

A Real Pain (US-Pol)
Dir-scr-pdr. Jesse Eisenberg
Pdrs. Dave McCary, Ali Herting, Emma Stone, Jennifer Semler, Ewa Puszczyńska
Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan. Available online for public.

Stress Positions
Dir-scr. Theda Hammel
Pdrs. Brad Becker-Parton, John Early, Stephanie Roush, Allie Jane Compton, Greg Nobile
Terry Goon is keeping strict quarantine in his ex-husband's Brooklyn brownstone while caring for his nephew — a 19-year-old model from Morocco named Bahlul — bedridden in a full leg cast after an electric scooter accident. Unfortunately for Terry, everyone in his life wants to meet the model.
Cast: John Early, Qaher Harhash, Theda Hammel, Amy Zimmer, Faheem Ali, John Roberts. Available online for public.
Neon holds rights.

Suncoast
Dir-scr. Laura Chinn
Pdrs. Jeremy Plager, Francesca Silvestri, Kevin Chinoy, Oly Obst
A teenager who, while caring for her brother along with her audacious mother, strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist who is protesting one of the most landmark medical cases of all time. Inspired by a semi-autobiographical story.
Cast: Laura Linney, Woody Harrelson, Nico Parker.
Available online for public.

US DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

The US Documentary Competition offers festival-goers a first look at world premieres of nonfiction American films illuminating the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, Navalny, Fire oO Love, Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Boys State, Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, APOLLO 11, Knock Down The House, One Child Nation, American Factory, Three Identical Strangers and On Her Shoulders.

As We Speak
Dir-pdr. J.M. Harper
Pdrs. Sam Widdoes, Peter Cambor, Sam Bisbee
Bronx rap artist Kemba explores the growing weaponisation of rap lyrics in the United States criminal justice system and abroad — revealing how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades.
Available online for public.

Daughters
Dirs. Angela Patton, Natalie Rae
Pdrs. Lisa Mazzotta, Justin Benoliel, Mindy Goldberg, Sam Bisbee, Kathryn Everett, Laura Choi Raycroft
Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood programme in a Washington, D.C. jail.

Every Little Thing (Australia)
Dir. Sally Aitken
Pdrs. Bettina Dalton, Oli Harbottle, Anna Godas
Amid the glamour of Hollywood, Los Angeles, a woman finds herself on a transformative journey as she nurtures wounded hummingbirds, unraveling a visually captivating and magical tale of love, fragility, healing, and the delicate beauty in tiny acts of greatness.
Available online for public.

Frida (US-Mex)
Dir. Carla Gutiérrez
Pdrs. Katia Maguire, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Loren Hammonds, Alexandra Johnes
An intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Told through her own words for the very first time — drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays, and print interviews — and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork.
Available online for public.

Gaucho Gaucho (US-Arg)
Dirs-pdrs. Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw
Prds. Cameron O'Reilly, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, Matthew Perniciaro
A celebration of a community of Argentine cowboys and cowgirls, known as Gauchos, living beyond the boundaries of the modern world.
Available online for public.

Love Machina
Dir-pdr Peter Sillen
Pdr. Brendan Doyle
Futurists Martine and Bina Rothblatt commission an advanced humanoid AI named Bina48 to transfer Bina's consciousness from a human to a robot in an attempt to continue their once-in-a-galaxy love affair for the rest of time.
Available online for public.

Porcelain War (US-Ukr)
Dir-scr. Brendan Bellomo
Dir. Slava Leontyev
Pdrs-scrs. Aniela Sidorska, Paula DuPre' Pesmen
Pdrs. Camilla Mazzaferro, Olivia Ahnemann
Under roaring fighter jets and missile strikes, Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey choose to stay behind and fight, contending with the soldiers they have become. Defiantly finding beauty amid destruction, they show that although it's easy to make people afraid, it's hard to destroy their passion for living.
Available online for public.

Skywalkers: A Love Story
Dir-scr-pdr. Jeff Zimbalist
Pdrs. Maria Bukhonina, Tamir Ardon, Chris Smith, Nick Spicer
To save their career and relationship, a daredevil couple journey across the globe to climb the world's last super skyscraper and perform a bold acrobatic stunt on the spire.
Available online for public.

Sugarcane (US-Can)
Dir. Julian Brave NoiseCat
Dir-pdr. Emily Kassie
Pdr. Kellen Quinn
An investigation into abuse and missing children at an Indian residential school ignites a reckoning on the nearby Sugarcane Reserve.
Available online for public.

Union
Dirs. Stephen Maing, Brett Story
Pdrs. Samantha Curley, Mars Verrone
The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) — a group of current and former Amazon workers in New York City's Staten Island — takes on
one of the world's largest and most powerful companies in the fight to unionise.
Available online for public.

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION

These narrative feature films from emerging talent around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include Scrapper, Mami Wata, Brian And Charles, Hive, Luzzu, The Souvenir, The Guilty, Monos, Yardie, The Nile Hilton Incident and Second Mother.

Brief History Of A Family (China-Fr-Den-Qat)
Dir-scr. Jianjie Lin
Pdrs. Ying Lou, Yue Zheng, Yiwen Wang
A middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China, putting unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions under the microscope.
Cast: Feng Zu, Keyu Guo, Xilun Sun, Muran Lin.
Available online for public.

Girls Will Be Girls (Ind-Fr-Nor)
Dir-scr-pdr. Shuchi Talati
Pdrs. Richa Chadha, Claire Chassagne
In a strict boarding school nestled in the Himalayas, 16-year-old Mira discovers desire and romance. But her sexual, rebellious awakening is disrupted by her mother who never got to come of age herself.
Cast: Preeti Panigrahi, Kani Kusruti, Kesav Binoy Kiron.
Available online for public.

Handling The Undead (Nor)
Dir-pdr Thea Hvistendahl
Scr. John Ajvide Lindqvist
Pdrs. Kristin Emblem, Guri Neby
On a hot summer day in Oslo, the newly dead awaken. Three families faced with loss try to figure out what this resurrection means and if their loved ones really are back. Based on the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist.
Cast: Renate Reinsve, Bjørn Sundquist, Bente Børsum, Anders Danielsen Lie, Bahar Pars.
Available online for public.

In The Land Of Brothers (Iran-Fr-Neth)
Dirs-scrs-pdrs. Raha Amirfazli, Alireza Ghasemi
Pdrs. Adrien Barrouillet, Frank Hoeve, Charles Meresse, Emma Binet, Arya Ghamavian
Three members of an extended Afghan family start their lives over in Iran as refugees, unaware they face a decades-long struggle ahead to be "at home".
Cast: Hamideh Jafari, Bashir Nikzad, Mohammad Hosseini.
Available online for public.

Layla (UK)
Dir-scr. Amrou Al-Kadhi
Pdr. Savannah James-Bayly
When Layla, a struggling Arab drag queen, falls in love for the first time, they lose and find themself in a transformative relationship that tests who they really are.
Cast: Bilal Hasna, Louis Greatorex, Safiyya Ingar, Darkwah, Terique Jarrett, Sarah Agha.
Available online for public.

Malu (Braz)
Dir-scr. Pedro Freire
Pdrs. Tatiana Leite, Sabrina Garcia, Leo Ribeiro, Roberto Berliner
Malu — a mercurial, unemployed actress living with her conservative mother in a precarious house in a Rio de Janeiro slum — tries to deal with her strained relationship with her own adult daughter while surviving on memories of her glorious artistic past.
Cast: Yara de Novaes, Carol Duarte, Juliana Carneiro da Cunha, Átila Bee.
Available online for public.

Reinas (Switz-Peru-Sp)
Dir-scr. Klaudia Reynicke
Scr-pdr. Diego Vega
Pdrs. Britta Rindelaub, Thomas Reichlin, Daniel Vega, Valérie Delpierre
Surrounded by social and political chaos in Lima during the summer of 1992, Lucia, Aurora, and their mother, Elena, plan to leave and seek opportunities in the United States. Their farewell involves reconnecting with their estranged father, Carlos, adding turbulence to the regrets, hopes, and fears of their emotional departure.
Cast: Abril Gjurinovic, Luana Vega, Jimena Lindo, Gonzalo Molina, Susi Sánchez.
Available online for public.

Sebastian (UK-Fin-Belg)
Dir-scr. Mikko Mäkelä
Pdr. James Watson
Max, a 25-year-old aspiring writer living in London, begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel.
Cast: Ruaridh Mollica, Hiftu Quasem, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Jonathan Hyde, Leanne Best, Lara Rossi.
Available online for public.

Sujo (Mex-US-Fr)
Dirs-scrs-pdrs. Astrid Rondero, Fernanda Valadez
Pdrs. Diana Arcega, Jewerl Keats Ross, Virginie Devesa, Jean-Baptiste Bailly-Maitre
When a cartel gunman is killed, he leaves behind Sujo, his beloved 4-year-old son. The shadow of violence surrounds Sujo during each stage of his life in the isolated Mexican countryside. As he grows into a man, Sujo finds that fulfilling his father's destiny may be inescapable.
Cast: Juan Jesús Varela, Yadira Pérez, Alexis Varela, Sandra Lorenzano, Jairo Hernández, Kevin Aguilar.
Available online for public.

Veni Vidi Vici (Austria)
Dir-scr. Daniel Hoesl
Pdr. Ulrich Seidl
The Maynards and their children lead an almost perfect billionaire family life. Amon is a passionate hunter, but doesn't shoot animals, as the family's wealth allows them to live totally free from consequences.
Cast: Laurence Rupp, Ursina Lardi, Olivia Goschler.
Available online for public.

 (Continues in the next post...)

Slamdance Film Festival has announced the roster for its upcoming 30th anniversary edition

Running January 19-25 in person and January 22-28 online, this year's event returns to Yarrow Hotel in Park City where the festival launched and will showcase 32 features, of which 17 are world premieres, as well as 75 shorts, and five episodics.

Festival organisers said this year's event is more diverse than prior iterations with 43% of the films by BIPOC creators and 43% by female or non-binary filmmakers. The selection hails from 20 countries and the programming team received more than 9,000 submissions, 1,729 of which were features.

As in previous years, all films selected in the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition categories are directorial debuts without US distribution and were budgeted at under $1m.

Selections include Antonis Tsonis's Brando With The Glass Eye (Gre-Aus) about a method actor who commits a botched heist before a big audition; Fabio D'Orta's The Complex Forms (It) about a group of desperate people who have sold their bodies to unknown creatures; and Hadley Austin's documentary Demon Mineral (USA) about uranium mining on sacred land.

Among the programme are The Death Tour (Can) from Stephan Peterson and Sonya Ballantyne, a documentary which follows wrestling hopefuls across remote Indigenous communities in Canada's Far North; and Bill Plympton's Slide, a surreal musical animated western dubbed as the result of a film Clint Eastwood and Mel Brooks might make if they became cartoonists.

"Our 2024 Slamdance lineup is a testament to filmmakers who dare to push their stories to the very edge of filmmaking, making it deeply personal yet globally resonant," said festival director Taylor Miller. "Their raw passion and risk-taking echo our commitment to exploring uncharted territories of cinematic expression. This year, we proudly host the most inclusive and accessible festival we've ever had, staying true to the core objectives I aimed to cultivate with our programmers when I took this job."

Slamdance heads also announced the line-up for the fourth annual Unstoppable programme, a showcase of new films by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. This section will be headquartered at the University of Utah in the Student Union Theater from January 22-24 with subsequent screenings at the Yarrow. All Unstoppable screenings at the University will be free to the public.

Slamdance's 2024 festival line-up appears below.


Narrative Features:

AFRICAN GIANTS (USA)
Director: Omar S. Kamara
Producers: Leo Blumberg-Woll, Omar S. Kamara, Jordan Tyner
Over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.
Cast: Dillon Daniel Mutyaba, Omete Anassi, Tanyell Waivers, Josh Lopez, Kathleen Kenny, Scott Bender
World Premiere

All I've Got & Then Some (USA)
Directors: Tehben Dean, Rasheed Stephens
Producers: Tehben Dean, Rasheed Stephens, Amaka Onwuta, Lissa Mazzotta, Josh Mitchell
Based on a true story, All I've Got & Then Some follows a day in the life of Rasheed, a homeless stand-up comedian living out of his car in Los Angeles, giving everything he's got to make his dreams come true.
Cast: Rasheed Stephens, Avis Parsons, Naiya Armour, Boo Kapone, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Charles Constant, Armie Hicks Jr.
World Premiere

BRANDO WITH THE GLASS EYE (Gre-Aus)
Director: Antonis Tsonis
Producers: Tia Spanos Tsonis, Blake Northfield
A talented method actor commits a heist that goes wrong; he befriends the critically injured victim and tries to reconcile his guilt before his one-shot scholarship audition in New York.
Cast: Yiannis Niarros, Kostas Nikoulis, Xenia Dania, Alexandros Chrysanthopoulos, Maria Kallimani, Yiannis Tsortekis, Chara Mata Giannatou
World Premiere

Darla In Space (USA)
Directors: Susie Moon, Eric Laplante
Producers: Erik Mygrant, Hunter Schlesinger
Darla Peterson teams up with a sentient orgasm-granting kombucha scoby named Mother to pay off a huge tax debt.
Cast: Alex E. Harris, Constance Shulman, Rasheda Crockett, Thomas Jay Ryan, Jenn Lyon, Woody Fu, J.S. Oliver

HELL OF SE (Jap)
Director: Sawa Kawakami
Producer: Ikuya Onodera
School girl "Momo Amano" falls in love with her classmate boy "Hayasaka", but he loves someone else. Amano's best friend, "Yoshiyuki", is opposed to her love. "Hayasaka" is a menstruophile, and one day he took all the used napkins in the school and ran away. From that day on, he never returned to class.
Cast: Yura Tsuduri, Watashinoyouna Tenki, Himari Hitomi, Miu Kainuma, Rukapi, Itsuka Hashimura, Tengo Saito
World Premiere

Sam's World (USA)
Director: Lily Lady
Producer: Dan Lalor
Sam–a non-binary mid 20s sex worker–navigates romantic, sociality and an impending pregnancy-related decision over the course of a weekend in New York City.
Cast: Annie Conolly, Ajé Brown, Riley Mac, Quinn, Coco Gordon Moore, Maddie Vasquez, Aurora O'Greenfield
World Premiere

The Accident (It)
Director: Giuseppe Garau
Producer: Cristina Trio
After being fired, Marcella, a gentle-hearted mother going through separation, buys a tow truck; she gets trapped deeper and deeper in a cynical and aggressive world until a terrible opportunity shines in front of her.
Cast: Giulia Mazzarino, Anna Coppola, Alice Dente, Nathalie Bernardi, Elena Savio, Toni Pandolfo, Elisa Denti
North American Premiere

The Bitcoin Car (Nor)
Director: Trygve Luktvasslimo
Producers: Trygve Luktvasslimo, Anze Persin
After pimping out her old Toyota with money she got when a crypto investor started bitcoin mining on her parents grave, a morally challenged goat farmer fears that activity at the mine is endangering everyone.
Cast: Sunniva Birkeland Johansen, Henrik Paus, Zoe Winther-Hansen, Johannes Winther Farstad, England Brooks, Espen Beranek Holm, Marianne Jakobsen, Irene Sundsfjord
North American Premiere

The Complex Forms (It)
Director: Fabio D'Orta
Producers: Fabio D'Orta, Mariangela Bombardieri, Maria Cristina Bombardieri
The anxious wait, in an elegant villa, of a group of desperate people who have sold their bodies to unknown creatures.
Cast: David Richard White, Michele Venni, Cesare Bonomelli, Enzo Solazzi
US Premiere

The Washer (Ger)
Director: Nils A. Witt
While doing the laundry, the young lawyer Jan discovers that the washing machine creates phenomena. The effect can be reproduced and he massively expands his experiments. The machines run 24/7. Is he the only one who knows about it?
Cast: Sebastian Bös, Loredana Linglauf, Stephanie Jost, Henry Meyer, Elikem Anyigba, Can Arduc
World Premiere

Documentary Features:

Citizen Weiner (USA)
Director: Daniel Robbins
Producers: Elliot Allen, Michael Gelfand, Daniel Goldschmidt, Joey Lyons, Daniel Robbins
Zack Weiner is an actor residing on New York's Upper West Side. When the film industry shut down due to COVID-19, Zack and his friend Joe embarked on a unique project: to make a film about running for city council, while actually running for New York's city council.
Cast: Zack Weiner, Joe Gallagher, Sarah Coffey, James Watson, Aaron Dalla Villa, Cherie Vogelstein, Dan Bright
World Premiere

Demon Mineral (USA)
Director: Hadley Austin
Producers: Nevo Shinaar, Emma Robbins
An account of life in the wake of uranium mining on sacred lands. Shot over 4 years with Diné (Navajo) community oversight and guidance, the film examines the legacy of uranium extraction from the perspectives of both the landscape and its inhabitants.
Cast: Emma Robbins, Lisa Robbins, Jesse Holiday, Deb Haaland, Tommy Rock

I'm "George Lucas": A Connor Ratliff Story (USA)
Director: Ryan Jacobi
Producer: Annamaria Sofillas
Five years into performing as renowned filmmaker George Lucas in the NY cult comedy show "The George Lucas Talk Show", comedian Connor Ratliff questions the need for its continuation and his own drive for success and fulfillment in show business.
Cast: Connor Ratliff, Griffin Newman, Patrick Cotnoir
World Premiere

On The Way Home (Geor-USA)
Director: Giorgi Kvelidze
Producers: Nino Shengelaia, David Michael, Giorgi Kvelidze, Charlotte Savage
A documentary feature that follows two Georgian families, displaced by war, squatting in an abandoned former Soviet sanatorium as they await government housing.
Cast: Nikusha Berulava, Iamze Giorgadze
World Premiere

Petro (Sp-Col-USA)
Director: Sean Mattison
Producers: Trevor Martin, Sean Mattison, Jeremy Gardner, Fernando Monzon, Jessica Millstone
A charismatic former guerrilla's historic bid for president divides Colombia, a nation weary of conflict and yearning for change.
US Premiere

PUNISHMENT (Nor)
Director: Øystein Mamen
Producer: Ingvil Giske
Four inmates on maximum security have chosen to enter a three-week Jesuit silent retreat in prison. They are guided by two priests. The film slowly observes this paradoxical situation, while looking beyond the question of religious belief: How do ethical exercises, rituals, and communal silence affect us? The setting evolves into a prism for gauging a portrait of the existential landscape of the convicted.
North American Premiere

Roll Bus Roll: A Jeffrey Lewis Documentary (USA)
Director: Ilya Popenko
Producer: Ilya Popenko
Musician Jeffrey Lewis, one of the chief figures of NYC's anti-folk scene, grapples with crippling anxieties and questions his sanity while embarking on a quest for love. Along the way, he explores the intersection of art and human existence.
Cast: Jeffrey Lewis, Adam Green, Jim Testa
World Premiere

The Death Tour (Can)
Directors: Stephan Peterson, Sonya Ballantyne
Producers: Chris Jericho, Stacey Tenenbaum, Sergeo Kirby
The Death Tour follows wrestling hopefuls across remote indigenous communities in Canada's far North on 'the most grueling tour in pro wrestling'. This test of strength and grit will show how far some are willing to go to live their dreams.
Cast: Tony Condello, Sage Morin, Sean Dunster, Dez Loreen, Sara McNichol.
World Premiere


Breakouts:

Anna's Feelings (Rus)
Director: Anna Melikyan
Producers: Anna Melikyan, Ekaterina Ryzhaya, Natella Krapivina, Ekaterina Kononenko, Dmitry Litvinov
The story of a simple worker in a provincial factory in Russia, who begins to hear the voices of extraterrestrial civilizations. Now she has to transmit the most important information for humanity.
Cast: Anna Mikhalkova, Timofei Tribuntsev, Oleg Yagodin
US Premiere

Bike Vessel (USA)
Director: Eric D. Seals
Producers: Donnie Seals Jr., Resita H. Cox
Bike Vessel follows a father and son, 35 and 70, as they cycle from St. Louis to Chicago. Film director Eric Seals' father almost died after three open-heart surgeries. However, he makes a miraculous health recovery after discovering his love for cycling, bringing his son Eric along with him.
Cast: Eric D. Seals, Donnie Seals Sr., Sharon Seals, Donnie Seals Jr. Curtis Cotton.

CHAPERONE (USA)
Director: Zoe Eisenberg
Producers: Alison Week, Devin Murphy
Alienated by friends and family for her lack of ambition, 29-year-old Misha finds a dangerous acceptance in a bright 19-year-old athlete who mistakes her for a fellow student.
Cast: Mitzi Akaha, Laird Akeo, Kanoa Goo, Jessica Jade Andres, Krista Alvarez, Ioane Goodhue
World Premiere

Love And Work (USA)
Director: Pete Ohs
Producer: Pete Ohs
Diane and Fox love to work. Unfortunately, they live in a polarized world where having a job is illegal.
Cast: Stephanie Hunt, Will Madden, Frank Mosley, Alexi Pappas, John S. Davies
World Premiere

One Bullet (Afg)
Director: Carol Dysinger
Producers: Ashim Bhalla, Su Kim, Carol Dysinger
This story of female friendship forged amidst America's longest war is told by a filmmaker who spent 18 years in-and-out of Afghanistan. In this war movie, the battlefield lies behind the curtains of an Afghan home as Bibi Hajji struggles to survive the loss of her youngest child, and the impact of a brother's death on her remaining sons. A haunting image of that boy surviving a bullet wound prompted director Carol Dysinger to investigate, what happened to him, who fired the shot?

Slide (USA)
Director: Bill Plympton
Producers: Rachel Braga Jones, Wendy Cong Zhao, Sean Davis, Natasha Villegas-Cordero, Owen Andrejco
What if Clint Eastwood and Mel Brooks became cartoonists and united to create the wackiest, most surreal musical western ever? That's "Slide."
Cast: Maureen McElheron, Jim Lujan, Tom Racine, Daniel Kaufman, Sasha Odesa, Ana Sophia Colon, Ken Mora, Simone McAlonen


Spotlight Features:

Bliss (USA)
Director: Joe Maggio
Producers: Paula Killen; Matthew Myers; Larry Fessenden
An opioid addicted fugitive living off the grid in the desert canyons north of LA plays a twisted game of cat and mouse with a sexually repressed holy-roller in search of her missing sister.
Cast: Clint Jordan; Faryl Amadeus; Juan Fernandez
World Premiere

Invisible Nation (USA-Tai)
Director: Vanessa Hope
Producers: Sylvia Feng, Cassandra Jabola, Ted Hope, Vanessa Hope
With unprecedented access to Taiwan's first female president Tsai Ing-wen, director Vanessa Hope crafts a fascinating portrait of Taiwan and the country's struggle to preserve its hard-won democracy. Invisible Nation is a living account of Tsai's tightrope walk as she balances the hopes and dreams of her nation between the colossal geopolitical forces of the U.S. and China.
Cast: President Tsai Ing-wen, Human Rights Commissioner Chen Chu, Taiwan's Representative to the U.S. Bi-khim Hsiao, Legislator and Heavy Metal Rock Star, Freddy Lim, Taipei City Councilor Wu Pei-yi

The Herricanes (USA)
Director: Olivia Kuan
Producers: James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte, Lisa France, James Short, Justin Baldoni, Andrew Calof
The Houston Herricanes, a women's professional full-tackle football team, find camaraderie and strength as they controversially open a new door in the world of sports.


Unstoppable Features:

DARUMA (USA)
Director: Alexander Yellen
Producers: Kelli McNeil-Yellen, Alexander Yellen, Jodi Binstock
Patrick (bitter wheelchair user) must enlist the help of his cantankerous neighbor Robert (double amputee) to transport the four-year-old daughter he never knew he had to live with her maternal grandparents on the other side of the country.
Cast: Tobias Forrest, John W. Lawson, Abigail Hawk, Barry Bostwick, Victoria Scott, Joy Nash, Sandi McCree, Austin Basis

Good, Bad Things (USA)
Director: Shane D. Stanger
Producers: Steve Way, Shane D. Stanger, Danny Kurtzman, Sean Crampton, Manuel Gonzalez, Mel McGinnis
Danny, a young man with muscular dystrophy who is disillusioned by failed relationships, steps out of his comfort zone and into the world of online dating.
Cast: Danny Kurtzman, Brett Dier, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Timothy Granaderos, Samantha Robinson

Leilani's Fortune (Can)
Director/Producer: Loveleen Kaur
Producer: Loveleen Kaur
After a decade of struggling as an independent artist, "Leilani's Fortune" follows the blossoming career of queer, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist, Witch Prophet while finally gets the validation and support she needs to create the album of her prophecies.
Cast: Witch Prophet, Sun Sun

Look At Me
Director: Taylor Olson
Producer: Taylor Olson
A fictional autobiography about an insecure, awkward, and lonely actor who goes on an unwitting journey of self-love in the midst of an eating disorder relapse.
Cast: Taylor Olson, Koumbie, Stephanie MacDonald, Sam Vigneault
World Premiere

NINA Is An ATHLETE (Isr-USA)
Directors: Ravit Markus, Livi Kessel
Producers: Ravit Markus, Livi Kessel, Janine McGoldrick
On the cusp of turning 40, wheelchair badminton champion Nina Gorodetsky aspires to conquer greater competitive heights by representing Israel in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. However, she also wants to conceive, which puts her at a critical career crossroad negotiating a ticking biological clock both as a mother and as an athlete.
Cast: Nina Gorodetsky, Dor Kessel, Leon Pugach, Boris Gorodetsky, Tamara Gorodetsky, Reuven Moses, Amir Levy, Ron Bolotin
World Premiere


Episodes:

Dog Spelled Backwards (USA)
Director: Richie Soto
Producer: Tim Almeida
A Professional Dog Trainer gives viewers an inside look at the American animal shelter system as never seen before.
Cast: Tim Almeida, Tipsy, Alger

Eindis Ends It All (USA-Tai)
Director: Tamara Rosenfeld
Producers: Tamara Rosenfeld, Anita Tung
After finding herself inexplicably alone in a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman working through some anger issues must learn to survive the most terrifying thing of all: herself.
Cast: Weslie Lechner, Yen Tsao, Stephanie Tang

Lucy & Sara (Chapter 1: Suicide) (UK)
Director: Susan Park
Producers: Susan Park, Ryan Gage
A darkly comedic exploration of two unlikely sisters as they learn to navigate through the vulnerabilities and challenges of life after the passing of their beloved father.
Cast: Susan Park, Nicolette Morrison, Jeremy Joyce
World Premiere

Night Drives - Season 2 Collection (Can)
Director: Jono Hunter
Producer: Jono Hunter
An animated sketch comedy series about the joy and futility of life.
Cast: Alex Stypula, Chris Sandiford, Ajahnis Charley, Miguel Rivas, Rodrigo Fernandez Stoll, Lory Mpiana, Jono Hunter, Madeline Leon

Restorage (USA)
Director: E'an Verdugo
Producers: Caleb Davis, Alana Rood
In the light of his estranged father's passing, Chase inherits an old storage unit that has the ability to fix anything that's been broken... except for him and his dysfunctional family.
Cast: Connor Boyd, Olivia Clari Nice, Jacob Daniels, Joan Deschamps, Stephen Miller, Francis Juare.

Please also visit the Official Website of the Slamdance Film Festival for more information

Kyrgyzstan declines Oscar invitation after international entry rejection

Kyrgyzstan's Oscar selection committee has turned down the US Academy's request to submit another title for the international feature film category following the rejection of Aktan Arym Kubat's This Is What I Remember.
The film from the Central Asian country did not make the final list as its release date fell outside the Academy's release window.
According to Oscar regulations, international feature film submissions must have received a local release between December 1, 2022 and October 31, 2023 in order to qualify. However, This Is What I Remember opened on November 18, 2022. It continued to screen in cinemas until April this year.

It was not possible to enter the film into last year's Oscars as the submission deadline was October 3, before the film's world premiere in competition at the 2022 Tokyo International Film Festival on October 27, and proof of a local theatrical release was required to qualify for the Oscar category.
"We hadn't yet planned the release and didn't have any proof or even advertisement of upcoming release so we wouldn't have been able to apply," said producer Altynai Koichumanova.
"We decided to apply for the 2024 Oscars, but we didn't know about the regulations, and we didn't know that if we made the release before December 1, 2022, we would not qualify. Our mistake was that we had to guess what would be next year's [2024] regulations."
This Is What I Remember is a co-production between Kyrgyzstan, Japan, the Netherlands and France. Director Kubat plays an old man who has lost his memory and returns to Kyrgyzstan for the first time in more than 20 years. The film won the jury grand prize at last year's Asia Pacific Screen Awards and is the final film of a trilogy that began with The Light Thief and Centaur, both of which were submitted to the Oscars in 2010 and 2017 respectively.
"It's a real pity that a film by a filmmaker of such stature in world cinema like Aktan Arym Kubat is deemed ineligible under the way this current system is designed," said Mai Meksawan of Diversion, the Bangkok-based sales agent of the film.

"It shouldn't have been the producer's burden to have to plan this in advance even before the world premiere at Tokyo, and 18 months before the Oscars ceremony date.
"In other countries like Thailand, the international feature Oscars has become a marketing tool for studios to schedule the local release right within next year's deadline and use the 'Country's Pick for Oscars' to promote that release."
It would have marked the fifth film by Kubat - also known as Aktan Abdykalykov - to have been considered by Oscar voters after The Adopted Son, The Chimp, The Light Thief and Centaur. 
Neighbouring country Tajikistan also did not make this year's final list after making a rare entry with Behrouz Sebt Rasoul's Melody.
Countries submitting a feature for the first time, or who have not submitted for the previous five years, must present a list of selection committee members and application materials for the Academy. Screen understands that Tajikistan could not send that list on time, ruling it out of the running.

The film is received its international premiere at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa today (November 24). 

Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers was founded in 2008 by a passionate group of Asian Americans who felt a need for a festival space that was focused on supporting the growing Asian filmmaking community. The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF) is the showcase event of this non-profit organization and is dedicated to supporting and highlighting the experiences of Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora through creative community-focused programs. PAAFF is currently the third-largest film festival of its kind in the United States. In addition to our film programs, our volunteer-run organization also presents supporting programming such as live performances, chef demonstrations, panels and lectures, and educational workshops during the festival and throughout the year.

Our Mission: The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival aims to serve as a platform to showcase and celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora storytellers and their works. In order to build a more inclusive and informed community, we collaborate with other like-minded organizations that support this mission.

Our Vision: We believe in celebrating and propelling the voices of Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora storytellers and creators to the forefront of culture by serving as a platform for them to share their vision with the world through film, theatre, and live performance.

Also visit the Official Website for more information

Is it strange that three of the Asian American features this year have the word "home" in their titles? Or that films from around the world, whether AGRA from India or CONCRETE UTOPIA from South Korea, or the classics THE FALL OF THE I-HOTEL and HITO HATA and the contemporary HOME IS A HOTEL, are explicitly about housing crises, real and imagined? Housing is on the mind, especially in a city recently named by US News & World Report as the country's most expensive city to live in. Asian and Asian American cinemas are traditionally obsessed with family, but today we can't take for granted the houses, condos, and SROs that provide the shelter and stage our domestic narratives.

This year's San Diego Asian Film Festival has a new home. After 22 wonderful years at the Hazard Center in Mission Valley, we were briefly swept asea, a consequence of Hollywood shuffles made complicated by the WGA and SAG strikes. But now we are back ashore, the new tenants of the grand Edwards Mira Mesa, in one of San Diego's most vibrant Asian neighborhoods. In a city where rent is high and movie theaters take up prime real estate, we're grateful to be here in the heart of what they call "Manila Mesa," across the street from an H Mart and by a Banh Mi Blvd. So welcome in – shoes optional – cozy up to a film and make yourself at home.

Also visit the [https://sdaff.org/2023/]Official Website[/url] for more information

Hollywood Series (A.K.A. Asia Web Awards) has an official partner LA WEBFEST, the very first web series festival in the world, and 50 International Webfests over the world.

Our goals are to expand the festival so it can become a viable provider of quality content on an international scale. Our intention is to create a place that nurtures and cultivates upcoming creators. Asia Web Awards is a festival which specifically helps independent filmmakers and creators to raise their visibility through the web.

Dates:
Official Selections - November 24, 2023
Nominations - Live Streaming November 26     
Awards - Live Streaming December 30

Important: this is a web event, check to match your time with the exact time with the local dates and times of the event. Please visit the Official Website for more information

The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) brings the best of a broad selection of Asian World cinema to Los Angeles in order to draw greater recognition to the region's wealth of filmmakers, strengthening ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries

Uniting through cross-cultural collaboration, our festival champions films from  over 50 countries across Asia spanning from Turkey to Japan and Russia to India.

The Festival is unique in that it predominantly screens Oscar and Golden Globe submitted films from Asia for the Best Foreign Language Film.

Since the Festival began we are proud to have screened over 70 Oscar and 50 Golden Globe submissions!

All films that participate in the Festival will have a unique chance to be guided through the challenging awards season, showcasing their foreign films to the Academy, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and all Guilds for enhanced exposure, media attention and awards consideration.*

Visit the Official Website for more information

BFI London Film Festival recorded its highest in-person attendance in five years with 195,665 attendees this year

The last edition to record more attendees was in 2018, with 205,630. The festival's occupancy levels were at an impressive 90% across its London paid-for and free in-person screenings – up from 87% last year and 84% and 83% in 2018 and 2019 respectively. 54% of ticket bookers this year were new to LFF, indicating a new generation of film audiences discovering the festival.

A further 225,577 attendees participated in the 2023 festival online. Delegate numbers were also up by 12%, from 3,254 last year to 3,649 this time, for the industry programme hosted at London's Picturehouse Central cinema. The festival has also unveiled its audience awards for the 2023 edition. George Amponsah's London-set crime thriller Gassed Up, produced by the UK's Sunrise Films and Ascendant Fox, took the audience award for best feature, having had its world premiere at LFF. Chloe Abrahams' debut The Taste Of Mango, looking at the filmmaker's family history, won the documentary audience award.

Further audience prizes went to short film Festival Of Slaps, a reflection on African parenting stereotypes, for best British work; and Murals, which juxtaposes the war in Ukraine with the murals of Banksy, for best immersive/XR.

"It was an absolute joy seeing audiences enthusiastically connecting to this year's programme which was beautifully handcrafted by our talented festival team," said Kristy Matheson, in her first year as BFI London Film Festival director. "Over 12 days we saw audiences coming together and being rewarded for their curiosity and fandom across the full breadth of what the moving image has to offer. UK artists shone bright across the whole programme, alongside some of international cinema's greatest legends and exciting new talents; our sincere thanks to them for sharing their supreme creativity with us all."

More than 800 UK and international filmmakers and immersive creators attended the festival, which features 252 titles from 92 countries across features, shorts, XR works and series. 39% of the works came from female and non-binary filmmakers.

The festival announced its 2023 awards on the closing weekend, with Ryusuke Hamaguchi's Evil Does Not Exist taking the best film award in official competition.

Visit the Official Website of the British Film Institute