01/21/22
This week: The very best of Sundance—past, present and future.
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Life & Culture
There’s been a lot of talk this week about the metaverse, after the news broke that Microsoft is buying Activision Blizzard for $70 billion. We’re hearing about everything from what to wear in the metaverse to how it’s all BS to the Brooklyn Nets’ “Netaverse”. But, if you, like me, are still having trouble wrapping your mind around what the metaverse even is, I highly recommend Thursday’s episode of The Daily.
I have three wholesome TikToks to share with you all, just because it’s been a long week. This one is maybe the most incredible video of bird formations that I’ve ever seen, this one introduced me to a weird skunk that I didn’t know existed, and this one educated me on a very sweet tradition at the Cincinnati Zoo.
—Darlene Kenney, Digital Strategist
Sundance
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival kicked off yesterday! It’s not the IRL week of celebrating, co-viewing, and merry-making that we were hoping for, but the curation of films is just as extraordinary as ever, and we’re ready to settle in for a few very busy days of couch time. Omicron may have thwarted our best-laid plans, but the largest independent film festival in the United States forges ahead.
So we have an extra-special Sundance edition of this newsletter ahead, celebrating some of our favorite Sundance premieres of all time.
At PICTURESTART, we’re proud to have two films at the festival—AM I OK? (premiering 1/24 at 1:00pm PT) and CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH (premiering 1/23 at 1:45pm PT)—but below are a few more standouts that I’m looking forward to binge-watching over the next few days.
MASTER (premiering 1/21 at 5:30pm PT) is the feature directorial debut from Mariama Diallo, whose brilliant horror-comedy short HAIR WOLF won the US Fiction Short Film Jury Award at Sundance 2018. The indomitable Regina Hall stars in this psychological horror drama that takes place at an elite New England university, where three women navigate politics and privilege, encountering increasingly terrifying manifestations of the school’s haunted past and present. If MASTER is anything like HAIR WOLF, we’re in for a wholly unique and unnerving experience. I’m also keen to check out SHARP STICK (premiering 1/22 at 5:30pm PT), Lena Dunham’s first film in over a decade, since her initial foray into indie filmmaking with TINY FURNITURE. Described as a “sexual fable” about a naive 26-year-old (Kristine Froseth) exploring her sexuality after an exhilarating affair with her married boss (Jon Bernthal), SHARP STICK is certainly set to both push boundaries and elicit cringe-inducing laughs in signature Dunham style. Other highlights from the 80-something feature films programmed this year include FRAMING AGNES (premiering 1/22 at 1:30pm PT) (a compelling piece of docu-fiction aiming to "widen the frame through which trans history is viewed”), PIGGY (premiering 1/24 at 8:00pm PT) (based on the chilling 2018 short of the same name), FRESH (premiered 1/20 at 10:55pm PT) (a thriller on the perils of modern dating starring Sebastian Stan & Daisy Edgar-Jones), the Daniel-Kaluuya-produced HONK FOR JESUS, SAVE YOUR SOUL (premiering 1/23 at 10:45am PT), sci-fi thriller DUAL (premiering 1/22 at 5:00pm PT), and the spooky witch horror YOU WON’T BE ALONE (premiering 1/22 at 7:45pm PT), among many others.
The indie episodic and shorts programs contain plenty of highlights worth checking out, too, including: CHAPERONE (available until 1/30) (US Live-Action Shorts), an eerie, evocative debut by queer playwright Sam Max and starring Zachary Quinto, and MY TRIP TO SPAIN (available until 1/30) (Indie Episodic) which follows Alexis, a successful trans woman who’s going to Spain for cosmetic surgery and reunites with an old friend, Charlie (SEARCH PARTY’s John Early).
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
Films
Coincidentally the first film I ever saw at Sundance was also potentially the best one. OTHER PEOPLE (2016) (trailer here) is an incredibly moving comedy-drama based on writer/director Chris Kelly’s relationship with his own mother. I’ll never forget sitting in that frigid Park City auditorium, snacking on the banana bread I bought in the ticket line that had been sitting in my pocket all day, weeping and cackling in equal measure. OTHER PEOPLE's blend of deeply human storytelling and first-class comedy is exactly what I’ve come to associate with Sundance. The film follows David (Jesse Plemons), a struggling comedy writer who returns home to Sacramento to take care of his mother, Joanne (Molly Shannon) who’s been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The film takes place over the course of a year, as David manages his struggling relationship and less-than-promising career prospects, all while coping with Joanne’s deteriorating health and confronting his strained relationship with his dad (Bradley Whitford). If that sounds like a downer…well, it sort of is! But it’s beautifully balanced with a stellar comedic supporting cast, including John Early, Zach Woods, Maude Apatow, Retta, June Squibb, and absolute scene-stealer Josie Totah. Couple that with one of the best uses of a Train song I’ve ever heard in a film and you have a winner. Literally!— Molly Shannon won the 2017 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress for her heart-wrenching performance as Joanne, a testament to just how damn good OTHER PEOPLE really is. Stream it now on Netflix.
—Neal Mulani, Development Assistant
One of my favorite Sundance movies of all time also happens to be one of my favorite movies of all time: Lone Scherfig's AN EDUCATION (2009) (trailer here). Adapted by Nick Hornby from a memoir by Lynn Barber, this film about a teen francophile on the precipice between girlhood and womanhood in the 1960s gave Carey Mulligan her big break, accompanied by other great performances from the likes of Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper, and Emma Thompson. Upon meeting a handsome stranger named David (Sarsgaard), Mulligan's Jenny is swept out of her humdrum London schoolgirl life and into a world of glamor, sophistication, and most importantly, freedom—or so she thinks. The genius of this film is in how it seduces the viewer with such charm and style (just as David woos Jenny) but disrupts the facade just as easily. It's both a coming-of-age story and a staying-of-age story of sorts—a refreshingly nuanced look at youth and perceptions of maturity. Year after year I find myself coming back to this one, simultaneously as a wish-fulfilling comfort watch and as a reminder to slow down in life.
—Alicia Devereaux, Development Assistant
In 2018, my favorite film of the festival was WE THE ANIMALS (trailer here), directed by Jeremiah Zager. A true piece of art, it’s beautiful, emotional, and so important. The story and characters—three brothers, making their way through childhood and navigating complicated relationships with complicated parents—will forever stick with me. But most of all, I was in awe of the direction. The cinematography, music, and POV were just so amazing. And the stop-motion animated drawings that give us a view into the inner world of youngest brother Jonah (played by Evan Rosado), were perfectly used in developing character—and even more powerful later, brought back in such a heartbreaking and meaningful way.
—Jessica Switch, SVP, Production
TOGETHER, TOGETHER (trailer here) is a bittersweet comedy that will make you laugh and cry—and also happens to be one of the most underrated films from Sundance 2021. It follows Matt (Ed Helms), a successful but lonely app developer, and Anna (Patti Harrison), an ambitious but demoralized barista who agrees to be Matt's surrogate. The platonic chemistry between the leads makes every scene memorable, from their unusual parenting classes to the more intimate conversations about their futures. I appreciate how the film explores the complexities of Matt and Anna's relationship—one that is deeply emotional yet inherently transactional and finite. If you’re looking for a heartwarming 90-minute comfort watch, I highly recommend checking this one out!
—Dustin Sloane, Development Assistant
I attended Sundance in person once, in 2019, and had the chance to see a few great movies. Surprisingly though, the one that’s most stuck with me is a tiny documentary, SHOOTING THE MAFIA (trailer here), which made little noise after the festival. Filmmaker Kim Longinotto profiles Letizia Battaglia, the first female photographer to work at a daily paper in Italy, who spent much of her career capturing the violence of the Sicilian mafia. Archival footage and Battaglia’s photos meld to create a graphic, volatile image of Palermo in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and a present-day interview with Battaglia makes it clear that she has the singular personality necessary to work amidst such danger. She is charismatic and impassioned, having spent her life challenging Italy’s patriarchal systems. After escaping an abusive marriage in her youth, Battaglia embraced independence, finding her passion for photography at the age of 40 and committing herself to documenting the terror inflicted by the mafia’s stranglehold on the island. SHOOTING THE MAFIA is available to rent on major VOD platforms.
—Nolan Russell, Executive Assistant
Without a doubt, ON THE COUNT OF THREE, the brilliant directorial debut from stand-up comedian and actor Jerrod Carmichael, was one of my favorite Sundance titles from last year. Coined a darkly comedic thriller, the story follows Val (also played by the talented Carmichael) and his best friend Kevin (Christopher Abbott), as they make a pact to end their lives when the day is done…but before they go, they have to dedicate the day attending to some unfinished business. With powerful performances, absurd and pitch-dark humor, and a tone that is simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful, ON THE COUNT OF THREE tackles some difficult subjects that aren’t always easy to translate onto the screen, all the while remaining a lively buddy comedy. The film premiered at Sundance 2021 and has been acquired by Annapurna Pictures. So, while we await the general release, here is a great interview with Carmichael, talking about the film.
—Mimi Li, Development Assistant
