Sundance Turns 40! Here Are the Films We’re Most Looking Forward To
Sundance Film Festival 2024 marks 40 years of Utah’s most exciting weekend
What do you think of when you think of Utah? Snow? Slopes? The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City? I think of Sundance. Sundance Film Festival is home to one of the most internationally prestigious film festivals in the world. Sundance has a well-deserved reputation for excavating emerging talents in the film industry through its mission to support engaging new stories. Sundance winners in the past are firmly lodged in our cultural canon, such as Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, and Precious.
The nonprofit Sundance Institute celebrates 40 years of the iconic film festival this year. The Festival will take place January 18–28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City — now also with a selection of titles available online. So even if you’re not partying in Salt Lake, you’ll have unprecedented access to the most exciting films premiering in Utah.
"From the first edition in 1985, Sundance Film Festival has aimed to provide a space to gather, celebrate, and engage with risk-taking artists that are committed to bringing their independent visions to audiences — the Festival remains true to that goal to this day," said Robert Redford, Sundance Institute Founder and President. "It continues to evolve, but its legacy of showcasing bold work that starts necessary conversations continues with the 2024 program."
Here are some of the most exciting films premiering at this year’s festival. Be prepared to see them later on the silver screen and at next year’s awards circuit:
Ponyboi: Valentine’s Day, New Jersey. River Gallo portrays a young intersex sex worker who must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways, forcing him to confront his past. It’s directed by Esteban Arango and stars Dylan O'Brien, Victoria Pedretti, Murray Bartlett, and Indya Moore. I, for one, can’t wait to see Indya Moore back on the screen after Pose, and Dylan O’Brien back with a buzzcut after Not Okay.
Exhibiting Forgiveness: A Black painter on the verge of 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. It stars André Holland and John Earl Jelks, alongside Andra Day, returning to the big screen after stunning in Hulu’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
The American Society of Magical Negroes: Director, Screenwriter, and Producer Kobi Libii is the creator behind one of my most anticipated films of 2024. It stars Justice Smith as a young Black man recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to making white people's lives easier. It's a satire on one of pop culture’s favorite tropes that is long overdue.
Little Death: 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. I’m most excited about the eclectic cast that includes David Schwimmer, Gaby Hoffmann, Dominic Fike, Talia Ryder, Jena Malone, and Sante Bentivoglio.
A Different Man: Sebastian Stan plays aspiring actor Edward goes under the knife to drastically transform his appearance. But the botched surgery makes him lose out on his dream role, and he becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.
Freaky Tales: This period piece explores 1987 Oakland as 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. This love letter to the Bay Area stars Pedro Pascal alongside Jay Ellis and Normani … who still hasn’t delivered an album.
Love Me: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun make my dream team in this post-apocalyptic love story about a buoy and a satellite that meet online and fall in love in a post-human world.
The Outrun: Another dream duo: Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu star in this adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s bestselling memoir. After living life on the edge in London, Rona attempts to come to terms with her troubled past by returning to her hometown in Scotland’s Orkney Islands.
A Real Pain: Another dynamic duo, Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history
Girls State: Following the widely successful 2020 documentary Boys State, Girls State depicts the experience of teenage girls from wildly different backgrounds across Missouri during a week-long immersive experiment in American democracy, reimagining what it means to govern.
Desire Lines: Director, Screenwriter, and Producer Jules Rosskam takes us on a tale through time when an Iranian American trans man time-travels through an LGBTQ+ archive on a dizzying and erotic quest to unravel his own sexual desires.
Presence: Steven Soderberg’s latest is bout a family that moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they’re not alone. The cast includes Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, and Julia Fox.