Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sundance Film Festival, like many events over the past year, had to adapt to the circumstances. Though the Festival’s fully virtual format meant that it may have lost some of its usual sense of authenticity and tradition, it also meant that the films were far more accessible. As a result, our writers were able to cover many more of these incredible, unique films than would have otherwise been possible.
Whether in-person or completely remote, Sundance Film Festival is a quintessential event for the film community. Our writers watched films with Oscar-winning actors and first-time filmmakers, as well as films that tested the bounds of contemporary filmmaking — films that made us laugh, cry, think or all of the above.
This wide breadth of cinematic experiences made this year’s Sundance Film Festival a remarkable opportunity, and we are very proud of the content that we’ve created.
— Kari Anderson and Sabriya Imami, Daily Film Editors
“Coda”
“Ruby’s passion and talent are beautifully struck against the pressure that she feels to stay and help her family. Heder creates a vivid life for these characters, flawlessly demonstrating the role that Ruby has played in her family since she was a child. But the members of her family, particularly her parents, are given the same depth and compassion. They too are conflicted, bearing the same worries that any parent has about their child growing up and leaving for college.”
Read more from Judith Lawrence here.
“Flee”
“Refugee narratives often make for compelling stories. They have built-in, throbbing engines that grapple the heart and enrich the soul. They’re not subtle, instead weighed down by their reality and situated just so to hit every beat of the range of human emotion. ‘Flee’ is no exception and is, in fact, a paragon.
“You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll laugh-cry. If you’re one of the tens of millions of diasporic people of the world, it might just hit home. And if you’re not, you’ll come a little bit closer to knowing what it means to flee.”
Read more from Jacob Lusk here.
“One for the Road”
“Love is in the air, but it’s not the suffocating kind of Valentine’s Day love, though I am a sucker for those conversation hearts. Instead, it’s the debilitating, heart-wrenching, make-you-wonder-how-you-could-ever-live-without-it kind of love that most of us can only dream of finding. And yet, despite its rarity, Baz Poonpiriya (“Bad Genius”) manages to fill every corner of his latest film, ‘One for the Road,’ with it.”
Read more from Emma Chang here.
“Cryptozoo”
“‘Cryptozoo’ combines the speculative wit of Kurt Vonnegut, the visual surrealism of David Lynch and the aloof humor of Wes Anderson, with a helping of ‘Jurassic Park.’ It’s more than this clumsy approximation, though. ‘Cryptozoo’ isn’t just strange for strangeness’s sake — there’s a reason behind its madness, a bedrock of meaning beneath its shimmering psychedelic veneer.”
Read more from Andrew Warrick here.
“Luzzu”
“Uniquely Maltese, this film will sit comfortably alongside the likes of ‘Shoplifters’ as a contemporary tale shining a light on 21st-century tribulations. As a record of the present state of the climate, I imagine scholars and students will look back on ‘Luzzu’ as a strong example of life for the artisan class in the post-industrial age. Similarly, fathers and sons will watch ‘Luzzu’ with an appreciation for the sensitive portrayal of the sacrifices one makes for one’s family and the struggle to fill storied boots.”
Read more from Ross London here.
“How It Ends”
“I definitely wouldn’t survive an apocalypse. I’m blind without contacts, would probably be ambushed while flossing and have no real discernible survival skills. Luckily, a long, drawn-out apocalypse is not how it ends for Liza (Zoe Lister-Jones, “Band-Aid”). Instead, Liza’s final day on Earth begins with someone stealing her car and forcing her on an oddly casual walk through the city of Los Angeles to make her way to a party; the looming presence of mortality is a meteor casting only a small shadow over the entire day.”
Read more from Emma Chang here.
“In the Earth”
“‘In the Earth’ is completely a creature of the pandemic. The idea for the film was conceived on the first day of the U.K. lockdown. The film was shot during the summer months over 15 days, the first new British production since the crisis started.
“But, as writer-director-editor Ben Wheatley (“Rebecca”) was quick to point out in the post-premiere Q&A session, ‘In the Earth’ is not about the pandemic — it’s a reflection of our times. Some traces of lockdown living — natural themes of isolation and its strain on interpersonal relationships — are indelibly imprinted on it, but the film stands on its own two legs.”
Read more from Jacob Lusk here.
“Knocking”
“So whether you’re looking for frights or social commentary, Kempff has you covered. But actually, I think watching this film at home enhanced the experience. Hearing my floorboards creak and my neighbors arguing with each other upstairs made me feel like I was on one of those 4-D rides at the Detroit Zoo. You know, where they have a machine jerk your chair around so you feel like you’re riding a dinosaur? Watching ‘Knocking’ when you’re a woman living alone during a pandemic is like a similarly budgeted, but higher quality, 4-D ride at the zoo.”
Read more from Mary Elizabeth Johnson here.
“Ailey”
“The film’s most moving and marvelous storytelling remembers this genius and the toll it took. Ailey’s colleagues and friends reflect on the dissonance between man and idea; how he was used as a poster boy for racial progress, and how the immensity of his artistic genius overwhelmed his personal enclosure. His lack of close relationships, compounded by the stress of spectacular success, eroded Ailey’s mental health as he poured more of himself into his work than he was able to give.”
Read more from Ross London here.
“Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street”
“Simultaneously reminiscent and forward-looking, ‘Street Gang’ is a much-needed reminder of how much ‘Sesame Street’ has accomplished, as well as how much educational programming still needs to accomplish to meet the demands of the modern world. Above all, the documentary reminds us of the power of interdisciplinary collaboration, especially when the collaborators are truly passionate about their work.”
Read more from Elise Godfryd here.
“Wild Indian”
“Trauma is a central theme throughout — intergenerational trauma is an unfortunate fixture of Indigenous culture in America, and that motif supports the plot of the film. The incorporation of intergenerational trauma employs negative, often stereotyped portrayals of Native Americans as violent people with substance abuse issues. Whether or not this sort of character is necessary to tell a story of intergenerational trauma is not immediately evident.
Greyeyes addressed the subject during the Q&A session after the film: ‘For a long time, Hollywood portrayed us in grotesque ways …’ Through this film, he was able to ‘reclaim and recontextualize that portrayal’ of the ‘violent Indian.’”
Read more from Ross London here.
“Passing”
“There’s this incredible effect that shows how differently Thompson’s skin appears in different lighting, sometimes making her appear darker or paler — just like the main characters’ class status, passing as white or Black is all about the environment around them. The camera lingers on mirrors upon mirrors in the wealthy homes Irene and Clare live and leisure in; wonderings about what they look like to other people and if they’re black or white or gray loom over their heads.”
Read more from Mary Elizabeth Johnson here.
“R#J”
“The most striking aspect of this film is, of course, the form it uses to tell the story. The form is both limiting, in that we cannot see personal, intimate moments between characters when there is no phone in sight, as well as creatively freeing because the film is able to introduce new elements of the characters. The filmmakers make the bold decision, for example, to have Romeo be a ‘dark-mode’ kind of person, while Juliet is a ‘light-mode’ type, giving the phone either a dark background or white background, respectively.”
Read more from Emilia Ferrante here.
“Marvelous and the Black Hole”
“‘Marvelous and the Black Hole,’ however, feels like real magic. The greatest strength Kate Tsang brings to her directorial debut is authenticity — but this is no illusion. Being an indie film made on a shoestring budget, ‘Marvelous and the Black Hole’ feels like a labor of love from everyone involved with the production.”
Read more from Kai Bartol here.
“Together Together”
“‘Together Together’ is not the typical rom-com, although it may have the setup of one: Anna (Patti Harrison, “Shrill”) agrees to be a surrogate for Matt (Ed Helms, “The Office”), a man who she’s never met before, in order to use the money to put herself through school. Although their relationship begins purely based around Lamp — the gender-neutral filler word they use to talk about the baby — their connection soon begins to grow as they bond over food, ‘Friends’ and loneliness. In this way, ‘Together Together’ presents a refreshing alternative to tired romantic tropes in a love story where the love is purely platonic.”
Read more from Kari Anderson here.
“Hive”
“‘Hive’ is a quiet sort of film. The color palette is a bit subdued, the camerawork relatively plain. There’s no novel set piece or showstopping, paroxysmal performance. But just beneath those muted trappings, there is a writhing, soul-biting pathos that is most often spun by true-life stories.”
Read more from Jacob Lusk here.
“Mayday”
“What follows is a dive into a whirlpool of hazy social commentary. While ‘Mayday’ has many strong elements, ranging from its intriguing premise to its breathtaking visuals, it is difficult to decipher what the film is really trying to say. With clear references to the myth of the siren, there are obvious themes of feminism, trauma and abuse, but instead of providing any in-depth exploration, each interaction feels surface level or too on-the-nose — one line being, ‘Girls are better off dead, because now we’re free.’ ”
Read more from Judith Lawrence here.
“The Blazing World”
“Most troubling of all is the oversimplicity of the narrative. In this way, the film feels like nothing more than a dragged-on short. We are never sure what is reality and what is dreamscape, so the ‘American Psycho’-like final revelation is not shocking or interesting. The beyond-cliché tale in which a timid girl gains confidence through a quest is poorly executed, as there is no gradual change. The timid girl remains timid and afraid, with just enough determination to endure the quest’s challenges, and confidence comes as a deluge with minutes remaining in the film. This is not a story of growth, even if it is set up to be.”
Read more from Ross London here.
“Land”
“The careful realism of the first act makes this feel like a bait and switch, where a complex character is unraveled because the plot needs her to get better. To make things worse, ‘Land’s’ climax is bafflingly stilted, with dialogue so abysmal it crosses into the realm of comedy.
“Even with the incredible talent involved, ‘Land’ is sabotaged by its screenplay. Its first act’s artful, restrained portrait of a woman losing herself is an unfortunate reminder of what could have been.”
Read more from Andrew Warrick here.
“Prisoners of the Ghostland”
“‘Prisoners of The Ghostland’ is an Eastern slash ’em up meets a Western shoot’ em up, with impeccable attention to mood. Cage takes the steeled-gunfighter archetype, made famous by Clint Eastwood and Kurt Russell, and ratchets it up to his usual level of insanity which, in Sono’s hands, ranges from the satirical to the Shakespearean. It’s saying a lot, too, when Cage isn’t the craziest part of a movie.”
Read more from Andrew Warrick here.
“We’re All Going to the World’s Fair”
“Schoenburn’s analysis of comforting delusions sparking real-world horrors through an extremely specific corner of the web invites topical, poignant conversation during a time when similar internet forums cultivated a coup against our nation’s capital. However, the film itself feels incomplete, never fully articulating the precedents and chief components of the aforementioned forums, which easily ostracizes the viewer. The time spent in long walks or long stares at webcams for a horror effect could be better allocated toward filling gaps in the creepypasta echo-chamber knowledge, which leaves more confusion than driving exploration into how delusion is cultivated.”
Read more from Samantha Cantie here.
“Pleasure”
“‘Pleasure’ is a potent social critique, rich with feminist theory and artful direction. Beyond themes of consent and the male gaze, the film even explores the racism inherent to the adult film industry to form a comprehensive, measured and accurate portrayal. An important entry into the canon, this is the new required viewing for any student of sociology or consumer of porn and should certainly be regarded as one of Sundance 2021’s most brilliant films.”
Read more from Ross London here.
“Life in a Day 2020”
“If this film makes anything clear, it is how profoundly common our experiences are. For this reason, I regard ‘Life in a Day 2020’ as the purest form of documentary filmmaking. It is little more than documentation, albeit masterfully woven into a provocative work of art, and yet it tells an encyclopedic story of humanity.”
Read more from Ross London here.
“The World to Come”
“Director Mona Fastvold (“The Sleepwalker”) has created a complete work of art. Drawing on the creative power of four precise performers, a skilled composer and thoughtful screenwriters, ‘The World to Come’ is an evocative and memorable addition to the LGBTQ+ film canon. Gracefully executed, the film is meant to be savored: perhaps in front of a crackling fire, so that one might imagine themselves too on a cold winter’s day in 1856.”
Read more from Ross London here.
“Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir”
“The film depicts an evolution of Tan’s complex relationship with her mother — how a troubled childhood filled with clashes later led to a period of reconciliation, buoyed by a renewed understanding of her mother’s trauma. From there, the documentary seamlessly transitions into Tan’s writing and into the complexities of her celebrity.”
Read more from Kari Anderson here.
Four Award-Winning Shorts
The Sundance Film Festival boasts a highly competitive short film category, which makes winning awards all the more impressive. Read Ross London’s review of four of these award-winning shorts here.