Sundance Film Festival

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Sundance Film Festival 2024 Summary

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Before taking this course and attending Sundance Film Festival 2024, I had a pretty loose idea of what the indie film genre was. My understanding of it was simply that it was a filmmaking process being done by independents who had little to no funding for their projects. However, after two weeks of studying the material and really diving into Michael Z. Newman’s Indie: An American Film Culture I came to the realization that my preconceived notions barely scratched the surface of what indie filmmaking was. The three slogans (when in doubt read as anti-hollywood, characters are emblems, and form is a game) really aided in my understanding of the genre and it was really interesting to watch all of these films at the festival and actively apply the slogans to the material. I can honestly say that I left Sundance with a completely new understanding of films and how to watch them in a way that is engaging and applicable to my own filmmaking skills. 

Below is a list of all of the films, including short films and new frontier projects, that I was able to watch at this year’s Sundance and a brief description of each.

Favorite Film: Exhibiting Forgiveness 

An extremely moving film about an artist grappling with the generational trauma that scarred him and his efforts in trying to be better for his own family. 

Least Favorite Film: Handling the Undead

A painfully slow film tackling the subject of grief in a world where the dead have resurrected. 

List of Feature Films

The Greatest Night in Pop: An electric documentary about the night in which the biggest stars of the time got together and recorded “We Are The World”, one of the most infamous works of music ever created.

A Different Man: A fascinating film about a man with facial disfigurements that undergoes reconstructive surgery which ultimately ends up changing the trajectory of his life. 

As We Speak: A documentary that explores the ongoing battle rappers across the world are facing while dealing with the criminalization of rap lyrics, specifically the drill music genre. 

Freaky Tales: A thrilling film that explores four separate stories that seemingly interlinked with each other. Jam Packed with an outstanding cast, the film manages to cover some pretty interesting themes while still keeping the energy exciting  and adventurous. 

Never Look Away: The best documentary shown at Sundance in my opinion, the film explores the story of photojournalist Maragaret Moth, an individual who was larger than life and took on some of the toughest challenges one could imagine. 

Kidnapping Inc: A quick paced, comedic thriller than follows two criminals who aren’t very good at their jobs and who are attempting to get themselves out of a life or death situation. 

Ponyboi: This film deals with an intersex sex worker who gets themselves caught in a troubling situation. As they attempt to find a way out, they are also confronted with their tricky home life and the pending death of their father. 

Love Me: An innovative and unique film that takes place after the end of humanity in which a buoy and a satellite fall in love. It explores themes of purpose and identity and it is executed in a beautiful manner. 

Little Death: A comical film that merges two stories into one, both of them exploring difficult situations that leave the characters helpless at times. Although entertaining, it was a bit of a mess at the time and the use of artificial intelligence took away from the plot. 

A New Kind of Wilderness: A touching documentary about a family having to adjust to society after a devastating tragedy occurs, tearing apart the reality they had always known. The way in which grief was represented and how the idea of moving on was brought up was so beautiful, truly one of the best things I saw at Sundance. 

Shorts Films Midnight Short Film Program

The Rainbow Bridge: A colorful and humorous short film about a pet owner making a spiritual connection with their dog before their death. The visual elements, although ridiculous at times, made the energy of the film so whimsical and fun. 

The Looming: A beautiful depiction of mental illness in old age. It had bits that absolutely terrified me but it was honestly so devastating as the ending unfolded. Definitely my favorite film in the block by far.

SHÉ (SNAKE): A short film that explores a young school girl suffering from imposter syndrome due to feeling threatened by the new girl’s presence. This wasn’t my favorite film from the block as I was left a bit confused, but the visual elements were quite compelling. 

 The Bleacher: A short film about missing socks, a cheating husband, murder, and a giant washing machine monster. This film was absolutely insane from start to finish and honestly a bit unsettling. I absolutely loved it. 

Bold Eagle: There is so much to say about this short film, yet nothing at all. It was an experimental piece that explored the subjects of porn and politics while managing to maintain the most chaotic ambiance imaginable. 

Dream Creep: This short film was so unique with its storyline, I had never seen a plot quite like that one. It’s one of those short films that really made me wish it was a full feature length film because of how intriguing it was. 

Indie Episodic

“LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA”: An electric two episodes that explore the punk scene of what eventually became one of the most popular music festivals in the world. Watching these was so much fun and the amount of archival footage was fascinating to see. 

New Frontier

Eno: An innovative and abstract documentary piece that explores the colorful life of Brian Eno and his creative strategies when it comes to music making. 

Talk

United Airlines, Uniting and Connecting Storytellers (Latino Filmmakers Network): This event was so much fun to attend. It felt great listening to all of the Latino filmmakers and their experience with being at Sundance. Not only was it beyond interesting, but it was wonderful to see people like me up on a stage and being successful in the filmmaking industry. 

With all that being said, being able to attend Sundance was honestly one of the greatest experiences I have ever had and I am beyond grateful that I was given the opportunity to go with some of my closest friends. Being in that environment was honestly a game changer and further motivated me to continue creating films and fully immerse myself in that world as I grow older and continue to learn more about the genre and skill of filmmaking. I hope to be back at Sundance in the near future!

-Manu Delgado

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Back in Florida, having had time to thaw out from our time in Utah, it is time to recollect on my 2024 Sundance experience. This was my second Sundance but it was my first time being able to go in person since the 2022 Sundance was virtual. While that was an unique experience with the virtual spaceship and karaoke, it was a much different experience being there in real life with face to face interactions with other festival attendees. In Michael Newland’s book Indie: An American Film Culture he says “The discourse of independent cinema moves through various institutional channels to form a set of common conceptual frames shared among filmmakers and support personnel, distributors and marketers, cultural gatekeepers such as film festival programmers, tastemakers including journalists and scholars, and many ordinary filmgoers. This makes a community of the different persons and groups for whom indie is a meaningful concept; they form this community around their investment in ideas of what indie is and is not.” I think this best describes how it feels to be at Sundance. Everyone there has either already seen what you have or is about to. This allows you to connect with different people in the lines with you or on the same shuttle. In my review of Sundance from 2022, I talked about how virtual screenings are here to say and that if Sundance couldn’t accept that, they would be left behind. I am glad to say that they heed my warnings because while they did promote in  person screenings by not having certain films be available, they still offered online screenings for many films and all of the shorts.

Justin’s Sundance Screenings:

Feature Films:

Freaky Tales

A Different Man

Kidnapping Inc.

I Saw the TV Glow

Ponyboi

Love Me

Little Death

A New Kind of Wilderness

As We Speak

Handling the Undead

The Greatest Night in Pop

Short Films:

Lea Tupu’anga / Mother Tongue

Merman

Pasture Prime

The Lost Season

Thirstygirl

Indie Episodic/New Frontier Projects:

Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza

Eno

Talks:

Mental Health in Film: Using Narrative Film to Impact Mental Health in Underserved Communities

Feature Films:

My favorite film from all of Sundance was Exhibiting Forgiveness which I saw online since I wasn’t able to get in person tickets. This film really impacted me in the way that it dealt with generational trauma in a black family which is a topic that I am very interested in exploring with my own films. My least favorite film from the festival was Handling the Undead because it seemed like it was supposed to be a horror film because it was about the undead but there was little to no action and it just felt so anticlimactic due to its slow pace. Another film that I watched was Freaky Tales which had a lot of traction due to its star-studded cast and I liked the way that the film seemed to take inspiration from Quentin Tarantino’s film Kill Bill despite not really liking the ways that they tried linking the stories together. A Different Man was interesting because it talked about type casting and exploitation but I felt that it failed to do what it was supposed to. Kidnapping Inc was one of my top five films that I saw at Sundance because while it did have many jokes and funny dialogue it didn’t take away from the real world problems of kidnappings in Haiti. I had high hopes for I Saw the The TV Glow since it was associated with the production company A24 but it let me down in the fact that it felt like it couldn’t choose between Thriller or Fantasy so it just felt sort of lackluster in both genres. Ponyboi was interesting in its focus on intersex people and Love Me intrigued me in the way that it used different mediums to get its message across but also in the story that I felt was similar to the Disney Pixar movie Wall-E. I felt that Little Death was unique in its own way in that it portrayed the characters and how they changed physically or emotionally based on what they were talking about or dealing with. A New Kind of Wilderness was a film that really pulled at my heartstrings in the way the story was told, the film was edited, and the shots were filmed making for a very emotional piece. As We Speak was my favorite documentary without a doubt due to its incorporation of narrative aspects in it that created for a really interesting and engaging story. The Greatest Night in Pop was a good documentary and I liked the backstory about a song that I grew up listening to but for me personally I didn’t like it because it didn’t really have any conflicts in it.

Short Films:

Mother Tongue was probably my most anticipated and I am glad to say that it did not disappoint me due to its great dialogue writing and story. Pasture Prime and Thirstygirl both had really interesting stories that I could enjoy but The Lost Season did not keep my attention at all and I am sad to admit that I fell asleep through it. Merman was in between for me because while I did think the subject was interesting I personally didn’t relate to it and I think that’s part of the reason why I didn’t like it as much as the others.

Episodic/New Frontier/ Talks:

Lolla was the only episodic that I watched and I felt so disconnected from it that I fell asleep during it (to be fair it was late at night) and we left before the second episode. Eno was really good and I found it interesting in how each showing of the film would be different due to the use of ai changing the editing of it everytime. The mental health talk that I attended was really insightful and helped me to curate my voice for my short films.

-Justin Hollis

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Festival Summary

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During the first two weeks of on campus classes I concluded that assigning a definition to the word “indie” relying on factors like funding, inclusion of larger companies (or the separation from these companies), and style, was often wishy washy. In some cases economic funding from a larger company would immediately exclude a film from being considered “indie”, while in other cases people would gladly assign it that wonderful title no matter who provided funding (it is so coveted to be considered indie, because if you’re indie you’re the good guy!) The same thing goes for stylistic choices. There is no specific formal element that will place a film in the category of “indie”.

One of the main viewing strategies provided by Michael Z. Newman in Indie: An American Film Culture is, if in doubt read as anti Hollywood. This resonates to some degree after seeing the films at Sundance. There are a few stand out films that subvert the idea of a traditional narrative film. A traditional film being an introduction, middle, climax, and conclusion. Eno (2024) for example, uses a program to put into sequence pre-existing edited material with the possibility for 51 quintillion different films. To my knowledge there has never been a film created with a similar assembling technique. It is the first of its kind to completely change the idea of film assembly, and considering the subject of the film, Brain Eno who believes artwork should be living, the methodology serves the film well. While there were many other films that also contend with the idea of narrative normalcy, the answer of whether they are “indie” or not will be contested by many. It becomes difficult to objectively decide what should be considered “indie” or not, and it generally relies upon the judgment of the individual.

In regards to an organization like Sundance, the idea of what they have cultivated as “indie” shows glimpses of its face. In particular, the reoccurring directors that come back year after year seem to be a staple of Sundance. Additionally, Sundance incorporates directors into labs ran by the institution itself to provide the necessary support to create the films they believe to be a good fit for their festival. These programs are not unique to Sundance as many major festivals, such as the New Orleans Film Festival, also provide supportive services to filmmakers they wish to provide a platform for. These supportive services only provide an insight into the concept of “indie” for very specific microcosms located throughout the country. Ultimately the concept of “indie” will change over time for each of these organizations. Their festival brand changes, so the films they show will change, resulting in a new concept of “indie” they are looking for.


List of Films

Feature Films:

  • The Greatest Night in Pop - An intimate look into one of the most recognizable pop songs in existence. Bob Dylan.
  • Freaky Tales - A very fun movie with a mix of different formal genre elements to keep things freaky.
  • A Different Man - I don’t get why he stabbed that guy, but sure I guess.
  • As We Speak - If you like rap music you should watch this. Incorporates interesting history and scientific studies that leaves you thinking.
  • Didi - It’s like Mid90s (2018) but its not! A very fun and emotional film that tackles identity and relationships.
  • Never Look Away - A very challenging film with a very difficult to understand main subject in Margaret Moth.
  • Kidnapping Inc. - Haitian urban odyssey that tracks two morons on their search for their own humanity.
  • A New Kind of Wilderness - I’m not crying, you’re crying.
  • Realm of Satan - Did she just…. did she just breastfeed that goat?
  • Ibelin - Sometimes those internet friends can be the best relationships in the world!

New Frontier / Indie Episodic :

  • Eno - The way this film is assembled fits perfectly for the its subject, Brian Eno.
  • LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA - Nine Inch Nails rules, and so does this show.

Shorts:

  • The Rainbow Bridge - Chaotic and funny in all regards!
  • SHE (SNAKE) - Utilizes and interesting mix of stop motion that makes the already disturbing film even more strange.
  • The Bleacher - What was that dolphin doing to the sock? Was he? No…. He wouldn’t…
  • Bold Eagle - The artistic value of this film became ever so clear to me once the dudes butthole said, “I love you.”
  • Dream Creep - A very interesting idea executed in one room. The meat thermometer doesn’t belong there!

Talks:

  • First Time Film Makers @ The Box - Very informative talk about the importance of trusting the people around you and incorporating your personal experiences (to some degree) into film!
  • (Forgot the title of the talk) @ The Macro Lounge - This was a talk with a bunch of people from Africa who were discussing the importance of social networks. The film industry isn’t as strong in Africa so a few choice people have begun to build it up together!


  • Ben Wilson
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To Wrap-Up Sundance: My Final Blog

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To tie this to the class textbook: Indie: An American Film Culture, I feel like I should go back to where it all started in the class which are the three slogans that make an indie film. The first being characters as emblems, the second being form is a game, and the third is, when in doubt, read as anti-hollywood. As I experienced all that Sundance has to offer. As I watched the movies I would think about these three slogans and wonder if these independent filmmakers were using those tactics. I came to the conclusion that all the films I watched fell right into the three slogans, as different categories. 

To wrap up my Sundance Film Festival I feel like I should state my favorites that I watched, starting with How To Have Sex. This movie touched on topics that I hold really close to my heart including, consent, sex, and female friendships. I saw this movie on the first day but truly thought about it every single day after watching it. I am so excited for my friends to watch it so we can talk about it because I feel like it reaches a wide audience and can relate to a lot of different people. Another one of my favorite films was Freaky Tales which featured Pedro Pascal, which piqued my interest in it in the first place. This film was so creative with flashes of green lighting and storylines that all connect in the end. I liked this film so much because it was easy to follow and then easy to connect the dots after watching the movie. I dislike when there are a bunch of complicated storylines but this film did not have me confused at all which really made me like it. I thought it was clever how the commercial from the end is in the beginning with all of the characters but we really don’t know until the end. The dots really connected for me and I thoroughly enjoyed this film and recommend it to anyone who has the chance. Another film that I got to see, which I think is worth mentioning, is A Different Man, which was an extremely interesting film that had me sitting in the theater in silence for a second after it ended. This film touches on the complexities of facial disfigurement and the world of being a small town actor. This film made me uncomfortable but in a good way because I was waiting to see how the film would play out and what the character would turn into. The characters were extremely interesting and I wanted to stay awake long enough to know how their character arch ends. The last two of my top five feature films were documentaries that we got to see. The first one being The Greatest Night In Pop, which is a documentary about the creation of the hit song “We Are the World,” which features so many amazing artists. I had known about this song before so being able to see where it all came from was such an enlightening experience. When I got home from Sundance my roommates and I were watching Netflix and the documentary advertisement came on, and I got so excited because I was able to talk about what I saw at the festival. I love music so I was a happy camper when I got to watch a whole documentary about an iconic song and how it impacted the industry. The last of my top five is the documentary about Margaret Moth called Never Look Away, which details a lot of significant events of a famous photo-journalist, Margaret Moth. Her courage and dedication to her profession was so inspirational and I found her strength admirable. This documentary had me feeling empowered and ready to conquer the future as my graduation rapidly approaches. 

Next I want to talk about the short films that I watched, which were all in the Midnight’s category. All six of the short films had a lot of spooky elements, and deeper meanings which were always fun to try and figure out with my peers after. My least favorite would probably be the short film titled Bold Eagle. This was my least favorite because the theme was really hard to pick up on, and I felt like the storyline could have been better developed. There were a lot of random scenes and shots of masturbation or kittens which really confused me. My favorite midnight short film was the one titled The Looming which was about an older man who begins to hear things in his house, but nobody believes him due to his age. This short film spoke on some agism that older people face as they age and I think it is important for these types of things to be brought to light. The Bleacher was an animated short film which was super creepy and made me feel uneasy at times. There was a musical element and a comedic element as well which made it easier to watch. SHÉ (SNAKE) gave me Whiplash vibes in the best way possible and I think the concept of competition is captured extremely well. Dream Creep was also amazing and I loved the concept. I talked about this short film a lot on the bus ride home because it was easy to put myself in the shoes of the main character. 

All in all, I loved this experience and being able to blog about movies and different moments from the trip. I really recommend this trip to anyone who loves independent film and wants a creative outlet like this to express themselves on. This experience changed my outlook on films (in the best way possible), and I look forward to continuing my journey through independent film. 

  • Samantha Levy
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Sundance Film Festival Summary


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Now that I am looking back on my time in Park City Utah at the Sundance Film Festival, I am able to get a better and fuller understanding of the independent film industry. I think the most telling part of the Sundance Film Festival and how it has evolved and changed throughout the years is seen in the slideshow of pictures from the very beginning of the Sundance Film Festival to the present day. This slideshow is shown at every Sundance showing as people are finding seats. One thing that I noticed being at Sundance and spending time at Slamdance is that it is easy to see which indie film festival has continued to stay more indie. When watching the slideshow you see the beginnings of Sundance and its indieness however as the years go on you start to see the influence of Hollywood and business seep into Sundance. When you experience sundance in person you can see that indie film is more than the economic and stylistic elements. The Indie Film Festival brings together so many people from different backgrounds but they are all connected. Everyone in the film industry has been at the indie stage whether or not they stayed in it or moved to bigger projects we all start with an idea and the determination to film it under any circumstance.

Spending time at Slamdance you could feel the difference between the two indie film festivals. At Slamdance, the directors and actors and everyone involved in independent film were a lot more open and available to talk. Slamdance offers the opportunity for truly independent filmmakers to present their work and have the opportunity to get funding. While Sundance had a more separated feel to it, you could feel the presence of Hollywood. There were more big-name actors and actresses at Sundance and it was easy to tell that the films being presented at Sundance had bigger budgets. I was able to meet a few directors while I was at Slamdance, but I did not have the opportunity to talk to any directors when at Sundance. 

All that being said Sundance was definitely an experience I am grateful for and one that I will never forget. I was able to learn a lot about different areas within the film industry. What Sundance lacks in truly indie films they make up for in talks and events for the public. I was able to go to a talk with Jesse Eisenberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor. They were being asked questions about each of their movies. Hearing each of their reasons for being a part of the films was a great part of the trip. Another great part of the trip was going to an event at Sundance. The event had a panel of casting directors and they were talking about their side of the industry. Having no previous information about casting directors it was a very informative experience. After the panel, there was a chance to mingle and network with everyone at the event. 

My favorite films that I saw while at Sundance were:

Ghostlight- This was a moving story of family loss and learning to grieve. It is a beautiful tale of a father understanding his son’s tragedy and in doing so becoming a better man.

The Greatest Night in Pop- This was a gripping telling of the night 40 of the most well-known musicians came together to sing a song that brought the whole world together.

Skywalkers: A Love Story- This story is a wonderful story of two people learning to fall in love through the most nerve-racking stunts. This is a quote from the showing “ Our fullest potential is on the other side of fear.”

Nocturnes- This is a stunning visual experience of the moths in the Himalayan mountains. I found myself getting lost in the best way while watching the film.

A New Kind of WIlderness- This was such a touching story of a family learning to navigate life without their mother. Their story brought me to tears, both of sadness and of deep family connection and bonds.

Never Look Away- It is a great film that inspires you to be strong and determined in life. The film was also a wonderful tribute to the woman who demanded the world would need to see the effects of war on the innocent. 

These are all of the films that I watched while in Park City Utah, including the films from above.

Slamdance:

African Giants

Darlah In Space

Shorts 

Burnt Milk

Lan’s Garden

European Man….American Beach

My Son Went Quiet

We Are All Dogs 

Deserters

Sundance:

The Greatest Night In Pop

A different Man 

Frida

Nocturns

Ghostlight

Skywalkers: A Love Story

A New Kind of WIlderness

Never Look Away

Shorts

Animated Shorts 

Documentary Shorts 

Shorts Winners

Episodic/ New Frontier

Eno 

Being

God Save Texas: Hometown Prison

I have greatly enjoyed the Film Festival experience, especially the Sundance and Slamdance vibe and atmosphere.

-Molly Raymo

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2024 Sundance Film Festival Summary

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Sundance, Slamdance, what-a-chance to see a lot of movies and have a lot of fun!

I now have an idea of the evolution of the film festival in Park City, Utah. After attending both Sundance and Slamdance for the first time, I have come away with a new appreciation for the effort and challenges faced in making a film. I also have a better understanding of Michael Z. Newman’s claim in his book, Indie: An American Film Culture, stating that indie films cannot simply be defined in economic, stylistic, or thematic terms but rather, needs to be understood culturally. In his book Newman identifies three strategies to use when viewing films: characters as emblems, form is a game, and when in doubt, read as anti-Hollywood. Throughout my time watching here at the festival, I tried to engage with these films using these strategies.

Talking to people who have lived in Park City their entire lives, I have come to realize that the Sundance Film Festival has changed significantly over the years into what it is today. First off, the film festival scene has not fully recovered from the effects of COVID. Secondly, the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strike also had an impact on the filmmakers, some of which were not able to meet the Sundance deadline. In the years prior to COVID it was difficult to walk down the street due to the crowds. This year the crowds were definitely larger but did not get back to pre-COVID levels.

Sundance has grown over its forty-year history. It is still bringing indie filmmakers together, but often in a larger way in multiple areas. Whether it be star power, budgets, scope of the film, or trying to get studio or distribution support, it is definitely larger than it was. Additionally, there are now major companies sponsoring Sundance, setting up large tents, buildings, and erecting facades on the storefronts in the Main Street area during the festival. These included Adobe, Acura, Audible, Canon, Chase Sapphire, DoorDash, Dropbox, Shutterstock, United Airlines, and United Talent Agency (UTA) as well as media publications such as IndieWire, Variety, and Vulture.

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Contrast this to Slamdance, which is held in three theaters right next to each other inside the same hotel. Having them close together along with lounges above provided convenient access for the production staff and created an atmosphere that makes it easier to speak and connect with the filmmakers. They were very willing to talk about the films, how they got there, lessons learned, and even to provide their contact information. Slamdance appears to be more like what Sundance started out as.

I also have a better understanding of some of the challenges that go into the business of independent filmmaking. The first is obtaining funding. Sources for funding include personal funding (like George Lucas who mortgaged his house to make Star Wars), state grants, crowdfunding, and major studio backing. The other challenges come from all directions. Planned and unplanned. Planned like trying to get the actors that you want to work with you such as the interviewees in The Greatest Night in Pop which was the “We Are the World” production. Unplanned challenges which can come from out of nowhere and are sometimes technical. For example, imagine losing part of the audio and having to later fill in the missing audio during editing and not having the actors available since they had already left. This happened to the filmmakers of Thirsty Girl.

Every film, regardless of size, will have its own goals. Some want to increase their funding to produce a larger project. Others want to make a political statement. Still, there are documentaries that may want to show the effort it takes to accomplish something like The Greatest Night in Pop or the film, Union.

When it comes to making indie films, Newman states, “It [independent cinema] is most centrally a cluster of interpretive strategies and expectations that are shared among filmmakers; their support personnel, including distributors and publicists; the staffers of independent cinema institutions such as film festivals; critics and other writers; and audiences. All of these different people are audiences who employ these [three viewing] strategies, and it is only because filmmakers are also film spectators that they are able to craft their works to elicit particular responses from the audience. Indie constitutes a film culture: it includes texts, institutions, and audiences. Indie audiences share viewing strategies for thinking about and engaging with the texts—they have in common knowledge and competence—which are products of indie community networks” (Newman 11).

While watching the films during the Sundance Film Festival I tried to analyze the films using Newman’s three strategies. For example, characters as emblems are used in Winner as the main character is symbolic of anyone that stands up for what they believe to be right but is in conflict with the law or society. Form is a game is another strategy of Newman’s that I saw used in the short film, Pasture Prime. This film transitions from a stalker to horror film with a twist at the very end as the snake slithers away. The third viewing strategy, when in doubt, read as anti-Hollywood, is identified as movies that do not have a happy or conclusive ending. Examples of this include Winner, where the hero goes to jail as well as the short film, The Lost Season, where people are indifferent to climate change. Anti-Hollywood movies also include films that leave you asking questions at the end. For example, in the instance of Winner, I am left wondering why there is such a difference in her punishment for crimes compared to others that were more serious. Also, in The Lost Season, I wonder if the next generations would care if they never got to experience winter. For short films, like Pasture Prime and The Lost Season, you have to wonder why they hit home for the director and how long they had this burning desire to make them. Newman’s three strategies are not mutually exclusive and often overlap as in Winner with the use of characters as emblems and when in doubt, read as anti-Hollywood.

As you can see, independent film is much more than inexperienced people with little money and unknown actors and directors producing a film. It encompasses films that are trying to send a message, provoke thought, think outside the box, or just be different.

Here is a list of the films I saw broken out between Sundance and Slamdance. My favorite film is Rob Peace, and my least favorite is I Saw The TV Glow.

Including both Sundance and Slamdance, I watched a total of 24 films (this is counting each short program as just one film).

Sundance:

Feature Films

A Different Man – Very well done. Psychologically the character in this film is crazed by the fact that he changed his appearance, but it did not make him who he wanted to be. This is because people preferred someone else that looked like he used to, begging the question, is personality or looks more important.

A Real Pain - Two cousins tour a concentration camp. They then have to rethink what they consider pain and suffering after seeing what the Holocaust victims experienced.

As We Speak - We have freedom of speech, however, the way our words are interpreted can be based on our skin color. This is a major problem when our words are used against us in court.

Freaky Tales - Based vaguely on real events, this movie intertwines the lives of four distinct groups in a very interesting and fun way. It reminds me of a live action anime, and I found myself engulfed in each story. The culmination was perfect.

How To Have Sex - An interesting take on consent and dealing with assault and the emotions that come along with it. Great cinematography and music selection. The director stated it was loosely based on personal experience.

Ibelin – A sad but heartwarming film about a boy who was born with muscular dystrophy and even though bound to a wheelchair he could still have friends online. It demonstrates that online communities should not be stigmatized and that you can find love, friendship, and be able to make a difference in others’ lives from across the globe.

I Saw The TV Glow – A strange film about a warped reality, where the TV show is the actual reality and not knowing you are trapped. It was very strange and confused me.

Krazy House – Krazy is a perfect title for this film, with it being a completely normal sitcom and then as the director says, “everything gets f****d up.” This film foreshadowed later events in the film very well. It is the only film I have ever heard people laugh when a dog dies. It is just so entertaining, and you are left thinking after the film is over, “what did I just watch?” It is so hard to explain this film, but I highly recommend seeing it.

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Little Death – This film asks questions about wholeness and drug addiction. It manages to tell the stories of two different characters over the course of one film while only following each story for half the film, which I found really cool, interesting, and very much enjoyed.

Presence – A creepy horror film about just that: a presence in someone’s home. It ends up saving someone’s life, but at what cost? I found this film intriguing as the camera is handheld the entire time from, I assume, the presences’ point of view. I really enjoyed this film, and it gave me chills.

Rob Peace – This was my favorite film. The acting was amazing. The storytelling was great. It was able to keep the audience engaged and take artistic liberties without losing the true story of the film.

Suncoast – This is about a girl, Doris, taking care of her brother who is dying of cancer while at the same trying to navigate the teenage years.

The Greatest Night In Pop - This film did a great job in capturing the stress that went into the making of the song, as well as how much was unknown going into that night. It showed the seriousness of the process, and the comedy that lightened the mood, which had the whole crowd laughing throughout the film. It was a heartwarming film that brought laughter and joy to the entire crowd.

Thelma – A heartwarming and humorous film based on Thelma, the grandmother of the director, Josh Margolin, who was scammed out of ten thousand dollars and her journey to get the money back while also asking questions about when to ask for help and is being on your own always best?

Union – A documentary about organizing the Amazon Labor Union in New York. You may have to offer new incentives to get people to listen to your pitch. Would you like pizza or weed?

War Game -A documentary about a simulation held to help prep the government if something like January 6th were to happen again. I got the opportunity to talk to the producer of the simulation after and it was very interesting.

Winner - I gave it five stars. I thought it was thought provoking on the difference between what is right and wrong in that situation. It must have been difficult having that inner conflict about what is morally right but illegal in the eyes of the law and trying to make the decision of what to do.

Shorts Films

Midnight Short Film Program (3 of 6 shorts watched)

Bold Eagle – This was about a man named Bold who is struggling during the pandemic. He talks to his cat and engages in online sex. I did not enjoy this film.
The Looming – This was a very interesting horror film about the elderly and their struggles with mental disorders and dementia.

Dream Creep – This was about a monster living in his partner’s ear, and while trying to help her, he accidentally sets the monster free and traps his partner.

Short Film Program 2 (3 of 7 shorts watched)

The Lost Season – This is a narrated view of an entire season, winter, disappearing due to climate change and no one really seems to care after it is gone.
Thirsty Girl – This was about one person’s battle with sex addiction while also trying to help her sister who is battling drug addiction.
Pasture Prime – This is about one person’s obsession with another and ends with an interesting twist.

New Frontier

Being (the Digital Griot) – This film uses artificial intelligence, dance, and poetry to speak about race and slavery.

Eno – A film based on the life of musician Brian Eno. It is unique because you can watch it repeatedly and have a different experience every time.

Slamdance:

Feature Films

Citizen Weiner - This feature is about the true story of someone running for City Council in New York and the trials and tribulations that come with running a campaign. They filmed the entire process to encourage other young people to get involved in politics and I think they did a great job. This movie had the whole audience laughing from start to finish, sometimes unable to believe that this really happened.

Shorts Films

Dumpster Archeology Short - This was about a man who dumpster dives for things for his house as well as mementos. He feels as though every item tells a story and he enjoys uncovering those stories after he finds the objects.

Slamdance Short Narrative 2 (3 of 6 shorts watched)

Hunter - This short was about role reversal if animals were to hunt humans and humans be the food. I thought it was very clever and the director also made it as a music video which I thought was very interesting.

Fettyland – This was filmed in Sarasota, Florida, not far from Eckerd College. It is based on the drug crisis in the Tampa area and in the USA in general. There are no “actors” so to speak in this film; everyone in it is basically doing things they would do in daily life as they are all in this drug life and live it every day.

Dissolution – This is a film about going through a divorce after so many years of marriage. I thought it was such a great description of what that is like. The filmmaker’s parents actually went through this, and he used them as the actors.

I can’t believe my time at the Sundance Film Festival is over. I really had a great time! I saw a lot of wonderful movies and throughout, I tried to implement what I had learned in class prior to heading out to Park City. I really hope to continue this journey in film and add to what I have learned so far.

I really hope to make it back to another Sundance Film Festival!!

Referenced Text link:

Newman, Michael Z. Indie: An American Film Culture. Columbia University Press, 2011.

  • Ryan McCormick
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Final Sundance/Slamdance Blog

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It is hard to believe that my time at Sundance (this year) is up.  What an incredibly exhilarating and eye-opening experience; I was not ready to leave.  Not only was I touched by the amazing films I watched, but I was also inspired by the sheer talent that was displayed, as well as the creative artists I had the pleasure to meet.

Prior to our arrival in Park City, Utah, the class had about two weeks of classes exploring what independent cinema is at its core.  Throughout our class discussions, as well as analysis of Michael Z. Newman’s text Indie: An American Film Culture, I was able to identify what makes independent cinema independent cinema.  Newman states that independent cinema “appeals as realism, understood as character-focused storytelling set in recognizable, familiar locales, within the context of indie culture.” (Newman 96-97).  In addition to his definition, I learned that the key elements include on-location filming, limited budgets, unconventional distribution methods, and innovative storytelling techniques.  He claims that independent cinema must be understood culturally, and while I understood this claim to some extent before the festival, after hands-on experience, I could not agree more.  To me, independent cinema serves as an artistic means to capture the essence of humanity; this essence does not only exist or come through economic, stylistic, or thematic terms; it is understood through a cultural lens.

Attending the festival in person also illuminated Newman’s points about the business behind film festivals.  The whole festival is jam-packed with networking events and opportunities to grow yourself and your talent, as well as share your art in hopes of reaching the next step.  It was such an incredible space to be as a young aspiring filmmaker because of all of the like-minded people around that had expertise in different areas of the entertainment industry. 

Below is my film watchlist from Sundance and Slamdance (Favorite to Least Favorite) 

Feature Length

#1: A New Kind of Wilderness (My Favorite Feature)

Everything from the relationships captured, the beautiful scenery and nature, the mother’s narration and paired artwork, as well as the raw emotion portrayed in this film, was beautiful.  I have always been a fan of documentaries because I love how they are able to so naturally observe people in their natural habitat without judgement.  This film was so unique because it was broken up into little segments that each focused on getting to hear from a different member of the family; it created a very strong relationship with the viewers and each of the characters. 

#2: A Real Pain

Jesse Eisenburg’s film was the first one that I watched online because all of the in-person screenings I would have been able to attend were sold out.  I loved the characters in this film and thought the script was so natural and true to humans.  Of course, being filmed on location and capturing such an emotional space evoked a reaction from me just as it did for the characters, 

#3: My Old Ass

I loved this film about growing pains and coming of age because I was able to relate and understand where the protagonist was coming from.  The dynamics between characters were developed extremely well and the complexities that come with growing into oneself while growing out of an old version of you was beautiful. 

#4: As We Speak

This film was about rap music and the criminalization of rap lyrics and culture.  Going into the film, I had no expectations as I have never been much of a rap fan, but throughout the film I gained so much respect for the art and the culture that it surrounds.  I also loved how the director educated the audience with statistics and real-life situations.  I think the Q&A segment that followed this film was the most impactful.  

#5: How to Have Sex

I really loved this film because it revealed the fine line that comes with consent, a topic not often approached in filmmaking.  It was honest, beautifully cinematic, and unique.   

#6: Will and Harper

This story was so beautiful to watch.  It was a story of friendship and understanding; I love how the cinematography followed the friendship between Will and Harper and how their relationship evolved throughout the film based on their experiences on the road.  

#7: Hit Man

Although this film seemed a lot more mainstream and Hollywood than the other films I watched at the festival, it was a clever take on a murder mystery and a modern-day love story.  I was engaged teh whole time and was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. 

#8: The Greatest Night in Pop

#9: African Giants

A common throughline for most of the films I watched at both the Slamdance and Sundance festivals was relationships within families, especially brothers.  There was so much emotion packed into this film, and I think that the direction that allowed the politics and societal conflicts to mesh with the family dynamic was beautifully done. 

#10: Sebastian

#11: Good One

This film was beautifully written, and I loved the use of silence as a driving force.  The acting was incredible, and the protagonist really captured the subtle discomfort that comes with growing up.  This film is low on my list because I think that it could have made for a much more impactful short film than a full-length feature.

#12 Little Death 

#13: Stress Positions (My Least Favorite)

This film was definitely creative and detail-oriented however, it was almost too much to watch.  The characters were so interesting to analyze, and there were moments of incredible humor as well, but it felt as if the abstract ideas of the film were forced; it felt a bit unnatural. 

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Narrative Shorts Block 1

#14: Deserter (My Favorite Short)

This short film was about an elderly woman struggling with a bad case of either dementia or Alzheimer’s.  The film happens mainly in the car on the way to the senior center, where the daughter is dropping the mom off to get help.  It was very raw and emotional; I loved how intimate the camera was able to get with both of the actresses.  

#15: My Son Went Quiet

This short film was about a grieving family after the loss of their mother.  The father narrates it as he struggles with how to navigate the new emptiness, as well as how he perceives his son and the unhealthy mechanisms both use to try and deal with the loss. 

#16: European Man… American Beach

Although this film was created with comedy at the forefront of the director, it was an interesting and entertaining depiction of American life and how American culture has made us afraid of the human body, like we are repulsed by the natural. 

#17: We Are All Dogs

This short film was really funny, and although it didn’t have a super clear beginning as to where it might go, it became clear at the end that it was a comment on society and how, at the end of the day, we are all “dogs” and should treat each other as equals with respect. 

#18: Lan’s Garden

#19: Burnt Milk

I would have loved to have talked with the director about this film so I could understand it better; I think it went over my head.  Visually, this film was exciting to watch, and the use of a voice-over poem opening and closing was powerful; I wish I had more time to analyze the meaning. 

Episodic Pilot Showcase

#20: La Mesias 

This pilot was so interesting to watch as it weaved together several different genres and ideas while keeping the tense family dynamic thread throughout.  It utilized flashbacks to give background to the characters and their situation while ending on an odd note that left the audience craving the next episode.  

#21: Penelope

I think this pilot was very sweet and, similar to a lot of the films I watched throughout the week, captured growing pains in a unique and relatable way.  I would be interested to see further episodes and how the protagonist grows further in the season, as the pilot was a bit slow-paced. 

#22: Me/We

Talks

Cinema Café: Jesse Eisenberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor

This talk was so interesting not only because the films that both directors created were so deep and incredible but also because they were both very passionate about their projects and knowledgeable about this topic of conversation.  I loved how each of them spoke about the process that came with both directing their films as well as starring in them and how they had to work past their directorial instincts to really get to the heart of the scene and the character. 

Cinema Café: André Holland & Steven Soderbergh

The Impact of Casting Panel

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Until next time. Sundance, thank you for everything you taught me.

-Alexis Lariviere

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Stefanie’s Experience at Sundance 2024

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Being able to finally attend Sundance in person, I have to say it was a much better experience than attending it all online. Don’t get me wrong, having it online was extremely convenient, but seeing all the films in person is much much cooler. You get to connect with other people face to face and even see actors and directors from different parts of the world. Going into this, I already had a good understanding of what independent films were and are. I have to say, hearing all the directors speak about their films either before or after, has made me understand independent filmmaking a lot better. Being in person, you get to interact with more people and see why each person is at Sundance. Independent film is defined much more than economic, stylistic or thematic terms, but it also brings up questions and ideas that might otherwise be controversial. These films also bring up lots of topics that are not discussed as much as they should be. One example comes from The Mother of All Lies. This film mainly focuses on one grandma who won’t allow pictures inside the house and will not let anyone know why. This film takes place in Morocco where it is considered taboo to talk about the past as people do not want to relieve the pain, but the only way to escape the pain is to talk about it. These films also help a wider audience understand a culture that is different from our own. A good example is the film DiDi. DiDi is a coming of age film about a young Taiwanese-American boy growing up in the US. For many, this is a very different perspective of life in America and it helps us understand people’s backgrounds better. Film festivals are also a place for anyone with any sort of interest in film. Some people are aspiring directors, producers, critics, and other people are just film lovers looking for entertainment. I didn’t realize how much of a big deal film festivals are and how many big name sponsors or celebrities show up. With these sponsors at film festivals, there is a greater chance that a film can be picked up by one. Which is all a part of the business. You make a film to tell a story and to get that story to wider audiences, you have to get it bought. Being a filmmaker and getting your films into festivals is a lot harder than I thought, but since going to Sundance, I am very inspired to try on my own. Especially from hearing other directors stories on how they got into film and how long it took them to get into Sundance. 

Now I saw a LOT of films at Sundance and it is very hard to choose a favorite, but my favorite has to be It’s What’s Inside directed by Greg Jardin. It was a great, suspenseful and twisting film. It’s like Freaky Friday meets Guess Who. It has also been acquired by Netflix and I strongly recommend checking it out once it is streaming. I promise you will be hanging onto the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. My least favorite film has to be Being (the digital griot). It was an animated AI who spoke a poem for close to an hour while dancing. Not only was it very weird, but it also had ambient music playing behind it with calming images to go with it. It almost made me fall asleep. At the end of it’s speech, it asked us to consider how we are oppressed due to the patriarchy and things. I wasn’t really in the mood to be in another one of my Imagine Justice classes, but I went along anyway. At the end, it asked us to come up and share our answers with it. Many people stood up and spilled their feelings. The AI responded with what seemed like a cut and paste response and didn’t actually acknowledge the peoples feelings or concerns. The showing I also went to sparked a walkout, which you can read here. Overall, it was not what I was expecting and I thought the audience was going to be able to ask it questions, so I was a bit thrown off. All in all, I saw a BUNCH of amazing films and the full list is below. I only went to one talk and it was Pushing the Boundaries of Storytelling for a Future that Demands Impact.

Here is a complete list of films I saw at Sundance in order from first watched to last:

  1. How to Have Sex
  2. Love Machina
  3. The Greatest Night in Pop
  4. 10 Lives
  5. Stress Positions
  6. Presence
  7. A Different Man
  8. Malu
  9. Episodic Pilot Showcase
  • Penelope
  • Me/We
  • Las Mesias
  1. A Violent Nature
  2. Being (the digital griot)
  3. DiDi
  4. The Mother Of All Lies
  5. It’s What’s Inside
  6. Sasquatch Sunset
  7. A New Kind of Wilderness
  8. Eternal You
  9. Ibelin
  10. Handling the Undead
  11. Layla
  12. Porcelain War
  13. Desire Lines
  14. Animated Shorts
  • Drago
  • Matta and Matto
  • Martyr’s Guidebook
  • Dona Beatriz Nsimba Vita
  • Baigal Nuur - Lake Baikal
  • Larry
  • 27
  1. Documentary Shorts
  • To Be Invisible
  • WInding Path
  • Object 817
  • The Smallest Power
  • 14 Paintings
  1. Award Winner Shorts
  • Pisko the Crab Child is in Love
  • Bug Diner
  • The Looming
  • Bob’s Funeral
  • The Stag
  • Say Hi After You Die
  • The Masterpiece
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Festival Summary

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Hey everyone! I just want to say thank you for tuning into my blog posts over the past month. This is unfortunately my last post about the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Before going into detail about what I learned during this trip, I want to share with you all of the films I went to see:

Eno (Premiere)

The Greatest Night in Pop

  • Nearly made me cry hearing the iconic voices of the artists that worked on “We are the World.”

Freaky Tales

  • Tied for the best film I saw. I loved how four different stories all became intertwined at the end of the movie.

A Different Man

  • Was an odd film, however, I enjoyed it a lot. The film would trigger several different emotional responses from the audience.

Krazy House

  • This is easily my second favorite film of the festival. It is so serious yet unserious at the same time. I almost cried from laughing so hard.

Being (The Digital Griot)

  • It was interesting to engage with other people as an AI robot led our discussion. People felt like they were being listened to, and I find that to be significant.

Eno (again)

  • I still absolutely loved my second time seeing Eno. This film was a lot more funny than when I saw the premiere.

I Saw the TV Glow

  • Although odd, I found the film to be very aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. 

Short Film Program 2

  • Mother Tongue
  • Merman
  • Pasture Prime
  • The Lost Season
  • Thirstygirl
  • The Masterpiece

I found these films to be funny and beautiful with different animation styles, and shots to convey tense situations for actors, actresses, and narrators to portray in the films.

As We Speak

  • This is also tied for the best film I watched at the festival. As a rap beat producer, I can relate to this film to an extent because I participate in the craft that is currently being used against its artists by prosecutors and police.

Talks:

  • Mental Health in Film
  • We engaged in a lot of deep conversations which helped me become comfortable with my peers.
  • Latino Filmmakers 
  • I was able to attend a networking event with Latino Filmmakers at Sundance. I was able to meet a lot of very nice and welcoming people who were eager to share their experiences in the film industry.

After attending the festival, I have learned first hand that our textbook author’s claim regarding how indie film cannot be defined simply in economic, stylistic or thematic terms, is accurate, especially when the author says that indie film needs to be understood culturally. When attending Sundance, the films I watched were anything but similar to Hollywood films. Films like As We Speak focused a lot on issues that mainly impacted the Hip-Hop/Rap community and systemic issues that would unfairly convict black artists using their own lyrics as evidence in court. Other films like Freaky Tales focused on a different form of storytelling where the entire story unfolded after the first three sections of the film. Other films are completely experimenting with different types of form. Eno for example utilizes an AI software developed by the creators of the film to jumble tons of archival footage taken of Brian Eno. In fact there is still a ton of footage that still has not been seen by the general public despite the film being screened several times at Sundance.

However, what I learned to be most important after visiting the Sundance Film Festival is networking. There are hundreds, even thousands, of people who pursue or are interested in something related to film, which was extremely helpful for a film student like myself. I was super stressed about not knowing my path for this upcoming summer and what I would be doing with my time. I am extremely grateful to say that I was able to collect the contact information of multiple people already in the film industry and others who are close with people in the film industry. With that being said, I also want to say how important it is to talk to people. When in Sundance, you have several opportunities to talk to people. It all starts with a simple compliment or an introduction of yourself. You never know who you could be sitting next to on the bus or in the theater. Although it is possible to experience Sundance without talking to people, it defeats the purpose of the festival as it is a place to discuss film and find people to collaborate with. So if any of you decide to attend Sundance, take advantage of all the different mixers or other discussion events. 

Once again, thank you all for reading. I hope my blog posts and advice have given you some inspiration to check out some of these films or maybe even consider attending the festival. Sundance was truly a unique environment that gave me experiences that I am extremely thankful for.

Until next time,

-Jackson Willhoit

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‘Kidnapping Inc.’ Review: Turning the Vile into the Loveable

Kidnapping Inc. (2024) follows the story of Doc (Jasmuel Andri) and Zoe (Rolapthon Mercure) as they must recover their victim after a botched kidnapping attempt. It is vitally important for them to recapture their escaped captive due to their expendable nature in the eyes of their boss. Unfortunately, these two criminals are some of the most incompetent criminals in cinema. They are comparable to Harry and Marv from Home Alone. Fortunately for the audience, this incompetency allows for some very entertaining situations to laugh at. Generally these situations involve some sort of problem being introduced into an unsuspecting bystanders life, which of course is not funny, but the performances and dialogue create a sense of amusement in an otherwise unfortunate event.

Formally, the film stands out. This is especially true during the labyrinth like urban chase scenes. The cinematography during these scenes gives off a very chaotic and tense feeling that fits perfectly for the events playing out on scene. The sections of tension are broken up by brief comedic moments that I felt were placed at perfect moments. They were not overbearing, rather they were placed in a manner similar to a stand up comedians punch line that snuck up on the crowd and left them howling. The performances from the lead characters and the supporting cast also immerses audiences into the situation unfolding on screen quite well. There is a mixture of drama, comedy, heartfelt moments, mundaneness. The range of emotions the actors provide fits each type of scene in a rather convincing manner.

Humanity is one of the main character arcs for out dastardly duo. They begin the film with no regard for those around them, exemplified through their violent impulses as well as their manipulation and narcissistic use of others. These deviancies begin to fade upon the birth of a strangers child (I recommend watching the film to gain a full understanding of the situation as the build up to this moment is very entertaining) as well as the realization that one of our criminals will soon be a father. These moments start to dissolve the sense of contempt towards these criminals as it becomes clear that they appreciate human life, and even have an obligation to protect it. While they do not become perfect people as they still manipulate others for their own gain, the audience is able to connect with them at a deeper level as the film progresses.

The production of this film has an interesting story behind it. During the screening I attended the editor of the film came up to introduce the film. He was proud that this film was one of the only films produced in Haiti (to his knowledge and as far as I know he is correct). It was also mentioned that the film took over 10 years to create which I admire as there is a clear dedication from the people who created this film. He also shared that crew members on the film had actually been kidnapped during production and were held up for ransom. Even at that point, when it seems like a good time to close up shop, they persisted in the creation of the film just in time for the 2024 Sundance submissions.

Ben Wilson

#4 The Last Two Days of Sundance

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My last days of sundance have been a great culmination of my time in Park City. At the very beginning of the course when we were all still in St Petersburg Florida a comment about the festival stuck with me. The comment was that there are many films that are at Sundance and there a lot of them are probably not good and should not be seen. I was worried that one of the films I picked would be that, a film that is unfortunately just not good. Thankfully the films I picked to screen were good and I enjoyed the majority of them. The only film that I was not a huge fan of was Being (a Digital Grito). The experience felt very targeted and I was not the one they were trying to target. The pacing of the experience felt jumbled and off. I think I would have felt differently toward the expressive poem portion if they had switched the discussion and background of the AI part to the beginning and then the AI could have done the poem wrapping up the experience. Despite some aspects of the experience, I think it is an interesting experimental/interactive film. 

After seeing Being in the morning I saw the documentary on Frida Kalo. It was an extremely visually appealing showing. They had taken writings from her diaries and animated them into text and had a voice-over reading them. This documentary brought to light so many aspects of her life that I had never known about. Watching the film, it opened my eyes to a newer and deeper understanding of her paintings. She pushed through the struggles and heartaches in her life and channeled it into her artwork. I enjoyed this style of documentary, I feel like it fits the creative style of Frida Kalo.

After I saw Frida I saw another documentary film later that night. This documentary was more like mainstream documentaries. This film was named God Save Texas: HomeTown Prison, it is an episodic meaning that it is one film in a series. This series in particular consisted of three episodes about different societal issues in different parts of Texas. The episode that I saw was the first in the series and focused on the prison system in the director’s hometown, it specifically talked about the death penalty and how it has affected the members of the town and those who work in the prison system. Even though I am not from Texas I did grow up down the road from a prison. I found the documentary informative in telling the wilder audience the real effect that the death penalty has on a community. 

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On the last day I had films I started with Never Look Away, a documentary on the life of the photojournalist Margaret Moth. This was such an inspirational story of her life and a beautiful tale of perseverance and stubborn strength. I had never heard of Margaret before and did not know how incredible she was as a camerawoman. Her story definitely needed to be told and this was a beautifully raw look into her character told by the people closest to her, she was simply unapologetic, and because of that the world was able to see the devastations of war and its effects on the innocent. On the other side of a beautiful story showing the strength and vulnerability of two people, is Skywalkers: A Love Story. This was not just a visually stunning documentary about two people with a passion for scaling tall buildings, it is also a story of a young woman learning to trust and learning to fall in love. The film follows Angela Nikolau and Vanya Kuznetsov through their journey separate and together in their career of skywalking. We watch as they gear up to scale the world’s tallest and last skyscraper. It is so easy to become invested in both of their incredible stories that in one inspirational moment of triumph the entire theater applauded for Angela and Vanya. I was in awe of the unconventional beauty displayed within these two films, they were both so inspiring.

-Molly Raymo

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Final Sundance Blog

Sadly, my time at Sundance has come to an end as all good things do. Looking back on this amazing experience I am grateful for the opportunity I had to be a part of it. Going into this festival after learning about independent films and the business of it, compared to Hollywood, I was able to engage more seriously with each movie I watched. Using the ideas from Michael Z. Newman’s book  Indie: An American Film Culture, that indie film cannot be defined simply in economic, stylistic or thematic terms, and needs to be understood culturally, I examined each movie I watched in these ways too. Often I thought to myself, “this is 2024, this is what movies are like now from the typical filmmaker, the styles and themes portrayed are all about our modern culture.” All of these filmmakers exist at the same time as we do, this is stamping history, such as how movies in the 1940s did. The films portraying lots of gay sex such as “Bold Eagle” and “Sebastian”, marks our time in history today, as well as movies regarding the complexies of modern female friendship and pressures of parties like in “How to have Sex”. Overall I watched 17 movies, including each short block as one movie. I still have 5 more to go from my online list from the festival. 

List of films: 

How to Have Sex -1/18 Life of the party girl doesn’t get into school with her two friends and gets raped twice by the same guy, nobody notices and instead encourage sex. The guys friend does notice but says nothing except that they’ve been friends for life. 

Slamdance Shorts-1/19: Naked Man American Beach- exactly what it sounds like, We Are All Dogs-Grandson and Grandma need to find a new place to stay and their dog is allowed no where, then they become dogs too, My Son Went Quite-A husband loses his wife, a son loses his mother and they both need help coping, then father dies and son goes through it again, Desserter- based on real events of people leaving their elderly on the side of the road or in the woods around christmas time and showed a daughter doing this to her sick mother, the dialogue and writing was really good. 

African Giants (Slamdance)- 1/19 Two brothers, family from Africa, one supposed to be becoming a lawyer, the other is an Actor in LA, hang and deal with family drama. 

Greatest Night in Pop- 1/19 A documentary led mostly by Lionyal Richie about the creation of the song, “We are the World” -1986. The film is really good and captures the times well.

Krazy House -1/20 A dark comedy ironically sitcom live audience style type movie explores the ideas of Jesus Christ on Easter when held hostage by a Russian Family

Mother of Lies-1/22 A documentary about a massacre in Morocco in 2014 during a protest, and about how her mother hates pictures

Sebastian-1/22 A 25 year old gay writer in London writes a novel in third person about his hookup experience with older men which he does as a side hustle or maybe because he enjoys it. He catches feelings for one of them, he also is into literature and supports his writing. All goes wrong when he continues seeing other guys after this, until he confesses and becomes this character he tried to hide. 

Midnight Short Block-1/22: (Can’t remember most of their names only what about) Bold Eagle, Bold Eagle is a 20 minutes video of a naked man pretending to be a cat and jerking off on camera. Sometimes his butthole speaks. 

Will and Harper-1/23 A film about lifelong friendship after Will’s friend Andrew becomes Harper at the age of 61. They go on a cross country road trip and revisit their memoires going to bars, making new ones along the way.

War Game-1/23 A film where US government officials role play a scenario worse than Jan. 6 2021. The question was would the acting president enforce the Insurrection Act and use the federal military against its own American people or not. 

Eno (New Frontier Project)-1/23 A never before seen documentary style film about the life and career of Brain Eno, a music producer for the “Talking Heads”, and many many more. He also makes music of his own. 

I Saw The Tv Glow-1/23 This complex story shows the interactions of two people who in reality are other people from another reality and are supposed to go back to finish the fight against the monster. He can never convince himself it is real no matter how much passes or evidence he sees. 

Never Look Away-1/24 This documentary is about Margaret Moth and her crazy life. She filmed war and was fearless in her pursuit to show the stories that needed to be seen.  

As We Speak-1/24 This documentary was about the usage of rap lyrics in the justice system and how they can be used to prosecute people of crimes even with insufficient evidence. 

Kidnapping -1/24 This Haitian film is about the kidnapping of a presidential candiates son but it was an inside job in order for him to gain more support. In the kidnappers’ clumsiness, they believe they accidentally killed his son and tried to find a replacement, he was not dead the first time but did end up dying.   

Stress Positions-1/25 This film is about a 20 year old male model from Morocco staying with his gay uncle and surrounded by queerness. His mother did not approve of people like this and he is learning, a lot of them are pigs, but his uncle means well. 

Little Death-1/25 This film’s main theme is being a victim of the pharmaceutical companies and begins following the story of Martin. A depressed, pill dependent, egotistical, director who is quickly falling out of love with his wife and gets the offer to direct his film he wrote based on his life only his main character based on him must now be female. Then he dies and the film switches its following to the getaway drivers of robbers who then rob the drivers. They are much younger and show addiction and dependency problems from a new perspective, equally as relatable.   

One talk I attended was at the impact lounge on 1/19. Åt this talk there were three casting directors, and two managers I think who were all speaking about the changing industry, especially for actors. They spoke about the importance of self-taping and having a reader and tips for such things. Afterwards there was ample time given for everyone to hang out and talk to each other for networking purposes since everyone in the room did something in the same industry. It was a fun time and I met some interesting people that could potentially help me in someway. 

My favorite film I watched was Krazy House and my least favorite was Bold Eagle

What a great time it was at Sundance !


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-Evan Nobles 

Sundance

As We Speak

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After watching a narrative short film block at the Redstone Cinema, I had an approximate four hour block until I got to see the film I was looking forward to most on this entire trip. After some well deserved rest, I was able to walk from the hotel back to Redstone to see As We Speak by J.M. Harper. After seeing several headlines regarding Bobby Schmurda and Young Thug, both extremely prominent rappers, I was immediately interested in the topic. 

I am an avid listener of rap music, in fact so much so, I decided to become a producer of rap music about 5 years ago. There is always something that keeps me hooked on rap, either it is the flow, or the beat of the song. Given that I am a massive bass junkie, it is most likely the beat of rap songs that keep me immersed in the genre.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, “there probably isn’t a timelier Sundance premiere right now than As We Speak, an eye-opening documentary delving into the use, and misuse, of rap lyrics in criminal trials” (Jordan Mintzer). As We Speak covers an extremely important and surprisingly prevalent occurrence where prosecutors and police officers use rappers’ lyrics as evidence against them in the court of law. The film follows Bronx rapper Kemba through different areas where different types of rap have become popular. Such places listed were the Bronx, Atlanta, Chicago, and even London, which made a more recent entrance into the drill rap scene. Something super interesting the film demonstrated was the comparison of the reaction to lyrics of rap and other songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” where Freddie Mercury sings, “Mama just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he’s dead,” and Johnny Cash’s “Folsom prison Blues” where he sings, “I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.” This was very mind opening because the vast majority of people who are not familiar to rap think of it being extremely violent and cruel, however, do not tend to react the same way when older white artists depict similar messages in their music. Another part I found extremely interesting was the inclusion of AXL Beats, an extremely successful drill rap producer that has several billboard hits…at the age of 19 while the film was being shot. As a rap producer myself, I found it really interesting that they included a producer in a movie where they talk about the weaponization of lyrics. It is almost like this issue goes beyond the lyrics and affects those who make beats and melodies to songs that are being rapped on.

This is tied with Freaky Tales as my favorite film of the festival. It was something that I heavily relate to on a production level because of how often I work with artists, specifically rappers, who are just trying to express themselves through the art of music. This is a film that everyone must see, no matter who you are or what music you listen to. It is important to learn about the systemic inequalities that surround rap music and the corrupt methods that prosecutors and police use to use lyrics, someone’s own creative expression, to restrict rappers’ freedom of speech and expression.

Thank you for reading once again. Please go see this film as soon as you can. It was recently bought by Paramount so it will be available to stream in the near future.

-Jackson Willhoit

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The Final Days at Sundance

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I cannot believe tomorrow is the last day that I will be in Utah for Sundance; it has been such an incredible experience, one I hope to make a tradition (and hopefully be a part of next year)!  All that aside, the past two days have been quite eventful ones, since my last post, I saw Hit Man, the three episodic pilot showcases, My Old Ass, and As We Speak, and I am going to see Stress Positions tomorrow to close it all out.

Of the six films that I saw on the seventh and eighth day, I was most moved by As We Speak.  I am shocked by this reaction because I am by no means a rap music fan so I didn’t have much expectation that I would enjoy the film to be quite frank.  Not only did I learn a lot of information about the world or rap and the unjust justice system while watching this film, but I also felt inspired and compelled to research more about the topic listen, like really listen, to rap music to hear the message behind the words.

The question and answer section at the end of the film with the director and the producer was very powerful as the director, J.M. Harper explained why the film, despite it being a documentary, was presented like a feature film.  He said that, like rap, the film’s form is “beatifully complicated.”  As a documentary that highlights rap music and the world within that genre of music, he chose to make the film form and style follow the fluidity of a song while moving in between film styles and boundaries, just like rap. 

One of the elements I found most compelling in As We Speak was the incorporation of history as a tool for education throughout the film.  The director spoke about his decision to use Shakespeare, who essentially did the same thing that rap does today; speak up about the truth and share the art with the world.  He explained, after the film concluded, that this decision was to call attention to the fact that artists have been doing this for a long time; it is not a unique issue, the only unique aspect is how society and government officials treat it. 

My Old Ass, is another film that has jumped to the top of my list.  Not only was this film touching in terms of its presentation of a family dynamic and the ebbs and flows that occur throughout this relationship, but it was also very honest about the pain and confusion of growing up.  I found moments in this film that I could relate to, and it made for a bit of an emotional screening.  You could tell that the energy on set was positive and welcoming because the acting was natural.  It seemed like a positive environment that invited collaboration from the cast members, and that energy came across through the screen to the audience; we could feel the joy and the ups and downs as we were watching.   

-Alexis Lariviere

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My 2024 Sundance Film Festival Experience

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I can’t believe we are at the end of our time here at the Sundance Film Festival. It has been such a great ride! Here are some things I experienced along the way.

First, it is important to note that there is so much to do at Sundance and as hard as you may try, you just can’t get everything in that you might want to experience. You just have to come to terms with that pretty quickly, making some difficult choices and fast.

We started off with the film, How To Have Sex, which was an interesting take on consent and dealing with assault and the emotions that come along with it. The film included great cinematography and music selections. Afterwards, in the Q&A, the director said it was loosely based on situations that happened to her and her friends when they were younger. Later during the festival, I saw the short film Thirsty Girl which was also based on the experience of its director. Personal experience is evidently a big contributor to many of these films.

Talks are another great experience and there are many opportunities to attend them. The first one I went to was “The Importance of Casting Directors” which was held at the Impact Lounge. There were three casting directors on the panel. This talk was very interesting, and I learned that casting directors are the only female dominated job in film. The panelists stated that to do this job well, you need to be really good at reading people. They then explained the process of looking at actors and how it has pivoted more online. This has made it possible to see more actors from many places they normally would not have access to if they had been only doing in person casting in say LA or NYC. Afterwards, I met an editor whose wife is a casting director for Hit Man which premiered at Sundance and was bought by Netflix for twenty million dollars. She is also one of the casting directors on this three-person panel. He gave me his email so that I could connect with him at a later date which was very exciting because after listening to this panel, I found that I might be interested in becoming a casting director.

Not only did I see Sundance films, but I also saw many Slamdance films, both short and feature films. One such film was Citizen Weiner. This is a feature film and is about the true story of someone running for City Council in New York and the trials and tribulations that come with running a campaign. They filmed the entire process to encourage other young people to get involved in politics. I think they did a great job. This movie had the whole audience laughing from start to finish, sometimes unable to believe that this really happened.

Slamdance is a great way to meet directors, editors, filmmakers, and others in the film industry. Being a smaller venue, Slamdance provides greater access and is more informal. They are very excited to receive feedback, answer questions, and to provide information, contacts, and resources for those interested in getting into the business. They were very open and communicative which made me feel like this must have been what Sundance was like forty years ago before it became more “Hollywood” with larger budgets, star power, etc. in their movies.

Talks were not the only places to network and make connections. Just standing in line or commuting on the buses allowed you to meet other people. Connections can happen anywhere. I met a gentleman named Rudy outside of the Vulture Spot who has done some acting in Out of Exile (2022) as well as Bloodthirst (2023) and is hoping to do some more. We discussed many of the Sundance Films and he was very interested in my takes on the ones that I had seen. It was a great conversation.

While I was speaking with Rudy, I learned that Will Ferrell would be interviewed at IndieWire for his film Will & Harper which also premiered at Sundance. What a coincidence. My college class was invited by Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire Managing Editor, to come at three o’clock for a tour. Now I know why we couldn’t come before then. Needless to say, Rudy and I went over to Indiewire and below is the picture of Will Ferrell coming out of his interview.                                                              

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How cool! This was my first sighting of a celebrity outside of seeing Lionel Ritchie at the Q&A after the premiere of Greatest Night in Pop (see below).

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All in all, this was a fabulous trip! I learned a lot, met a lot of new people, made some connections, and it opened my eyes to the many different opportunities that exist in the film industry.

Hopefully I will get back here again!

  • Ryan McCormick
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