Sundance 2019 Lineup: Lots of Promising Topics and Great Actresses
Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 3:03PM The Sundance Film Festival runs January 24th through February 3rd next year. Let's look at the five of the key program lineups in brief. Which films are you most excited about. TFE might be going this year, we're not yet sure.
U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Alfred Woodard stars in "Clemency"
16 World Premieres will be competing for the Sundance crown (won last year by The Miseducation of Cameron Post). The new crop is all writer/directors (except where noted) and Sundance has been very careful about diversity, noting in their press release that the US dramatic competition section is 53% female directors, 41% directors of color and 18% LGBTQ directors. But they had a ton to choose from which helps with diversity. There was a record number of submissions for the 2019 festival with 4,018 features hoping to be selected, 1767 if those made from within the US...
Before You Know It Hannah Pearl Utt
A drama about co-dependent 30something sisters and family secrets. Famous actors in supporting roles: Judith Light, Mandy Patinkin, Mike Colter, and Alec Baldwin.
Big Time Adolescence Jason Orley
A coming of age film about a teenager and a college dropout.
Brittany Runs a Marathon Paul Downs Colaizzo
A woman taking control of her life. The film stars funny actors Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, and Lil Rel Howery.
Clemency Chinonye Chukwu
Heavy sounding drama about a prison warden (Alfre Woodard) confronting the psychological demons her job creates. The supporting cast features Aldis Hodge, Richard Schiff, Wendell Pierce, Richard Gunn, and Danielle Brooks but we're so thrilled that Woodard gets a headlining gig. It's been too long.
The Farewell Lulu Wang
A Chinese-American woman returns to China to visit her terminally ill grandmother who doesn't know she's terminally ill. Awkwafina stars!
Like so many indies, "Hala" began life as a crowdfunded short film
Hala Minhal Baig
A coming of age drama about a Muslim teenage girl.
Honey Boy Alma Har'el
Shia LaBeouf is the screenwriter (!) of this film about a child star (Noah Jupe, such a great little actor) and his ex-rodeo clown father that's loosely based on Shia's own life (so he'll be playing his own father essentially). Lucas Hedges is also in the cast
Imaginary Order Debra Eisenstadt
An obsessive compulsive suburban mom breaks down. The cast includes Wendi McLendon-Covey, Christine Woods, and Max Burkholder.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco Joe Talbot
A man wants to reclaim the home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Danny Glover is in the cast so we assume he's the grandfather?
Luce Julius Onah
A high school teacher makes an alarming discovery about an all-star student who was adopted from a war torn county. The cast is fully of heavyweights: Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tim Roth, and Norbert Leo Butz.
Ms. Purple Justin Chon
A family drama about a karaoke hostess reconnecting with her brother when their dad goes to hospice.
Native Son Rashid Johnson
The famous novel get a contemporary adaptation from acclaimed playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. It's about a young African-American man who takes a job that will change the course of his life. The cast is exciting: Ashton Sanders, Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, KiKi Layne, Bill Camp, and Sanaa Lathan.
Share Pippa Bianco
A mystery drama about a teenager who discovers a disturbing video about a night she doesn't remember.
The Sound of Silence Michael Tyburski
A "house tuner," who calibrates the sound in people's homes runs into trouble on a job he can't solve. Cool cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Rashida Jones, Tony Revolori, and Austin Pendleton.
Them That Follow Britt Poulton & Dan Madison Savage
An Appalachian drama about a snake-handling type of church where a pastor's daughter confronts the deadly traditions of her community. Another amazing cast here: Olivia Colman, Kaitlyn Dever, Alice Englert, Jim Gaffigan, Walton Goggins, and Thomas Mann.
To The Stars Martha Stephens
An intimate friendship forms between a farmer's daughter and a reckless new girl in town in 1960s Oklahoma.
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
"Divine Love" from Brazil
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking around the world. Which of them will prove to be breakouts?
Dirty God Sach Polak (Netherlands, U.K., Belgium, Ireland)
This one's about a mother, scarred from an acid attack, taking action to reclaim her life.
Divine Love Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil, Uruguay, Denmark, Norway)
This one takes place in Brazil where a religious woman working as a notary has a crisis in her marriage. It's from the director of Neon Bull.
Dolce Fine Giornata Jacek Borcuch (Poland)
A woman's family life begins to crumble when she becomes involved with a young immigrant.
Judy & Punch Mirrah Foulkes (Australia)
Puppeteers Judy and Punch want to resurrect their marionette show. But Punch's whiskey and the anarchic town they live in are problems. Mia Wasikowska and Damon Herriman play the lead characters.
Koko-di Koko-da Johannes Nyholm (Sweden, Denmark)
From the Swedish director of The Giant. The odd sounding plot involves a couple on a trip and a sideshow artist who terrorize and humiliates them.
The Last Tree Shola Amoo (United Kingdom)
A coming of age film about a British boy of Nigerian descent who leaves a happy life in a rural town to move to London.
Julianne Nicholson in Monos
Monos Alejandro Landes (Colombia, Argentina, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Uruguay)
Eight kids with guns watch over a hostage in this drama. I assume that either Julianne Nicholson or Moisés Arias are the hostage because they're the Americans in the cast which is mostly otherwise first-timers.
Queen of Hearts May el-toukhy (Denmark)
The great Danish star Trine Dyrholm stars as a woman who seduces her teenage stepson (Gustav Lindh) and makes a decision with fatal consequences.
The Sharks Lucía Garibaldi (Uruguay, Argentina, Spain)
A sexual coming of age drama about a teenage girl living in a beach town where rumors of sharks distracts the other residents.
The Souvenir Joanna Hogg (United Kingdom)
A romantic drama about quiet film student in a turbulent affair. Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, and Tilda Swinton star. Hogg's previous films starred Tom Hiddleston but he doesn't appear to be in this one.
This Is Not Berlin Hari Sama (Mexico)
An eighties drama in Mexico city about a teenage boy discovering the underground nightlife scene.
We Are Little Zombies Makoto Nagahisa (Japan) — Four orphaned teenagers form a band in search of their emotions about their dead parents.
NEXT
This is the program that's supposed to have the innovative and more experimental storytelling in it. Recent successes to have emerged from this sidebar are Searching and Tangerine. US films unless otherwise noted
Adam Rhys Ernst
A coming of age comedy about an awkward teenager and his older sister who is part of the lesbian and trans activisit scene. Nicholas Alexander stars and Margaret Qualley, who seems to be in EVERYTHING coming out in 2019, is also in the cast.
Give Me Liberty Kirill Mikhanovsky
A medical transport driver is torn between his effors to get a group of Russians to a funeral and to help a young black woman with ALS.
Light From Light Paul Harrill
A paranormal investigator looks at a possible “haunting” at a farmhouse in Tennessee. The cast includes Marin Ireland, Jim Gaffigan, and Josh Wiggins.
Paradise Hills Alice Waddington
Awkwafina, Eiza Gonzalez and Emma Roberts star in this film about a mysterious reform school for girls that hides a sinister secret.
Premature Rashaad Ernesto Green
A love story in the summer before college, set in Harlem.
Selah and the Spades Tayarisha Poe
A boarding school drama. Jharrel Jerome, Gina Torres, Jesse Williams are in the cast.
Sister Aimee Samantha Buck & Marie Schlingmann
A 1920s road trip movie about a famous evangelist heading toward Mexico.
The Death of Dick Long Daniel Scheinert
'Dick died last night, and Zeke and Earl don't want anybody finding out how.' Takes place in small-town Alabama.
The Infiltrators Alex Rivera & Cristina Ibarra
A group of Dreamers are deliberately detained by the border patrol in order to infiltrate a detention center.
The Wolf Hour Alistair Banks Griffi
Naomi Watts stars as a counterculture who keeps to her self in the Bronx but her world begins to unravel during the Summer of Sam (1977). Other members of the cast include Emory Cohen, Jennifer Ehle, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
PREMIERES
Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams on the set of "After the Wedding"
A lot of future Oscar titles have had their world premieres at Sundance. So it's always smart to keep on eye on what's getting big reveals there. (US titles unless otherwise noted)
After The Wedding Bart Freundlich
This one's about an orphanage manager (Michelle Williams) and her wealthy new benefactor (Julianne Moore, Freundlich's real life wife - she's appeared in all of his movies). Billy Crudup costars.
Animals Sophie Hyde (U.K., Ireland, Australia)
A drama abous a long friendships between two women (Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat) newly strained due to competing desires and focus.
Blinded by the Light Gurinder Chadha (UK)
A coming of age drama about a Springsteen fan and teenager in Thatcher's Britain
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Joe Berlinger
The story of serial killer Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) through the perspective of his longtime girlfriend (Lily Collins) who refused to believe the truth about him. The starry cast also includes Haley Joel Osment, Kaya Scodelario, John Malkovich, and Jim Parsons.
I Am Mother Grant Sputore (Australia)
A post apocalyptic drama about a teenage girl raised by a robot. The cast includes Clara Rugaard, Rose Byrne, and Hilary Swank.
Late Night Nisha Ganatra
Mindy Kaling wrote this comedy about a famous late-night talk show host trying to diversify her writing staff. The awesome sounding cast includes Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, John Lithgow, Paul Walter Hauser, Reid Scott, and Amy Ryan.
Relive Jasob Estes
After a man’s family dies he gets a phone call from one of the dead! The film stars David Oyelowo, Storm Reid, Mykelti Williamson, Alfred Molina, and Bryan Tyree Henry.
Sonja – The White Swan Anne Sewitsky (Norway)
We told you about this one three whole years ago when it was just in development. Norwegian star Ine Marie Wilmann plays Sonja Henje in this biopic about the figure skater who took Hollywood by storm in the 1930s.
The Mustang Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
A drama about a man in a rehabilitation program training wild mustangs. Matthias Schoenaerts, Connie Britton, Bruce Dern, Jason Mitchell, Gideon Adlon, and Josh Stewart star.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Chiwetel Ejiofor (U.K.)
A teenage boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine. Based on a true story! Chiwetel Ejiofor acts as well as directs in this one.
The Report Scott Z. Burns
The story of the lead investigator in the sweeping expose of the CIA’s immoral and brutal Detention and Interrogation Program. The all star cast includes Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Ted Levine, Maura Tierney, and Michael C. Hall
Galifianakis, Anderson, and Slate on the set of "Sunlit Night"
The Sunlit Night David Wnendt (Germany, Norway)
A romantic drama about an American painter and a Russian emigre who find each other in the Arctic circle.The cast includes Jenny Slate, Zach Galifianakis, Alex Sharp, Gillian Anderson, Fridjov Sáheim, and David Paymer.
The Tomorrow Man Noble Jones
A romantic dramedy (?) starring John Lithgow and Blythe Danner. That's all we need to know. We're in!
Top End Wedding Wayne Blair (Australia)
An engage couple have 10 days to find the mother of the bride who has gone AWOL before their dream wedding.
Troupe Zero Bet & Bertie
Set in Georgia of the 1970s, a young misfit girl (McKenna Grace) enteres a national competition for NASA's Golden Record. The cast includes Viola Davis, Alison Janney, Jim Gaffican, Mike Epps and more.
Velvet Buzzsaw Dan Gilroy
From the writer/director of Nightcrawler comes this new thriller reuniting Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo and placing them in the Los Angeles art scene. Toni Collette and Tom Sturridge are also in the cast!
MIDNIGHT
Abe Forsythe directs Lupita Nyong'o in "Little Monsters"
Works that "defy genre classificiation" though they usually lean heavily into the horror genre... which is a genre classification, Sundance, but whatever!
Greener Grass Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe
"A dark comedy set in a demented, timeless suburbia where every adult wears braces on their straight teeth, couples coordinate meticulously pressed outfits, and coveted family members become pawns in this competition for acceptance." Sounds fun!
Little Monsters Abe Forsythe (Australia)
A zombie picture about a kindergarten teacher starring Lupita Nyong'o, Alexander England, and Josh Gad.
MEMORY – The Origins of Alien Alexandre Philippe
A documentary about Ridley Scott's seminal Alien and the symbiotic collaboration that is movemaking and the power of myth. ooh can't wait.
Mope Lucas Heyne
Comedy. "Mopes" are the lowest-level male performers in the porn industry apparently.
Sweetheart JD Dillard
A horror film about a woman shipwrecked on a tropical island and a malevolent force that comes out at night. With Kiersey Clemons, Emory Cohen, Hanna Mangan Lawrence, and Andrew Crawford.
The Hole in the Ground Lee Cronin (Ireland)
A mother's son goes missing in the woods but when he returns his behavior becomes more and more disturbing. Is this even her son?
The Lodge Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala
A woman is snowed in with her soon to be stepchildren. Whenever films take place in remote wintry cabins, you know they're going to be chilling. This is from the filmmaking team behind that Austrian horror hit Goodnight Mommy, an Oscar submission a few years back. The cast includes Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Alicia Silverstone, and Richard Armitage.
Reader Comments (4)
Hopefully Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir will include Part II as well. It should be done by January. It's been 6 years since her mesmerizing, Exhibition.
I anticipate Veronika Franz's The Lodge., too. It's amazing that she wrote the screenplays for all of her husband's controversial and savage films.
Lord, I can barely stand the hope of an Alfre comeback to the big screen. Fingers crossed for excellent buzz.
There is so much good here. I'm especially excited the Bening in "The Report," Viola and Alison in 70s drag, and After the Wedding given that these two incredible actresses finally get to share the screen together (even though they've already been in films together).
However, Clemency sounds like a must see, and I hope it ends up being a compelling vehicle. Alfre Woodard is one of our best actresses, and I hope that this film gets a distributor and finds its way into the awards conversation OR (if it can't quite get the Oscar buzz) we see HBO acquire it and give it the release it deserves.
Super curious about I Am Mother, Little Monsters, Monos, and Velvet Buzzsaw (although that title). And Clemency sounds like a potential Oscar-worthy showcase for Alfre Woodard. Fingers crossed.