Sundance 2023 World Cinema Competition Program

by Nathaniel R

Kiti Manver stars in "MAMACRUZ"

The Sundance Film festival is just a month plus away (January 19th-29th) with tickets going on sale December 13th for online packages, December 16th for in person packages, and January 12th for individual films. We are always very excited about the World Cinema Program which usually has great finds not to mention future Oscar submissions. For example the 2022 roster included five current Oscar hopefuls: Bolivia's Utama (Grand Jury Prize), Finland's Girl Picture (Audience Award), Brazil's Mars One, Australia's You Won't Be Alone, and Ukraine's Klondike and most of the other titles were also very well received. What treasures await us this year?

Here is the list of films. Which should we prioritize for Team Experience coverage in January? 

Jennifer Connelly stars in "BAD BEHAVIOUR"

WORLD CINEMA PROGRAM
12 films. 

Animalia (Morocco) A pregnant woman and aliens? Feature debut from Sofia Alaoui who previously won awards at Sundance and the Césars for a short film. 

Bad Behaviour (New Zealand) Jennifer Connelly stars as a former child actor seeking enlightment at a retreat Feature directorial debut from actress Alice Englert (Jane Campion's daughter) who also co-stars alongside Ben Whishaw. 

Girl (UK) A mother/daughter drama and feature debut from Adura Onashile.

"HEROIC"

Heroic (Mexico) An 18 year old enrolls in miltary college. From David Zonana, the director of Workforce (2019) which did very well on the festival circuit. 

MamaCruz (Spain) Kiti Manver (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Broken Embraces) stars in this drama about an older woman learning to use the internet and finding pornography. From director Patricia Ortega (Being Impossible).

"MAMI WATA"

Mami Wata (Nigeria) Sisters fight to save their people and "restore the glory of a mermaid goddess". Nigeria has only submitted to the Oscars twice, and the first time they were disqualified for too much English language. Since then the Academy changed their language rules to allow forms of Pidgin English so maybe we'll see more Nigerian films submitted? This film is in West African Pidgin. Third feature from director C.J. Fiery Obasi (O-Town).

La Pecera (Puerto Rico) A cancer drama about a woman returning to her Puerto Rican home. Feature debut from director Glorimar Marrero Sánchez.

Harris Dickinson and Lola Campbell as father and daughter in "SCRAPPER"

Scrapper (UK) Harris Dickinson stars as the estranged father of a 12 year old girl who lives alone. Feature debut from Charlotte Regan.

Shayda (Australia) An Iranian mother and her daughter seek a new life when they take refuge in an Australian women's shelter. Zar Amir Ebrahami (Holy Spider's Cannes Best Actress winner) stars. Cate Blanchett and her husband are executive producers! Feature debut from Iranian-Australian Noora Niasari.

Greta Grinevičiūté and Kęstutis Cicénas in "SLOW"

Slow (Lithuania) A romantic drama about a sign language interpreter and a dancer. From director Marija Kavtaradze (Summer Survivors).

Sorcery (Chile) A young girl in the late 19th century seeks justice when a foreman hurts her father. From Director Christopher Murray (Manuel De Ribera, Propaganda).

When It Melts (Belgium)  A woman returns to her home village to confront her past. The writer/director is the Verle Baetens, the amazing leading actress from the Oscar nominated The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012) though she's not on camera for her directorial debut.