The Most Eagerly-Awaited Movies at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival

Just as the critics’ lists of Best Movies of 2023 begin to pour in, the Sundance Film Festival published its selection for the upcoming 2024 Independent Film Festival. The event will occur from January 18 to the 28th. Those ten days define the bounty of indie movies for the forthcoming year and which foreign films will get a fast pass to the Art House. Ninety-one films have been programmed, not including the short film competition. As usual, it’s an embarrassment of riches. We are most looking out for these titles, but you can’t discard the left-of-field surprises and the last-minute additions. Mark your calendars, feed your watchlists, and stay tuned for more information.

US Dramatic Competition

In The Summers

Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio's family drama may be a fantastic feature film debut. Still, it will get a lot of press for offering the film debut of influential Latino hip-hop musician René Pérez Jogler - a.k.a. "Residente" of "Calle 13" fame -. The cast includes Lio Mehiel, a Special Jury Prize winner for the 2023 Sundance highlight "Mutt," and Leslie Grace, star of the much lamented, never-to-be-seen "Batgirl." More superhero cred comes with Sasha Calle, who played Supergirl in "The Flash" (Andy Muschietti, 2023), facing life after a DC-branded flameout.

A Real Pain

Actor Jesse Eisenberg keeps building a side career as a film director. Lucky for him, he is a Sundance fave. Two years ago, he premiered the coming-of-age drama “When You Finish Saving The World” (2022). He is back with this comedy-drama about two brothers coming to terms with their Jewish heritage while touring Poland in honor of their beloved, deceased grandmother. “Succession’” Kieran Culkin co-stars.

US Documentary Competition

Love Machina

This documentary follows the story of scientist and trans activist Martine Rothblatt and her wife Bina, who commissioned the creation of an AI humanoid that can keep a person’s consciousness alive. Rothbaltt is a force to be reckoned with in business and science. For starters, she founded Sirius XM. When their daughter Jenesis was diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, she developed a medication to treat the disease. If anyone can make eternal cyberlife a reality, it’s her.

World Cinema Dramatic Competition

Handling The Undead

Norwegian director Thea Hvistendahl’s debut feature film offers a new take on a common horror premise: the dead come back to life, for real. The phenomenon is observed throughout the experiences of three families dealing with the surprising return of their loved ones. Do they come back as zombies? Are they just alive again? It sounds like the French series “The Returned,” which was so successful it had its American remake. We venture the tone will be more humane and naturalistic than suspenseful. However, the biggest selling point is the reunion of the stars from “The Worst Person in the World” (2021), Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielson Lie.

Veni Vidi Vici

Austrian master provocateur Ulrich Seidl signs off as producer of Daniel Hoesi's fourth feature film. Several movies in the past have taken Julius Caesar's legendary phrase as a title. We'll have to wait to see the film to understand how the Latin maxim "We Came, We Saw, We Conquered!" fits into the story of a billionaire family headed by a hunting enthusiast who does not shoot animals. Wait a minute…does it mean he shoots…people?

World Cinema Documentary Competition

Black Box Diaries

The #MeeToo Movement was just the beginning. All around the world, women are fighting to call attention to the issue of sexual harassment. This is a hard-hitting documentary by Japanese journalist Shiori Ito, who casts an inquisitive look at a particular case involving her. She aims to create a precedent and prosecute the powerful person who victimized her. Gender politics and cultural issues come into play in this piercingly personal quest for justice.

Eternal You

The possibility of enjoying a technology-mediated afterlife weighs heavily as the AI revolution makes sci-fi speculation seem like prophecy. This German-US co-production seems like a companion to “Love Machine,” included in the U.S. Documentary competition. “Eternal You” explores the emotional implications and the commodification of the desire never to let go of life and those you love.

Igualada

Latin America is a hotbed of racism, classism, and discrimination. Colombian filmmaker Juan Mejía Botero explores these issues through the story of Francia Marquez, a black human rights activist currently serving as Vice President of her country. She is the second woman and first black woman to hold the office. The title “Igualada” is an adjective used in a similar way to “uppity” in English to insult someone who acts as if they deserve prerogatives that society’s prejudices keep out of reach for them.

Never Look Away

You might know Lucy Lawless as the formidable “Xena: Warrior Princess” of the popular ‘90s syndicated TV series. If so, you must adjust your perception to include “documentary filmmaker” next to swords-and-sandals actress. The illustrious New Zealander brings the story of Margaret Moth, a groundbreaking camerawoman who jumped from studio television in his home country to war correspondent for CNN. She went on to cover the Gulf War and Bosnia, where she suffered life-threatening injuries.

Premieres

A Different Man

Christine Vachon, of Killer Films fame, is one of the producers of this drama starring Sebastian Stan. He plays a struggling actor who changes his appearance to push forward his career, only to lose out on his dream role. Trying to return to his natural state will prove to be an odyssey. Fans of “The Worst Person In The World” will want to put this one on their watchlist. The cast includes Renate Reinseve, in her second film playing in the Festival. It’s the sophomore feature film from director Aaron Schimberg, who broke through with the drama “Chained for Life” (2018).

Freaky tales

Sundance alumni and husband-and-wife directing duo Ryan Fleck and Anna Bowden return to their indie roots after an excursion into the MCU - “Captain Marvel” (2019). “Freaky Tales” recruits a large cast, including Pedro Pascal and Ben Mendelsohn, to tell four interconnected stories in 1987 Oakland. It’s a sampler of themes, including a turf war between punks and skinheads, rappers battling for lyrical supremacy, a criminal aiming for redemption, and a basketball star returning to his roots. This last plot strand is the one that has us more psyched. Fleck and Bowden’s “Sugar” (2008) was a beautiful, underappreciated sports drama.

Presence

There is little information about this picture besides the logline: "A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they are not alone." So far, so "The Amityville Horror" (1979). The most enticing news is that this is the newest movie from American maverick Steven Soderbergh, a Sundance star since his breakthrough "Sex, Lies and Videotapes" (1989). Blockbuster screenwriter David Koepp returns after penning techno-thriller "Kimi" (2022). Lucy Liu, Julia Fox (Uncut Gems), and Chris Sullivan (TV's "This Is Us") head the cast. It's a new classic of indie horror movies may be coming.

Sasquatch Sunset

David and Nathan Zellner, the fraternal duo behind indie sensations “Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter” (2014), and “Damsel” (2018) team up again for the story of a singular family. Again, details about the plot are preciously few, but the cast is the best hook. Riley Keough, the indie star physically incapable of giving a bad performance, co-stars with Jesse Eisenberg. Yes, Jesse Eisenberg, the actor-director also running in the dramatic competition with “A Real Pain.” Jeez, Jesse…leave some opportunities for others.

Thelma

Not to be confused with Joachim Trier’s 2017 thriller, this “Thelma” follows a nonagenarian granny trying to get even with the phone scammers that targeted her. June Squibb, nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska” (2014), stars. It’s the feature film debut of director Josh Margolin, who assembled a stellar supporting cast: Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus), Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell, and the legendary Richard Roundtree in his final film role.

Midnight

I Saw the TV Glow

Jane Schoenbrun wowed the crowds a couple of years ago with the spectacularly creepy generational classic “We Are All Going To The World’s Fair.” As far as low budget movies go, this one was a doozy. They return with another ghostly story about young people and scary screens. Two teens tune into a late-night TV show that projects a bizarre world that underlies their reality. Or something! As fitting for the sophomore effort of an up-and-coming director, stars have flown in for a piece of the action. Emma Stone is one of the producers. The cast includes Danielle Deadwyler and Fred Durst. Yes, you read that right. Fred Durst, the Limp Bizkit frontman. No comment on that front until we check if he did it all for the nookie. Mark this one as a candidate for the cult classic movies canon.

Love Lies Bleeding

Director Rose Glass made a splash with the terrifying horror indie "Saint Maud" (2019). Now, she's back with another tale of obsession. Described as a romantic thriller, the movie features Kristen Stewart as Lou, a mousy gym manager who falls for bodybuilder Jackie (Kathy O'Brien). Their relationship gets complicated by Lou's family's criminal activities. The stellar cast includes Ed Harris, Jenna Malone, and Dave Franco.

Episodic

Conbody VS Everybody

We love director Debra Grannik and hold a candle for the time when she returns with a beautiful, heartfelt piece of fiction, like “Winter’s Bone” (2010) or “Leave No Trace” (2018). In the meantime, we’ll treasure the times she gets behind the camera, no matter the medium, format, or genre. She hits Sundance this year to present two episodes of a documentary series about Coss Marie, an ex-convict who opened a gym inspired by his fitness journey behind bars. There, he hires trainers who, like him, spend time in jail and are trying to reenter society.

Spotlight

How To Have Sex

Molly Manning Walker’s sensational feature film debut took the 2023 Cannes Film Festival by storm, winning the Un Certain Regard Award. Now, it is coming up in many Best of the Year lists. America will finally catch up with this eye-opening coming-of-age drama about three British teen girls going into the battle zone of sex and relationships during an eventful summer vacation abroad.