This year’s Sundance International Film Festival is in a unique position. This is the first festival out of the gate since the dual WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes that affected Hollywood last summer and fall. It’s also the first chance for studios to see what’s coming out and make some big money deals to fuel their production slate.
This year’s festival is premiering 82 features with Sundance boasting a record number of submissions — 17,435 — from 153 countries or territories, including 4,410 feature-length films, Sundance programmers told TheWrap. And while there is some hesitation from buyers about the strength of this year’s titles, the titles that are up for sale this year cover the spectrum from emotional documentaries about celebrities to interesting indie dramas featuring A-list talent. Each also has a strong ability to play well in the theater, a must for any serious festival-going buyer.
Below are the 14 titles for sale that are the most talked about. Be sure to keep following TheWrap to see the festivities kick off on Thursday for those who arrive quickly.
A Real Pain (US Dramatic Competition)
Jesse Eisenberg returns with another directorial debut after his 2022 directorial debut, “When You End Up Saving the World” (which also screened at Sundance). His latest effort, “A Real Pain,” tells the story of two mismatched cousins, played by himself and Kieran Culkin, who reunite to tour Poland in honor of their grandmother. Like any good Sundance feature, things take a turn and secrets are revealed.
Aside from seeing Eisenberg back behind the camera, the film also stars Culkin, who is hot right now with his work on Succession and his recent Emmy win on Tuesday. As the Sundance buyers said, domestic family dramas sell well and this looks like no exception.
Between the Temples (US Dramatic Competition)
Director Nathan Silver is a longtime indie filmmaker but, as Buyers pointed out, could break into the mainstream after buying his upcoming feature “Between the Temples.” The film follows a cantor, played by Jason Schwartzman, whose life changes when his grade-school music teacher, played by Carol Cain, re-enters his life.
The film has a sweet indie premise, but the secret ingredient is the pairing of Schwarzman and Cain, both indie and mainstream hits. Schwartzman has long been a character actor in both small and large features, but is often not seen in major films; It was his last scene as a young Caesar Flickerman in the recent “Hunger Games” movie. And Kane is an actor in Hollywood in the 1970s and it’s due for a revival.
Devo (Premiere)
In the 1980s, the song “Whip It” by the eccentric band Devo was impossible to escape. So, of course, it’s worth exploring their success and why their music appeals to listeners, especially in a decade that has been so over-consumed. Chris Smith, director of the 1999 documentary “American Movie,” wants to lift the curtain on the band. It examines their rise as a New Wave band, formed in the wake of the horrific Kent State massacre, and their success.
Music documentaries often do really well at Sundance; The festival debuted five of them in 2022, and last year’s documentary on the Indigo Girls, “It’s Only Life After All,” was well-received. Nostalgia continues to play a part in what audiences consume, with a look at Devo and the 1980s it seems like it would fit right in.
Didi (US Dramatic Competition)
When buyers were asked what films they were hearing about before Sundance, nearly everyone told TheWrap that the title “Didi” was on everyone’s lips. Director Sean Wang made his directorial debut in 2008 and follows a former Taiwanese American boy as he learns about life and love.
Right now, it’s unknown what secret ingredient buyers are looking for in “Didi,” but it’s there. The film is being billed as “a moving love letter to immigrant parents and a playful examination of our uncertain paths to adulthood,” and that may play into the perception that it shares similarities with indie darlings like Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell.” Either way, “Didi” is definitely one to watch out for.
Pardon Show (US Dramatic Competition)
Illustrator Titus Kaffer opens his feature film debut with “A Show of Forgiveness,” a story about a black artist (Andre Holland) whose path is blocked by the arrival of his estranged father. This is another one that’s getting a lot of buzz, though many buyers have said it’s also because agency UTA is pushing it so hard.
Regardless, it’s understandable why considering the talent in front of the camera, including Holland — best known for the Oscar-winning feature “Moonlight” — as well as Andra Day and “Origin” star Aujanue Ellis-Taylor. Kafar is a world-renowned artist internationally, but also has connections to Hollywood. His 2022 short “Shut Up and Paint” was on the Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary Short Film.
Stranger Things (Premiere)
Sundance darlings and directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck return to the Sundance Film Festival with this anthology feature that tells four interconnected stories set in Oakland in 1987. Not much is known beyond that but we do know that everyone’s favorite actor Pedro Pascal is involved in some way. .
The directorial duo has been a Sundance staple since Fleck’s 2007 feature (which Bowden produced) “Half Nelson” took the 2006 festival by storm. He has since returned as co-director. His 2008 feature “Sugar” and his 2015 feature “Mississippi Grind” were released there. The pair took some time away from the festival to direct Marvel movies — most notably “Captain Marvel” in 2019 — but the fact that they’re back should be exciting.
Love Me (US Dramatic Competition)
Described by TheWrap as a movie that defies explanation altogether, “Love Me” might just be buzzing for being a mindbender of a movie. The Sundance website describes it as “Long after the extinction of humanity, a boy and a satellite meet online and fall in love.” What that means is anyone’s guess, especially since audiences know Kristen Stewart and newly minted Emmy winner Steven Yeun are slated to play those characters. According to sources, the audience will fall in love with “Love Me” once they see it and that should be enough to create an instant buzz.
My Old Ass (Premiere)
Director Megan Park makes her Sundance debut with “My Old Ace,” a whimsical tale about what happens when a teenage girl meets her older self while tripping on mushrooms. The premise alone is incredibly sweet but it also showcases Park’s range as a director. Her 2021 feature “The Fallout,” which premiered on then-HBO Max, focused on teenagers and the guilt experienced by surviving a school shooting.
But the park seems to have a way with young people, and “My Old Ace” will undoubtedly see both its characters’ lives change and the world around them. He reunites Park with actress Maddie Ziegler and introduces Aubrey Plaza to his world. If nostalgia sells (and we know it does) this should be a great one.
The Outrun (Premieres)
“The Outrun” is an interesting feature because of the serious goodwill behind it. Adapted from Amy Liptrot’s memoir, the film stars Saoirse Ronan as a troubled woman who returns to her hometown in Scotland’s Orkney Islands to recover. As buyers told TheWrap, international features can be a tougher sell, but “The Outrun” doesn’t look like it will have that problem. Beyond that being adapted from a successful memoir — always bet on a book adaptation! — starring Ronan is popular with both Gen Z and millennials.
Presence (Premier)
Director Steven Soderbergh brings it back to where it all began with his latest feature. “Presence” is a horror film following a family who believe they are not alone in their new home. As with any good Soderbergh feature, it’s probably safe to assume things aren’t so straightforward.
Sundance and Soderbergh go together like peanut butter and jelly. It can be said that one would not have happened without the other. Soderbergh premiered his first film, 1989’s “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” at the festival — where it ranks as one of the best films to come out of the event — and his return for its 40th edition feels special. Many buyers are wondering why he would self-finance this film and take it to festivals, no doubt many studios would immediately snap it up, but the backstory seems to explain it all. This is a full-circle moment.
Rob Peace (Premiere)
After his 2019 directorial debut, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” actor and director Chiwetel Ejiofor is back with “Rob Peace.” Ejiofor directed and wrote this true story of a poor young man who graduated from Yale with a degree in biophysics and biochemistry while working his way through school selling marijuana.
The plot sounds appealing and, as buyers have said, home stories that have the air of playing well on the big screen are what everyone is looking for. With such a plot, “Rob Peace” can be exciting to watch in the movie theater.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Premiere)
Directors Ian Bonhote and Peter Atteggue have created a documentary about real-life superheroes with “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.” Boasting access to never-before-seen home movies and Reeve’s personal archive, this could be a serious candidate for best documentary next year. Especially Michael J. Given the success of the Fox documentary, this one buyer was surprised it hadn’t already been purchased. Disability is a hot-button topic and seeing Reeve’s story on the big screen could do a lot to spark more discussions on it.
Will & Harper (Premiere)
After his success in “Barbie,” Will Ferrell turned to the documentary space with “Will & Harper.” The film follows Pharrell as he discovers that his best friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman. The two then embark on a cross-country road trip together.
Director Josh Greenbaum helms this after spending a lot of time in the comedy space; He previously worked with Pharrell on the dog comedy “Strays” last year. The film looks incredibly sweet and given Ferrell’s ability to work in both comedy and drama it would be great to see him play himself in an intimate, sensitive doc.
Winner (Premier)
Director Susannah Fogel returns to Sundance after her controversial feature “Cat Person” last year. “The Winner” tells the story of “a brilliant young misfit from a Texas border town whose morals are challenged while serving as an NSA contractor.” If the story sounds familiar, it was the subject of Max’s film “Reality,” which was released in May of last year. But Fogel always tells a unique story — you know if you’ve seen “Cat Person” — and the film includes “CODA” stars Emilia Jones, Connie Britton, Zach Galifianakis and Kathryn Newton.
