The 2016 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21st through the 31st in Park City, Utah. The festival is a destination for both up-and-coming and veteran filmmakers, and has earned a reputation as a showcase for some of the most critically acclaimed and Oscar-worthy films of the year. This year, out of the 12,793 submissions they received, the Sundance committee has selected just over 200 feature length and short films to play at the festival. From all of this, there is sure to be plenty of studio deals, bidding wars, trailers, clips and news — and we’re here to give you a daily wrap up of all the big developments from Park City. (And don’t forget to check out our exclusive party and event grid!)
Over the weekend, a top-dollar deal was made, a film that initially sounded good wasn’t received well by Sundance audiences and lots of tears were shed at one particular feature. Plus, we have some clips from FRANK & LOLA starring Michael Shannon and two short films in their entirety. Read and watch it all below.
THE BUZZ
At first, SWISS ARMY MAN was a film that many were looking forward to, but during the premiere of Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan‘s movie about a man (Paul Dano) stranded on a desert island with a dead, farting corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) wasn’t exactly a crowd pleaser. As the movie played, people started walking out of the sold-out Eccles Theatre. Every festival has at least one high profile, massive walk-out movie. Apparently, this is Sundance’s.
From walk-outs to tears of appreciation, OTHER PEOPLE had a different kind of effect on the audience. The cancer dramedy from Saturday Night Live writer and first-time director, Chris Kelly was received with cheers and tears. Jesse Plemons stars as a struggling writer and gay man who comes home to take care of his mother (Molly Shannon) who is suffering from cancer. The movie also stars Bradley Whitford and Maude Apatow and was produced by Adam Scott and Naomi Scott.
In other news, MORRIS FROM AMERICA producers Sara Murphy and Adele Romanski as well as Julie Goldman, who served as executive producer of WEINER and the producer of LIFE, ANIMATED were the recipients of the 2016 Amazon Studios Sundance Institute Producer’s Award. The award is given to those who have a “bold vision and a commitment to continuing work as a creative producer in the independent space.” Recipients are offered grant money and are seen as an emerging producer of a film playing at the festival.
DEALS
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Synopsis: After his older brother passes away, Lee Chandler is forced to return home to care for his 16-year-old nephew. There he is compelled to deal with a tragic past that separated him from his family and the community where he was born and raised.
Category: Premieres
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Cast: Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Michelle Williams
Purchased by: Amazon (for nearly $10 million)
RESILIENCE
Synopsis: This film chronicles the birth of a new movement among pediatricians, therapists, educators, and communities using cutting- edge brain science to disrupt cycles of violence, addiction, and disease. These professionals help break the cycles of adversity by daring to talk about the effects of divorce, abuse, and neglect.
Category: Documentary Premieres
Director: James Redford
Cast: David Johnson PhD, Laura Lawrence, Jack Shonkoff MD, Nadine Burke Harris MD, Robert Anda MD, Victor Carrion MD
Purchased by: Brainstorm Media
MORRIS FROM AMERICA
Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends his German tutor-turned- confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials and tribulations of adolescence.
Category: U.S. Dramatic Competition
Director: Chad Hartigan
Cast: Craig Robinson, Carla Juri, Jakub Gierszal, Levin Henning, Lina Keller, Markees Christmas
Purchased by: A24
EAT THAT QUESTION — FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS
Synopsis: This entertaining encounter with the premier of sonic avant-garde is acidic, fun-poking, and full of rich and rare archival footage. This documentary bashes favorite Zappa targets and dashes a few myths about the man himself.
Category: Documentary Premieres
Director: Thorsten Schutte
Purchased by: Sony Pictures Classics
ACQUISITION TALLY AS OF JANUARY 25, 2016:
A24: 1
Amazon: 3
Beta Cinema: 1
Brainstorm Media: 1
HBO: 1
IFC: 1
Netflix: 3
Oscilloscope Laboratories: 1
Roadside Attractions: 1
Showtime: 1
Sony Pictures Classics: 1
TRAILERS AND CLIPS
FRANK & LOLA — Clip
Synopsis: A psychosexual noir love story—set in Las Vegas and Paris—about love, obsession, sex, betrayal, revenge and, ultimately, the search for redemption.
Category: Premieres
Director: Matthew Ross
Cast: Emmanuelle Devos, Imogen Poots, Justin Long, Michael Nyqvist, Michael Shannon, Rosanna Arquette
PEACE IN THE VALLEY — Short Film
Synopsis: Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is home to both the largest outdoor Passion Play in the United States and an important vote on LGBT rights. This film follows the town’s inhabitants as they prepare for the historic vote.
Category: Short Programs
Directors: Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher
THE SAINT OF DRY CREEK — Short Film
Synopsis: Patrick Haggerty was a teenager in rural Dry Creek, Washington, in the late 1950s. Here, he remembers the day he first had a conversation with his father about being gay.
Short Programs: Precedes SUITED in the U.S. Documentary Competition
Director: Julie Zammarchi
Eat That Question – Frank Zappa in His Own Words / TEASER from Les Films du Poisson on Vimeo.
EAT THAT QUESTION — FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS — Teaser Trailer
Synopsis: This entertaining encounter with the premier of sonic avant-garde is acidic, fun-poking, and full of rich and rare archival footage. This documentary bashes favorite Zappa targets and dashes a few myths about the man himself.
Category: Documentary Premieres
Director: Thorsten Schutte
See all of our preview posts for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and catch up with our full coverage of the festival in our other Sundance Spotlights!
For a complete list of festival films and details, visit sundance.org.
Dino-Ray Ramos | Staff Writer
