Sundance Film Festival is run as a nonprofit event that aims to give a stage to independent filmmakers. Once a year in Park City, Utah industry members come together for two weeks of panels, screenings, and other networking events to see what's new in movies. I had an opportunity to attend the 2018 festival and have a list of five films that created a whole lot of interest throughout the week.
1. Hereditary
I'm a wimp when it comes to scary movies but this one is terrifying. I watched it at a midnight screening in a theatre with about 100 other people and I don't think any of us weren't looking over our shoulders for the rest of the week. This set the bar for what a horror movie should be and has been set to release later in 2018.
2. Call Me By Your Name
This film, based on the 2007 novel by André Aciman, was one of the most talked about by attendees of Sundance. For everyone that had read the novel first said that the movie was a fantastic representation. It has already been released for a small number of showings at select theaters, so see it while you can!
3. Sorry to Bother You
This over the top satirization of consumerism in America was one of the most interesting films I saw all week. Every error that rising writer and director Boots Riley had observed was thrown on the screen exaggerated with the force of ten tonnes of dynamite. It was picked up for distribution but I have not seen a release date yet.
4. A Boy, A Girl, A Dream
This modern-day romance set on the night of the 2016 election's nearly two hours of content was filmed entirely in one shot. One camera. Seven live sets. It showcases the importance of art and creation in a chaotic society and the hardships of minorities in America. The emotional tension is relentless. Again, I'm not quite sure if this one has been picked up for distribution yet but keep an eye out.
5. Assassination Nation
Pure, unfiltered, feminist power. That's all you need to know.
All of these films make bold social statements, except for Hereditary which just deserves a category of its own. They are the ones that people will be talking about for a long time.
