After her team watched more than 4,100 feature films and picked out the 87 that will screen at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, programming director Kim Yutani came to one conclusion: “Independent cinema is in a good place.”
“We have so many new voices, names you’ve never heard before. … It’s really exciting,” Yutani said Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday’s announcement of the festival’s feature film slate.
The festival runs from Jan. 23 through Feb. 2 in Park City and Salt Lake City, with some movies streaming online from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. A few ticket packages and passes are still available at festival.sundance.org; single-film tickets, for both in person and online, go on sale Jan. 16.
Movie-lovers will get a chance to see plenty of screen stars, including: Rose Byrne, Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Joel Edgerton, Lily Gladstone, Lauren Graham, Melanie Griffith, Felicity Jones, John Lithgow, Jennifer Lopez, Juliette Lewis, Diego Luna, Natasha Lyonne, John Malkovich, Carey Mulligan, Dev Patel, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Sennott, Chloë Sevigny, Henry Winkler and Bowen Yang.
Beyond the actors on-screen, some of the documentaries include profiles of famous people such as former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, designer Isaac Mizrahi, trailblazing deaf actor Marlee Matlin, and musicians Yoko Ono and Sly Stone.
How many celebrities will set foot in Park City, though, is still to be determined.
Other documentaries will profile celebrities who are no longer alive, including musicians John Lennon, Jeff Buckley and the Tejano icon Selena. Other documentaries touch upon such issues as the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, transgender rights, gun violence and facing one’s mortality.
What distinguishes many of these films, Yutani said, “is how personal the stories are, across fiction and documentary.”
“There’s an emotional quality to a lot of these films, because they cut so close to the bone,” she continued. “A lot of these filmmakers are just not shying away from being honest and authentic in their artwork.”Here are the 87 feature-length movies scheduled to appear at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival:
U.S. Dramatic Competition
(Sundance Institute) Alia Shawkat plays an actress in a military role-playing facility in director Hailey Gates' "Atropia," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the U.S. Dramatic competition.
“Atropia” • An actress in a military role-playing facility falls for a soldier who’s cast as an insurgent, throwing the game out of whack. Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development”) and Callum Turner (“The Boys in the Boat”) play the leads; also starring Chloë Sevigny, Tim Heidecker and Jane Levy. Directed and written by Hailey Gates. Director Luca Guadagnino (“Challengers,” “Queer”) is among the producers. (Available online.)
“Bubble & Squeak” • Writer-director Evan Twohy’s satire takes place in a fictional country where cabbages are banned — and follows a newlywed couple on the run when they’re accused of smuggling cabbages. It stars Himesh Patel (“Yesterday”) and Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”), with Steven Yuen, Dave Franco and Matt Berry. (Available online.)
“Bunnylovr” • Writer-director Katarina Zhu plays Rebecca, a Chinese American camgirl navigating two relationships: one with a toxic client, the other with her estranged, dying father. Also stars Rachel Sennott (“Saturday Night”), Austin Amelio, Perry Yung and Jack Kilmer (Available online.)
“Love, Brooklyn” • In Brooklyn, three people deal with careers, love, loss, friendship and their changing borough. It stars André Holland, Nicole Beharie and DeWanda Wise, as well as Roy Wood Jr., Cassandra Freeman and Cadence Reese. Directed by Rachael Abigail Holder, written by Paul Zimmerman. (Available online.)
“Omaha” • Filmed in Utah, this drama follows a father who takes his two children on an unexpected cross-country trip — where the older daughter understands things aren’t what they seem. John Magaro (“Past Lives”) plays the father; Molly Belle Wright (“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”) plays the daughter. Directed by Cole Webley; written by Robert Machoian, a Brigham Young University professor who wrote and directed “The Killing of Two Lovers” (SFF ‘20). (Available online.)
(Sundance Institute) Wyatt Solis, rear, and Molly Belle Wright, left, play children on a cross-country trip with their dad (John Magaro, right), in director Cole Webley's "Omaha," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the U.S. Dramatic competition.
“Plainclothes” • In 1990s New York, a young undercover officer is assigned to lure and arrest gay men. Then he falls in love with one of his targets. Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey play the leads; also starring Maria Dizzia, Christian Cooke, Gabe Fazio and Amy Forsyth. Written and directed by Carmen Emmi. (Available online.)
“Ricky” • Ricardo Smith has been locked up since he was a teen. Now 30, he’s released and dealing with reality outside of incarceration. Starring Stephan James (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), the movie also stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Titus Welliver, Maliq Johnson, Imani Lewis and Andrene Ward-Hammond. Director Rashad Frett co-wrote the script with Lin Que Ayoung. (Available online.)
“Sorry, Baby” • Writer-director Eva Victor stars as Agnes, to whom something bad has happened — and she observes how life goes on for everyone around her. Victor, who starred on the series “Billions,” is making her directing debut. Also starring Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi and Kelly McCormack. (Available online.)
“Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)” • Writer-director Sierra Falconer tells an anthology of stories in a small town by a lake: A girl learns to sail, a boy fights for first chair, two sisters operate a bed-and-breakfast, and a fisherman is seeking the catch of his life. The cast includes Maren Heary, Jim Kaplan, Karsen Liotta, Dominic Bogart, Tenley Kellogg and Emily Hall. (Available online.)
“Twinless” • In a twin bereavement support group, two young men form an unlikely bromance — one played by Dylan O’Brien, the other by the film’s writer-director, James Sweeney. Also starring Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith and Chris Perfetti. (Available online.)
U.S. Documentary Competition
(Sundance Institute) Andre Ricciardi is the subject of director Anthony Benna's documentary "Andre Is an Idiot," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the U.S. Documentary competition.
“Andre Is an Idiot” • Director Anthony Benna follows Andre — a “brilliant idiot” who’s dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy — through a journey to explore how to die “happily and ridiculously” without losing one’s sense of humor. (Available online.)
“Life After” • Director Reid Davenport digs into the history of Elizabeth Bouvia, a disabled woman who in 1983 sought the “right to die” in California — and, after years of courtroom trials, disappeared from view. Davenport won the Directing Award at SFF ‘22 for “I Didn’t See You There,” which he shot from his wheelchair. (Available online.)
“Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” • Marlee Matlin became world famous at age 21, when she became the first deaf actor to win an Oscar. Here, Matlin reflects on being a trailblazer — using her primary language, American Sign Language. Directed by actor Shoshannah Stern (“Jericho,” “Weeds”), who also is deaf. (Available online.)
(Sundance Institute) Oscar winner Marlee Matlin is the subject of director Shoshannah Stern's "Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the U.S. Documentary competition.
“The Perfect Neighbor” • Director Geeta Gandbhir looks into the deadly consequences of Florida’s stand your ground law, using police body camera footage and investigative interviews to dig into what seemingly started as a minor neighborhood dispute. (Available online.)
“Predators” • Director David Osit chronicles the rise and fall of the “Dateline” TV series “To Catch a Predator,” which was designed to lure child predators to a film set to be interviewed and then arrested. (Available online.)
“Seeds” • Director Brittany Shyne looks at Black generational farmers in the South, exploring the fragile nature of legacy and the importance of owning land. (Available online.)
“Selena y Los Dinos” • A profile of Selena Quintanilla, the “Queen of Tejano Music,” and her family band, Selena y Los Dinos — compiled from never-before-seen footage from the family’s personal archive before her tragic death at age 23. Directed by Isabel Castro (“Mija,” SFF ‘22).
“Speak.” • Directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Guy Mossman go inside one of the world’s largest public-speaking competitions, following five top-ranked high school oratory students as they spend a year creating the perfect spoken word performance. (Available online.)
“Sugar Babies” • Director Rachel Fleit follows Autumn, a fast-rising TikTok influencer who’s determined to overcome the poverty in which she’s grown up in rural Louisiana — by launching an online “sugar baby” operation. (Available online.)
“Third Act” • Director Tadashi Nakamura provides an intimate portrait of his father, Robert A. Nakamura — sometimes called “the godfather of Asian American media” — as his dad is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. (Available online.)
World Cinema Dramatic competition
(Neon Films/Rosamont) Safiyya Ingar and Ebada Hassan play teen girls who run away from home with a plan to go to Syria, in director Nadia Fall's "Brides," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.
“Brides” • (U.K.) Two teen girls run away from home, intending to travel to Syria, in this drama directed by Nadia Fall and written by Suhayla El-Bushra. The cast includes Ebada Hassan, Safiyya Ingar, Yusra Warsama, Cemre Ebuzziya and Aziz Capkurt. (Available online.)
“DJ Ahmet” • (North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia) Ahmet is 15 and lives in a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia. He finds refuge in his music, while dealing with his father’s expectations, his conservative community, and his first love — who’s arranged to be with to someone else. Written and directed by Georgi M. Unkovski, the cast includes Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim and Atila Klince. (Available online.)
“Luz” • (Hong Kong, China) Under the neon lights of Chongqing, Wei searches for his estranged daughter, Fa, while a Hong Kong gallerist, Ren, deals with her ailing stepmother, Sabine, in Paris. Their worlds meet in virtual reality. Written and directed by Flora Lau, the cast is led by French legend Isabelle Huppert, and includes Sandrine Pinna, Xiao Dong Guo, Lu Huang, David Chiang and En Xi Deng.
“Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)” • (India, U.K., Canada) Anand, in his 30s, leaves the city for the countryside of western India for a 10-day mourning period for his father. There, he meets a local farmer struggling to stay unmarried. Written and directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, the cast features Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman and Jayshri Jagtap. (Available online.)
“Sauna” • (Denmark) Johan, a gay man in Copenhagen who prefers casual flings, meets William, a transgender man, and falls in love — challenging societal norms about gender, identity and relationships. Director Mathias Broe co-wrote the script with William Lippert. Magnus Juhl Andersen and Nina Rask plays the leads; the cast also features Dilan Amin and Klaus Tange. (Available online.)
(Sundance Institute) Sandrine Pinna, left, and Guo Xiao Dong co-star in director Flora Lau's "Luz," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the World Cinema Dramatic competition.
“Sukkwan Island” • (France) A 13-year-old boy spends a formative year with his father on a remote island in the Norwegian fjords as a chance to connect becomes a test of survival. The cast includes Swann Arlaud, Woody Norman, Alma Pöysti, Ruaridh Mollica and Tuppence Middleton. Written and directed by Vladimir de Fontenay. (Available online.)
”The Things You Kill” • (Turkey, France, Poland, Canada) After his ailing mother dies under suspicious circumstances, a professor talks his gardener into committing an act of vengeance. Written and directed by Alireza Khatami; the cast includes Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü and Ercan Kesal. (Available online.)
“Two Women” • (Canada) Director Chloé Robichaud and screenwriter Catherine Léger tell the stories of two women: Violette, who’s having a difficult maternity leave, and Florence, who’s dealing with depression — and her first infidelity. Laurence Leboeuf and Karine Gonthier-Hyndman play Violette and Florence; the cast also includes Félix Moati, Mani Soleymanlou, Sophie Nelisse and Juliette Gariépy. (Available online.)
“The Virgin of Quarry Lake” • (Argentina, Spain, Mexico) Three teens outside Buenos Aires in 2001 are all in love with Diego — and jealousy and magic play a part in what happens next. Directed by Laura Casabé and written by Benjamin Naishtat, the cast includes Dolores Oliverio, Luisa Merelas, Fernanda Echevarría, Dady Brieva and Agustín Sosa. (Available online.)
“Where the Wind Comes From” • (Tunisia, France, Qatar) A rebellious 19-year-old girl and an introverted 23-year-old man, who use their imagination to escape their harsh reality, find out about a contest in southern Tunisia that could allow them to flee for good. Eya Bellagha and Slim Baccar play the leads. Written and directed by Ael Guellaty. (Available online.)
World Cinema Documentary competition
(Sundance Institute) Stand-up comedian and activist Noam Shuster Eliassi is the subject of director Amber Fares' "Coexistence, My Ass!," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the World Cinema Documentary competition.
“Coexistence, My Ass!” • (U.S., France) Director Amber Fares captures the work of comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi, as she tours her one-woman show about the struggle for equality in Israel and Palestine — challenging her audience with hard truths about the attempted coexistence she’s worked toward her whole life. Rachel Leah Jones and Rabab Haj Yahya are credited as screenwriters. (Available online.)
“Cutting Through Rocks (یولالر اوزاک)” • (Iran, Germany, U.S., Netherlands, Qatar, Chile, Canada) Directors Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyn introduce audiences to Sara Shahverdi, the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, who aims to break patriarchal traditions by stopping child marriages and training teen girls to ride motorcycles. But she faces turmoil when accusations are made that she intends to empower the girls. (Available online.)
“The Dating Game” • (U.S., U.K., Norway) Director Violet Du Feng goes to China, where eligible men outnumber women by a wide margin, to follow three longtime bachelors at an intensive weeklong dating camp — led by one of China’s most sought-after dating coaches. (Available online.)
“Endless Cookie” • (Canada) The writing-directing team of Seth and Peter Scriver made this animated documentary, telling stories about two half brothers — one Indigenous, one white — that go from 1980s Toronto to present day in the isolated First Nation community of Shamattawa. (Available online.)
“GEN_” • (France, Italy, Switzerland) Dr. Bini sees patients at a public hospital in Milan, where he specializes in helping parents with in vitro fertilization and people reconciling their bodies with their gender identities — all under a conservative government and a market eager to commodify bodies. Directed by Gianluca Matarrese, who co-wrote the film with Donatella Della Ratta. (Available online.)
(Sundance Institute) An image from "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," directed by David Borestein and Pavel Talankin, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the World Cinema Documentary competition.
“How to Build a Library” • (Kenya) In Nairobi, two women decide to turn what used to be a whites-only library before 1958 into a cultural hub — dealing with local politics, fundraising and the ghosts of Kenya’s colonial past. Husband-and-wife filmmakers Christopher King and Maia Lekow directed the film and co-wrote it with Ricardo Acosta. (Available online.)
“Khartoum” • (Sudan, U.K., Germany, Qatar) Five citizens of Khartoum, Sudan, reenact the stories of their survival when they fled for East Africa following the outbreak of civil war. Directed by Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy Ahmad, Timeea Mohamed Ahmed and Phil Cox; Cox is credited as screenwriter. (Available online.)
“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” • (Denmark, Czech Republic) Pasha, a teacher, goes undercover at his own school to uncover what happened in Russia’s hinterlands at the start of that country’s invasion of Ukraine — and schools there became recruitment stages for war. Directed and written by David Borenstein. (Available online.)
“Prime Minister” • (U.S.) A profile of Jacinda Ardern, former prime minister of New Zealand, spanning her five years in power and after. Directed by Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz. (Available online.)
“2000 Meters to Andriivka” • (Ukraine) Director Mstyslav Chernov returns to Sundance, two years after “20 Days in Mariupol” — his look at the first days of the war in Ukraine — won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in this category before going on to win the Oscar. It’s another story from inside that war, following a Ukrainian platoon working to traverse 1 mile in a heavily fortified forest to liberate a strategic village from Russian occupation, amid the realization that the war may never end. (Available online.)
‘Next’ category — for offbeat, smaller-budgeted movies
(Jac Martinez | BLKNWS/Sundance Institute) Funmilayo Akechuwku appears in director Kahlil Joseph's "BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Next program.
“BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions” • The ongoing “BLKNWS” project culminates in this feature film, about a West African curator and scholar whose magnum opus leads her to the heart of the Atlantic Ocean with a journalist in tow. Directed by Kahlil Joseph and written by Saidiya Hartman and Irvin Hunt, the movie features Shaunette Renée Wilson, Kaneza Schaal, Hope Giselle, Peter Hernandez, Penny Johnson Jerald and Zora Casebere. (Available online.)
“By Design” • A woman swaps bodies with a chair, and people like her better as a chair, in this satire by writer-director Amanda Kramer. The cast features Juliette Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Melanie Griffith, Samantha Mathis, Robin Tunney and Udo Kier. (Available online.)
“East of Wall” • Tabatha, a rebellious young horse trainer, deals with financial problems and unresolved grief after her husband’s death — so she takes in wayward teens to her broken-down ranch in the badlands, in writer-director Kate Beecroft’s drama. Tabatha Zimiga plays the lead; the cast includes Porshia Zimiga, Scoot McNairy and Jennifer Ehle. (Available online.)
“Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)” • Rico spends his summer chasing girls and selling homemade cocktails out of a cooler in The Bronx — until his teen girlfriend, Destiny moves in with his family. Written and directed by Joel Alfonso Vargas. The cast is led by Juan Collado and Destiny Checo, and features Yohanna Florentino and Nathaly Navarro. (Available online.)
(Pete Ohs | Sundance Institute) Albert Birney stars in and directed "OBEX," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Next program.
“OBEX” • Albert Birney directed, co-wrote (with Pete Ohs) and stars in this story about a guy who has to enter a new computer game to bring back his missing dog. Also starring Callie Hernandez and Frank Mosley. Birney co-directed “Strawberry Mansion” (SFF ‘21). (Available online.)
“Rains Over Babel” • (Colombia, U.S., Spain) In a modern take on “Dante’s Inferno,” purgatory is a dive bar called Babel, where La Flaca — the Grim Reaper — presides, as misfit souls gamble years of their life, daring to outwit Death herself. Directed and written by Gala del Sol, the movie’s cast is led by Saray Rebolledo as La Flaca, and features Felipe Aguilar Rodríguez, John Alex Castillo, William Hurtado, Santiago Pineda and Celina Biurrun. (Available online.)
“Serious People” • Directed and written by Pasqual Gutierrez and Ben Mullinkosson, this movie stars Gutierrez as a music-video director whose partner is about to have a baby — so, to restore his work-life balance, he hires a doppelgänger to work in his place. Also starring Christine Yuan, Miguel Huerta and Raul Sanchez. (Available online.)
“Zodiac Killer Project” • (U.S., U.K.) A filmmaker looks at his abandoned film, a documentary on the “Zodiac Killer,” taking an insider’s look at the true-crime genre as it’s hitting the saturation point. Directed by Charlie Shackleton. (Available online.)
‘Premieres’ category — with bigger budgets and stars
(Sundance Institute) Saleh Bakri, left, and Cherien Dabis appear in "All That's Left of You," directed by Dabis, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Premieres program.
“All That’s Left of You (منك باقي اللي)” • (Germany, Cyprus) A Palestinian teen confronts Israeli soldiers at a West Bank protest — leading the boy’s mother to recount what happened to lead up to that moment, starting with his grandfather’s forced displacement. Writer-director Cherien Dabis stars in this drama, which also features Saleh Bakri, Adam Bakri, Mohammad Bakri, Maria Zreik and Muhammad Abed Elrahman. Dabis previously brought her films “Amreeka” (2009) and “May in the Summer” (2013) to Sundance.
“April & Amanda” • Zackary Drucker directed this documentary, which follows two women with conflicting legacies: April Ashley, a model and activist who embraced her transgender history; and Amanda Lear, a French singer and TV personality who denied and obfuscated her history for decades.
“The Ballad of Wallis Island” • (U.K.) An eccentric man uses his lottery winnings to get his favorite band back together for a private show at his home — but old tensions threaten to derail the big gig. Writers Tom Basden and Tim Key star in the film, which also features Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen and Carey Mulligan. Directed by James Griffiths.
“Come See Me in the Good Light” • In director Ryan White’s funny and poignant documentary, two poets, Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, talk about love, life and mortality, when one of them gets a diagnosis of incurable cancer.
“Deaf President Now!” • Directors Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim take viewers back to 1988, when four students led a revolt at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. — the world’s only deaf university. Apple Films announced Tuesday that it landed the distribution rights. DiMarco was the first deaf winner on both “America’s Next Top Model” and “Dancing With the Stars.” Guggenheim is a Sundance regular, having brought “An Inconvenient Truth” (2006), “Waiting for Superman” (2010) and “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (2023) to the festival. (Available online.)
(Jeff Beatty | Sundance Institute) Student activists Tim Rarus, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Greg Hlibok, Jerry Covell, from left, lead a protest at Washington, D.C., Gallaudet University in 1988, in the documentary "Deaf President Now!," directed by Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Premieres program.
“Folktales” • (U.S., Norway) Teens go to a traditional folk high school in Norway, within the Arctic Circle, relying only on each other and their sled dogs. Directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady premiered the documentaries “12th and Delaware” (2010), “Detropia” (2012) and “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” (2016) at Sundance. Ewing’s narrative debut, “I Carry You With Me,” premiered at Sundance in 2020.
“Free Leonard Peltier” • This documentary chronicles the efforts of Indigenous activists to end the prison sentence of American Indian Movement member Leonard Peltier, convicted in the deaths of two FBI agents in 1975. Directed by Jesse Short Bull and David France; the latter directed the AIDS documentary “How to Survive a Plague” (SFF ‘12).
“Heightened Scrutiny” • A profile of Chase Strangio, the American Civil Liberties Union attorney who battles anti-trans legislation in court and media bias at large. (Strangio in early December became the first openly transgender lawyer to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.) Director Sam Feder premiered “Disclosure” at Sundance in 2020. (Available online.)
“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” • A woman must deal with her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist, in writer-director Mary Bronstein’s comedy-drama. Rose Byrne leads the cast, which includes A$AP Rocky, Conan O’Brien, Daniel Macdonald, Ivy Wolk and Daniel Zolghardri.
“It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” • The brief life of singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, who died in 1997 after having released only one album, is captured in this documentary through never-before-seen footage, voice messages and interviews with those close to him. Directed by Amy Berg (“West of Memphis,” SFF ‘12; “Prophet’s Prey,” about Warren Jeffs, SFF ‘15).
“Jimpa” • (Australia, Netherlands, Finland) Olivia Colman stars as Hannah, who takes her nonbinary teen, Frances, to Amsterdam to visit their gay grandfather, known as Jimpa. But when Frances wants to stay with Jimpa for a year abroad, Hannah must confront old stories from her past, as well as her beliefs about parenting. John Lithgow plays Jimpa; Aud Mason-Hyde plays Frances. Directed by Sophie Hyde, who co-wrote with Matthew Cormack; Hyde directed “52 Tuesdays,” which premiered at Sundance in 2013.
(Mark De Blok | Sundance Institute) John Lithgow, left, and Olivia Colman star in director Sophie Hyde's "Jimpa," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Premieres program.
“Kiss of the Spider Woman” • A movie based on the Broadway musical, itself based on the 1985 movie, is set in a South American prison — where Valentin, a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina, a gay man convicted of public indecency. Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical, starring his favorite diva, Ingrid Luna (played by Jennifer Lopez). Diego Luna plays Molina, and Tonatiuh plays Valentin. The cast also includes Bruno Bichir, Josefina Scaglione, Aline Mayagoitia. Writer-director Bill Condon premiered his “Gods and Monsters” at Sundance in 1998, before directing “Dreamgirls,” as well as both parts of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” and Disney’s live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast.”
“Last Days” • In this drama based on a true story, 26-year-old John Allen Chau is determined to bring Christianity to the uncontacted tribe of North Sentinel Island, whatever the cost. Sky Yang plays Chau; the cast includes Radhika Apte, Naveen Andrews, Ken Leung, Toby Wallace and Ciara Bravo. Written by Ben Ripley, and directed by Justin Lin — who premiered his debut film, “Better Luck Tomorrow,” at Sundance in 2002, which launched a Hollywood career that includes five “Fast & Furious” movies and “Star Trek Beyond.”
“The Librarians” • This documentary follows librarians who have become defenders of intellectual freedom in the wake of book-banning in Texas, Florida and elsewhere. Director Kim A. Snyder has premiered two movies about school shootings at Sundance: “Newtown” in 2016 and “Us Kids” in 2020.
“Lurker” • Writer-director Alex Russell’s movie follows a retail employee who infiltrates the entourage of a musician on the verge of stardom — and will do anything to stay there. The cast includes Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, Zach Fox and Daniel Zolghadri.
“Magic Farm” • (Argentina, U.S.) A film crew travels to Argentina to profile a local musician. When they realize they’re in the wrong country, they work with locals to fabricate a trend to justify the trip — without recognizing a looming health crisis looming. The cast includes Chloë Sevigny, Alex Wolff, Joe Apollonio, Camila del Campo and Simon Rex. Written and directed by Amalia Ulman, whose “El Planeta” debuted at Sundance 2021.
“Middletown” • Thirty years after teens, inspired by their teacher, made a student film uncovering a conspiracy involving toxic waste-poisoning their community, the filmmakers revisit the film and its legacy in this documentary. Directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine premiered “Boys State” at Sundance in 2020.
“Move Ya Body: The Birth of House” • A documentary about how a global music movement started with friends at underground dance clubs on Chicago’s South Side. Written and directed by Elegance Bratton, who told his own story of Marine boot camp in 2022′s “The Inspection.”
“Oh, Hi!” • Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman play Iris and Isaac, whose first romantic weekend getaway goes wrong. Co-starring Geraldine Viswanathan and John Reynolds. Directed by Sophie Brooks, who co-wrote with Gordon.
(Sundance Institute) Logan Lerman, left, and Molly Gordon star in director Sophie Brooks' romantic comedy "Oh, Hi!," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Premieres program.
“Peter Hujar’s Day” • This drama looks at New York’s downtown art scene, circa 1974, through a recently discovered discussion between photographer Peter Hujar and his friend, Linda Rosenkrantz. Ben Whishaw plays Peter; Rebecca Hall plays Linda. Writer-director Ira Sachs grew up in Park City (his dad owned The Yarrow hotel); he’s premiered several movies at Sundance, including the Grand Jury Prize winners “The Delta” (1997) and “Forty Shades of Blue” (2005).
“Rebuilding” • The title describes what a rancher tries to do after a wildfire takes the family farm. Starring Josh O’Connor (“Challengers”), the movie also features Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy, Kali Reis and Amy Madigan. Written and directed by Max Walker-Silverman, whose “A Love Song” premiered at Sundance in 2022.
“Sally” • A documentary that traces the life of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space — told through the story of her partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaughnessy, whose relationship Ride kept secret for years. Director Cristina Costantini’s previous Sundance movies are “Science Fair” (2018) and “Mucho Mucho Amor” (2020). “Sally” is the recipient of the 2025 Alfred P. Sloan Award, given to a movie about science or scientists.
“Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” • In 2021, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award with his musical documentary “Summer of Soul,” which later won an Oscar. Thompson returns with this documentary about the life and legacy of the groundbreaking Sly & The Family Stone and its enigmatic leader — and the troubles faced by Black artists in America.
“The Thing with Feathers” • (U.K.) Benedict Cumberbatch stars as a father trying to process his wife’s unexpected death, and the seemingly malign presence stalking him. The cast includes Richard Boxall, Henry Boxall, Eric Lampaert, Vinette Robinson and Sam Spruell. Written and directed by Dylan Southern, who directed the LCD Soundsystem documentary “Shut Up and Play the Hits,” which premiered at Sundance in 2012.
“Train Dreams” • Joel Edgerton plays Robert Grainier, a day laborer building America’s railroads in the early 1900s, experiencing love and defeat and the world changing before his eyes. The cast includes Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon and William H. Macy. Director Clint Bentley, who adapted Denis Johnson’s novella with Greg Kwedar, premiered his first movie, “Jockey,” at Sundance 2021. “Train Dreams” has been selected to be the Salt Lake Celebration film, with its first screening in Salt Lake City on Jan. 24..
“The Wedding Banquet” • In this remake of director Ang Lee’s 1993 comedy, “Saturday Night Live’s” Bowen Yang plays Min, a gay Taiwanese American who needs a green card — so he agrees to pay a lesbian friend to marry her, so her partner can get IVF treatments. When Min’s grandmother arrives unexpectedly from Korea, a simple business transaction gets complicated. Kelly Marie Tran and Lily Gladstone play the lesbian couple; the cast also includes Han Gi-chan, Joan Chen and Youn Yuh-jung. Director Andrew Ahn co-wrote the script with James Schamus, who co-wrote the original. Ahn also directed “Spa Night” (SFF ‘16).
‘Midnight’ category — for horror and other genres
(Rhayne Vermette | Sundance Institute) Director Grace Glowicki plays a gravedigger in "Dead Lover," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Midnight program.
“Dead Lover” • (Canada) A gravedigger finds her dream man, but when he dies at sea, she goes to improbable lengths to resurrect him through science. Screenwriters Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie play the lead characters, and Glowicki directed. The cast also includes Leah Doz and Lowen Morrow.
“Didn’t Die” • A podcast host tries to hang on to her audience, which is shrinking because of the zombie apocalypse. The cast includes Kiran Deol, George Basil, Samrat Chakrabarti, Katie McCuen and Vishal Vijayakumar. Director Meera Menon, who co-wrote with Paul Gleason, also directed the financial thriller “Equity” (SFF ‘16).
“Opus” • Ayo Edibiri (“The Bear”) plays a writer who’s invited to the compound of a long-missing pop legend — and soon learns about his twisted plans. John Malkovich plays the pop star; the cast includes Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett and Amber Midthunder. Written and directed by Mark Anthony Green.
“Rabbit Trap” • (U.K.) Dev Patel and Rosy McEwen play married musicians who move to a remote house in Wales, where their music sets off some local ancient folk magic — and a nameless child comes to their door. It also stars Jade Croot. Written and directed by Bryn Chainey.
(Andreas Johannessen | Sundance Institute) Dev Patel stars in director Bryn Chainey's "Rabbit Trap," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Midnight program.
“Together” • (Australia, U.S.) Real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco play a couple whose relationship is already strained by a move to the country. There, they have a supernatural encounter that has an effect on their love and their flesh. Also starring Damon Herriman. Written and directed by Michael Shanks.
“Touch Me” • Codependent best friends develop an addiction to the touch of an alien narcissist, who might — or might not — be trying to take over the world. Written and directed by Addison Heimann, the movie features Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jordan Gavaris, Marlene Forte and Paget Brewster.
“The Ugly Stepsister” • (Norway) Beauty gets brutal in this fairy-tale kingdom, as Elvira goes to great lengths to battle her beautiful stepsister to catch the attention of the prince. Written and directed by Emilie Blichfeldt, the movie features Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, Flo Fagerli, Isac Calmroth and Malte Gårdinger.
Episodic
(Sundance Institute) Two teen friends with differing political views are featured in the docuseries "Bucks County, USA," directed by Robert May, Barry Levinson and Jason Sosnoff, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Episodic program.
“Bucks County, USA” • A five-part documentary series that follows Evi and Vanessa, 14-year-old best friends in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — who, despite their opposing political beliefs, fight to discover the humanity of “the other side.” The festival will screen the first two episodes, directed by Barry Levinson (“Rain Man”) and Robert May.
“Hal & Harper” • Hal, Harper and Dad chart the evolution of their family, in this eight-episode series; the first four episodes will screen in theaters, while the full series can be seen on Sundance’s online portal. The cast includes Lili Reinhart, Mark Ruffalo, Betty Gilpin, Havana Rose Liu, Addison Timlin and Alyah Chanelle Scott. The series is directed by Cooper Raiff, whose comedy-drama “Cha Cha Real Smooth” premiered at Sundance 2022.
“Pee-wee as Himself” • A two-part documentary for HBO, screened at Sundance in its entirety, features interviews with the late artist and performer Paul Reubens, talking about his alter ego, Pee-wee Herman. Directed by Matt Wolf.
Episodic Pilot Showcase • Three titles:
• “Bulldozer,” directed by Andrew Leeds, written by and starring Joanna Leeds, playing a woman lurching from self-inflicted crisis to crisis. The cast includes Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Harvey Guillen, Allen Leech and Kate Burton. (Available online.)
• “Chasers,” directed by Erin Brown Thomas and written by Thomas and Ciarra Krohne, who stars as an aspiring musician pursuing her crush at a Los Angeles house party. The cast includes Louie Chapman, Keana Marie, Shannon Gisela, Brooke Maroon, Xan Churchwell. (Available online.)
• “Never Get Busted” (Australia), a documentary about Barry Cooper, a former Texas narcotics cop who turned on the force by busting crooked officers and teaching drug users how to hide their stash. The showrunners are David Anthony Ngo and Erin Williams-Weir.
‘Spotlight’ — for movies that premiered at other festivals
(Ben Ross Photography | Sundance Institute) John Lennon and Yoko Ono are the subjects of director Kevin Macdonald's documentary "One to One: John & Yoko," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the Spotlight program.
“April” • (Georgia) Nina is an obstetrician at a hospital in eastern Georgia with a secret side job: visiting village homes to provide unsanctioned abortions. That double life is threatened when an infant dies during a hospital delivery, and the father demands an inquiry into her methods. Starring Ia Sukhitashvili and Kakha Kintsurashvili. The drama, by writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September.
“One to One: John & Yoko” • (U.K.) Director Kevin Macdonald explores an 18-month span in the lives of married musicians John Lennon and Yoko Ono, living in New York’s Greenwich Village in the early 1970s. The movie also premiered at Venice in September.
Family Matinee — formerly the ‘Kids’ program
(A24) Helena Zengel stars in director Isaiah Saxon's "The Legend of Ochi," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, as a Family Matinee screening.
“The Legend of Ochi” • Yuri, a farm girl in a remote village on an island, has been raised to fear the Ochi. But when she finds a wounded baby Ochi that has been left behind, an adventure begins to bring him home. The cast includes Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson and Willem Dafoe. Directed and written by Isaiah Saxon.
Special Screenings
(Sundance Institute) Julian Assange is the subject of director Eugene Jarecki's documentary "The Six Billion Dollar Man," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, as a Special Screening entry.
“The Six Billion Dollar Man” • A documentary about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who was facing 175 years in prison before the case took a turn. Directed by Eugene Jarecki, whose “Why We Fight” won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2005. (Available online.)
From the Collection — classic independent films, restored
(Sundance Institute) An image from Gregory Nava's 1983 immigrant drama "El Norte," an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, in the From the Collection program.
“El Norte” • Writer-director Gregory Nava’s landmark 1983 drama, which follows two Indigenous siblings fleeing civil war in Guatemala and heading north to the U.S. for a chance at survival. The cast includes Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez, David Villalpando, Ernesto Gómez Cruz, Lupe Ontiveros, Trinidad Silva and Alicia del Lago. The screening will feature a 4K digital restoration from the original negative.
“Unzipped” • Director Douglas Keeve’s 1995 documentary captures designer Isaac Mizrahi as he tries to create and show his fall 1994 collection. The movie features appearances by iconic supermodels Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista. The screening will feature a new digital restoration from a 4K scan of the 35mm interpositive and DA-88 audio files.
