Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck reflect on their early days at the Sundance Film Festival, recalling the excitement of being newcomers in 2004. Their short film, “Gowanus, Brooklyn,” not only won an award but also garnered enough support to develop the feature version, “Half Nelson,” which later earned Ryan Gosling an Oscar nomination.
“I remember being like, oh my God, this festival has been around 20 years, it’s such an old festival,” Boden reminisced. “Now it’s 20 years later, and we’re the old people.”
In an interview with The Associated Press, Boden expressed the relativity of the term “old” at Sundance, a discovery festival where emerging directors have the opportunity to make a breakthrough. Boden and Fleck, like many other Sundance alumni, have moved on to larger projects, such as their work on “Captain Marvel.”
Their latest film, “Freaky Tales,” a tribute to Fleck’s hometown, Oakland, in the 1980s, is set to debut on the opening night of the 40th edition of the festival at the Eccles Theater. Featuring Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Dominique Thorne, and Ben Mendelsohn, the film is described by Boden as a “movie lover’s movie” with a blend of reality and fantasy.
The festival’s first day also premieres several high-profile documentaries, including Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine’s “Girls State,” Yance Ford’s “Power,” and “Frida,” directed by Carla Gutiérrez. In “Frida,” Gutiérrez utilizes Kahlo’s own words from her diary and letters to provide an intimate and raw portrayal of the iconic artist.
Gutiérrez, an immigrant and former art student, expressed her admiration for Frida Kahlo, stating, “Uncovering her own words and her own voice, I think what we’re presenting is a new way of getting into her world and in her mind and her heart and really understanding the art in a more intimate, raw way.”
The festival lineup includes a variety of anticipated documentaries, such as “Daughters,” “Gaucho Gaucho,” “Sue Bird: In the Clutch,” “DEVO,” “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” “Seeking Mavis Beacon,” and “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
Celebrities expected to attend Sundance this year include Kristen Stewart, Saoirse Ronan, Kieran Culkin, Sebastian Stan, Glen Powell, Woody Harrelson, Steven Yeun, Lucy Liu, Danielle Deadwyler, Aubrey Plaza, Melissa Barrera, and Laura Linney.
Chiwetel Ejiofor will present his sophomore feature, “Rob Peace,” a biographical drama about the short life of a brilliant kid from East Orange, New Jersey. Ejiofor expressed his excitement, saying, “It’s a dream to take this film there as well. It’s an American story, it’s an independent film, and it wants to sit in that world.”
Sundance programmers meticulously selected 83 feature films from 17,435 submissions, showcasing a diverse mix of behind-the-camera talent. The lineup includes new episodic projects from Debra Granik and Richard Linklater, along with 31 feature debuts.
First-time director Carla Gutiérrez and acclaimed contemporary artist Titus Kaphar, making his narrative debut with “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” are among those presenting their work. Kaphar, expressing his gratitude, said, “My favorite films are Sundance films. To be allowed into this new community of artists, a community of directors and filmmakers… it’s pretty extraordinary.”
Jesse Eisenberg, a Sundance regular since “The Squid and the Whale,” brings his film, “A Real Pain,” which explores modern pain versus historical pain. Eisenberg wrote and directed the film, emphasizing its humor and lightness.
Sundance, founded by Robert Redford, is celebrating its 40th anniversary by honoring the art that has emerged over the decades. The “all-time top 10” list includes classics like Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Blood Simple,” Soderbergh’s “sex, lies and videotape,” Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” and Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash.”
Festival director Eugene Hernandez acknowledged the vibrancy in this year’s lineup, reminiscent of the festival’s early days in the 1990s. “It’s such a rich, rich combination of films that I think exhibit some really wild and adventurous creativity,” Hernandez commented. “That is really nourishing in a year when we’re acknowledging and marking this 40th edition of Sundance.”
The Sundance Film Festival will run from Jan. 18 through Jan. 28, offering audiences a diverse array of films and celebrating four decades of groundbreaking cinema.
