Sundance Film Festival found its way back to Park City for the first time since 2020 this year, and by all accounts had a stellar year. The festival prioritized in-person attendance, while also allowing virtual screenings for both patrons and journalists.
The festival had a number of stand-out films. Some of these were celebrated during its award ceremony on January 27th, while others garnered buzz in other ways. Word of mouth (and tandem theater openings) helped films like Brandon Cronenberg’s “Infinity Pool,” while films like “Fair Play” and “Flora and Sun” started bidding wars, with the former securing a $20 million Netflix buy.
You can read a full list of Sundance Film Festival award winners, in all categories, here.
You can also read a full list of all films covered by The Movie Buff here.
Below, we list our six favorite films at the festival. Thanks to all our readers for joining us, and we hope to be back here next year. (Note: films are not arranged in any particular order).
1. ‘Infinity Pool’ (Dir. Brandon Cronenberg)
After watching Brandon Cronenberg’s debut film, “Antiviral,” I knew he would showcase a unique vision onto a medium mostly filled with dumbed-down action blockbusters that lack panache or creativity. His latest work, “Infinity Pool,” is not only another stylized horror picture but a madhouse of depraved body horror and psychological delights worthy of his surname.
I know this film will divide audiences because of its depictions of sadism, fixation, and dominance in raw yet hallucinogenic fashions. However, I enjoyed it in boatloads. “Infinity Pool” has plenty of meat to chew on as the satirical (yes, it is a hilarious picture) takedowns of the uber-rich through fractured minds, bodies, and souls provide the audience with moments of introspective contemplation and analysis. And if you don’t want to dwell on its thematics, you can have fun with a campy and all-entertaining performance by Mia Goth, who demonstrates she’s our generation’s horror queen. A large group of people won’t be up to experience the luscious madhouse Brandon Cronenberg is showcasing. This is a film for all of the sickos, and I am one of them. (Our review).
2. ‘Passages’ (Dir. Ira Sachs)
Thanks to Ira Sachs’ empathetic and wistful screenplay, as well as the magnetic performances by its excellent triad of European acting forces in Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogwoski, and Adèle Exarchopoulos, “Passages” ends up being one of the best films at the festival.
It was quite a surprise that this managed to be so all-intriguing and heartbreaking. It is a tale you may have seen before, a thorny love triangle drama that explores the reasonings behind the relationships’ fractures. However, what makes this film stand out is the element of a man unable to separate reality from fiction – the people in his life not following the script written in his head. Sachs’ latest is wiser than one might initially expect; don’t expect monotonous or formulaic narrative decisions. Yes, it might be a bit messy on some occasions, but that same messiness that’s attached to its narrative makes it grounded in our nature. (Our review).
3. ‘A Still Small Voice’ (Dir. Luke Lorentzen)
The best documentary I saw at Sundance was Luke Lorentzen’s “A Still Small Voice.” Although the subject of this film had a profession that I didn’t know much about, the final product is captivating. It is a meditation on faith, loss, and professional sustainability during one of the most challenging times in recent memory, the dread-filled and claustrophobic pandemic.
Lorentzen’s latest is impactful in its respectful and empathetic portrayal of its two main subjects. There’s beauty and heartbreak in understanding their decisions and struggles to comfort their patients and co-workers. How can they comfort others when they can’t even have someone to do it for them? This question pops up in your mind and stays after you finish watching it. It happens to all of us during our times of frustration, and that’s why I keep thinking about “A Still Small Voice” days after the credits roll. (Our review).
4. ‘Fair Play’ (Dir. Chloe Domont)
“Fair Play” received a lot of buzz at the festival — all deserved — and the Chloe Domonot-directed film was subsequently picked up by Netflix for $20 million. The film is a meditation on sexism in both the workplace and in relationships, anchored by knockout performances by its leads, Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich.
What works about the film is the dynamite script — which pits Dynevor and Ehrenreich against each other in a slow, systematic way that devolves after Dynevor’s Emily is promoted at their cutthroat hedge fund company instead of Luke. The film explores the un-empathetic world of finance alongside a decaying relationship that neither suspected was sexist until the promotion. Critics such as Owen Gliberman have pointed out the post #metoo themes present throughout; but the film’s real gem is Domont’s portrayal of sexism. It’s ugly and hard to bear, and she lets us know it. (Our review).
5. ‘Shayda’ (Dir. Noori Niasari)
“Shayda” is another hard yet necessary watch, directed splendidly by Noori Niasari. It centers on a mother, the titular Shayda, who seeks refuge in a women’s domestic violence shelter to attempt and leave her husband, the controlling and abusive Hossein.
The film works by showing us an insight into Shayda (played wonderfully by Zar Amir-Ebrahimi) and her daughter (the magnificent Selina Zahednia). It also shows us a sneak-peek into Persian culture, celebrated richly by mother and daughter (and later, other members of the shelter). It deals with themes of casual racism and control; Osamah Sami, who plays Hossein, is particularly scary at times, and lets us know exactly what Shayda is escaping. But under it all, “Shayda” (based on real events Director Niasari experienced) lets us feel hope, and through Zahednia, innocence. It’s a powerful tribute to the strength of a woman reclaiming her life, and a powerful, touching film. (Our review).
6. ‘Shirampari: Legacies of the River’ (Dir. Lucia Flórez)
Unprecedented, but I’m going to do it. A selection of the ‘Documentary Short’ program, “Shirampari: Legacies of the River,” was one of my favorite films at Sundance. The film, directed by Lucia Flórez, is a solid look at an Ashéninka father and son in the Peruvian Amazon, and a wonderful coming-of-age tale that feels still, private, and, best of all, unchaperoned.
At 15 minutes, “Legacies of the River” lets us into the life of Ricky and his father as the latter teaches the former how to catch catfish from the river. The documentary is unique in that it is devoid of narration: the camera will often just sit and watch, letting us listen to conversations between father and son that are private, personal, and un-sanitized. The best parts of the doc shows their bond, while other parts show the danger of diving into the Amazon with a huge fishing hook attached to stick. A catfish catch is awe-inspiring to see (it’s enormous), and the doc exhibits a stillness and calm that makes you feel part of its way of life. I truly hope this documentary finds its way to a release of some kind, as it’s insightful and worth the time. (Our review).
We congratulate all the films that participated in this year’s Sundance, and look forward to next year, more film, and more celebration of cinema. For more information on Sundance Film Festival, visit https://www.sundance.org/
Note: article written by Mark Ziobro and Hector Gonzales.
