Thursday, January 18th marks the opening of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival which runs in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah until January 28th, as well as online US-wide for the last four days of the festival. The 40th annual edition will showcase 91 features, 53 shorts, and eight episodics, with 32 works made by filmmakers who identify as LGBTQ+.
Here we take a look at some of the LGBTQ+ highlights at the upcoming festival, largely focusing on projects that feature LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or narratives, as well as the talks, panel conversations, and events featuring LGBTQ+ artists and creators. While discovering some exciting emerging queer voices, Sundance 2024 will also revisit gems from the past including Rob Epstein’s The Times of Harvey Milk (which premiered at the first festival in 1985), Dee Rees’ Pariah, and Rose Troche’s Go Fish, as part of its 40th anniversary celebration screening and events program. There’s also new work by festival alum such as Esteban Arango, Jane Schoenbrun, Yance Ford, and Angalis Field.
U.S. Dramatic Competition:
Ponyboi – directed by Esteban Arango
Unfolding over the course of Valentine’s Day in New Jersey, a young intersex sex worker must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways, forcing him to confront his past.
Ponyboi bursts off the screen in this bombastic, edgy, and campy roller-coaster ride of a film. Flipping the script on the LGBTQIA+ return home tale and the classic Jersey mobster saga, this neon-soaked story is not only full of action but also pure moments of tenderness. Complicated and hilarious, Ponyboi’s journey exposes a kaleidoscope of ways humanity is sugary sweet under hard surfaces. Backdrops of laundromats, diners, and the Jersey Shore create a heightened sense of place and time that is at once precisely transportative and fantastically imaginary.
Director Esteban Arango returns to the Sundance after his feature film debut in 2020 with Blast Beat. His signature liveliness, energy, and Latinx lens are present and blossoming in this sophomore effort. Writer, producer, and lead actor River Gallo delivers a thrilling performance and a ripe emotional foundation that absolutely sings. Arango and Gallo’s creative collaboration is as entertaining as it is emotionally graceful.—Ash Hoyle
Screens in person January 20, 21, 24, & 25. Also available online January 25–28.
Stress Positions – directed by Theda Hammel
Terry Goon is keeping strict quarantine in his ex-husband’s Brooklyn brownstone while caring for his nephew — a 19-year-old model from Morocco named Bahlul — bedridden in a full leg cast after an electric scooter accident. Unfortunately for Terry, everyone in his life wants to meet the model.
Stress Positions is as much a finely tuned time capsule of the frantic fear and formative power of the pandemic as it is a road map out of dark places guided by a profound humanity. A careful balance between a consistent, razor-sharp humor and the development of a distinctive cinematic tone creates a particular mood and energy that is not easily forgotten.
Returning to Sundance after her 2022 appearance as writer-director and star of the Episodic My Trip to Spain, Theda Hammel once again proves herself to be a prolific powerhouse with her directorial debut. Hammel’s clever script, energetic performance, confident directorial style, and beautifully crafted score come together in an exciting whirl of charisma and social commentary. John Early (at Sundance with My Trip to Spain in 2022 and Save Yourselves! in 2020) delivers a hilariously tense performance among a talented young cast. Stress Positions at once ratchets up raw nerves and also helps us release them.—Ash Hoyle
Screens in person January 18, 19, 21, & 25. Also available online January 25–28.
NEXT:
Desire Lines – directed by Jules Rosskam
Past and present collide when an Iranian American trans man time-travels through an LGBTQ+ archive on a dizzying and erotic quest to unravel his own sexual desires.
Leading trans academic and scholar Jules Rosskam makes his Sundance debut with this daring, sexy exploration of the interdependence of gender expression and sexuality. Deploying a hybrid approach, Rosskam blends a deeply intellectual interrogation of the archive, a sharp erotic imagination, and a series of breathtakingly intimate interviews to create this layered document of transmasculine sexuality and its profoundly social roots and ripples.
Executive producer (and frequent advisor to the Sundance Institute’s Native Labs) Jennifer Reeder returns to Sundance after her 2015 short A Million Miles Away. Lead performers Theo Germaine (of 2019 Sundance Indie Episodic breakout Work in Progress) and Aden Hakimi share a cerebral and physical chemistry that enlivens and enriches this examination. Desire Lines is an urgently needed contribution to a sociopolitical landscape in desperate need of empathy, understanding, levity, and freedom.—Ash Hoyle
Screens in person January 18, 22, 23, 25, & 26. Also available online January 25–28.
Midnight:
Love Lies Bleeding – directed by Rose Glass
Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.
Following her critically acclaimed first feature Saint Maud, Rose Glass makes her Sundance debut with a bombastic, larger-than-life sophomore effort. An off-the-wall, rambunctious lesbian love story crashes into a family drama of the darkest ilk in this muscular thriller. As a small-town gym and a ravine just outside city limits become the playground for all flavors of mischief and mayhem, a heightened Americana sensibility and Glass’ deliciously distinctive, bold style create a world that is at once familiar and entirely fresh. Helmed by Sundance regular Kristen Stewart (who also stars in Love Me in this year’s festival) and Katy O’Brian, Love Lies Bleeding is somehow as sweetly romantic about loyalty as it is doggedly hedonistic. With a vaulting imagination and its roots in deeply human places, this film packs a gut punch unlike any other.—Ash Hoyle
Screens in person January 20, 21, 22, 25, & 27.
I Saw the TV Glow – directed by Jane Schoenbrun
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
Writer-director Jane Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021 Sundance Film Festival) introduced us to a new genre of their own design: emo horror. Their follow-up feature builds upon that vibe, worming its way into the subconscious with an equally potent autopsy of reality versus fiction. As Owen, Justice Smith exudes a quiet vulnerability, while co-lead Brigette Lundy-Paine displays a confident yet awkward conviction. Schoenbrun has a knack for portraying the trappings of adolescent family life with nuance and a welcome ambiguity, freeing audience members to relate in a way that is best suited to their own experiences. I Saw the TV Glow forces us to consider whether the memories of our youth betrayed us, or if something more sinister is at play.—Adam Montgomery
Screens in person January 18, 19, 21, 23, & 27.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition:
Layla – directed by Amrou Al-Kadhi
When Layla, a struggling Arab drag queen, falls in love for the first time, they lose and find themself in a transformative relationship that tests who they really are.
Amrou Al-Kadhi’s propulsive direction shines alongside Bilal Hasna’s breakout performance, and while Layla, the character, may be going through some qualms about identity, the film itself is a proud queer love story — with all the complications involved. Under Al-Kadhi’s care, the audience is ushered into the sanctity of queer spaces, the nightclub and the beauty supply store, places for more than just entertainment, doors to a more embodied, honest existence, a home, an Eden of sorts. Al-Kadhi is unafraid to question who isn’t welcome in these spaces and the isolation one faces when certain demarcation becomes too clear to ignore. Layla is a tale of self-acceptance and community love, so come for some fun and boogie to all the club hits! There’s plenty of sparkle to go around.—AE
Screens in person January 18, 19, 20, 25, & 26. Also available online January 25–28.
Sebastian – directed by Mikko Mäkelä
Max, a 25-year-old aspiring writer living in London, begins a double life as a sex worker in order to research his debut novel.
In his assured sophomore feature, Finnish-British writer-director Mikko Mäkelä explores the transgressive power of queer sexuality and the transformative impact that can result from embracing a new identity. Far from simply informing his secretly autobiographical fiction writing, Max’s experiences as “Sebastian” awaken a deeper sense of self, unshackled from societal expectations. Ruaridh Mollica impresses in the lead role, embodying Max with an initially hesitant curiosity that blossoms into exhilaration and ease as he becomes subsumed within his nocturnal alias. Eschewing the sensationalism or moralizing that often accompanies stories of sex work, Sebastian instead offers a refreshing, sex-positive take in a film that ultimately celebrates the liberation that accompanies self-exploration.—Basil Tsiokos
Screens in person January 21, 22, 25, & 26. Also available online January 25–28.
Premieres:
Sue Bird: In The Clutch – directed by Sarah Dowland
In her 21-year professional career, WNBA basketball legend Sue Bird has won five Olympic gold medals and become the most successful point guard to ever play the game. Alongside her fiancée, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Sue confronts her next challenge: retiring from the only life she’s ever known.
A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Sue Bird achieved a powerful impact on the game of basketball. Navigating through adversity in the form of sexism, anti-LGBTQ+ prejudice, and racism toward many of her peers, she managed to forge a path for young women that previously didn’t exist. The lack of resources for women’s sports in the U.S. led Bird to spend her off-seasons playing in Russia, where, ironically, she received the recognition and equity that her male counterparts enjoyed back at home. Emmy and Peabody Award–winning documentarian Sarah Dowland gets to the heart of what makes Bird one of the greatest and most influential athletes the world has ever seen, both on and off the court.—Adam Montgomery
Screens in person January 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, & 27.
Look Into My Eyes – directed by Lana Wilson
A group of New York City psychics conduct deeply intimate readings for their clients, revealing a kaleidoscope of loneliness, connection, and healing.
Look Into My Eyes by Lana Wilson (Miss Americana, Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, The Departure) gives us an intimate view of psychics in New York City. Over a series of interviews and with a camera that is not afraid to get up close and personal, Wilson highlights the ins and outs of being a psychic and what that entails, while constructing a tender portrayal of the clients. A thoughtfully paced and oftentimes deeply personal piece, it unfolds the grief, turmoil, and loneliness that come along with being a human. On the flip side, the joys of gaining clarity, achieving closure, and even having a pet are experienced. Wilson’s truly masterful work with Look Into My Eyes cements her as a powerhouse documentary filmmaker.—BB
Screens in person January 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, & 28.
Will & Harper – directed by Josh Greenbaum
When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition, and America.
Will Ferrell and Harper Steele are humorously and lovingly vulnerable in director Josh Greenbaum’s latest documentary. Through the frame of a decades-long friendship (and the windshield of Harper’s Jeep), the pair reconnect in emotional and unexpected ways as they journey across middle America.
Layers of friendship are laid bare as Harper reenters once-safe spaces as her authentic self, reintroducing the eccentric yet earnest Will to the woman he’s always known. Their levity is reinforced and challenged: Harper embraces her newfound identity amid adversity, as Will is invited to stand by her, negotiating his celebrity in the process. What emerges is an exploration of both silliness and strife, a sincere facet of the trans experience audiences rarely witness, and an affirmation of the unbreakable bonds of friendship.—CA
Screens in person January 22, 23,25, 26, 27, & 28.
U.S. Documentary Competition:
FRIDA – directed by Carla Gutiérrez
An intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Told through her own words for the very first time—drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays, and print interviews—and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork.
Carla Gutiérrez, renowned for her masterful editing of films including Sundance projects RBG (2018), When Two Worlds Collide (2016), and Cesar’s Last Fast (2014), brings artistry and a deep understanding of her subject to an astonishing directorial debut. Through a cacophony of rich archival sights, music, and journal entries joyfully brought to life, we become immersed in Frida’s interior world, fears, arduous relationships, and events that drove her indelible artistic creations. Gutiérrez vibrantly guides us through Frida’s complex relationship to her own work, navigating the tension between art as commerce and painting for pleasure and self-knowledge. With reverence, thoughtfulness, and the color of pure emotion, FRIDA invites us to get to know one of the greatest artists of the 20th century in a completely new way.—Ana Souza
Screens in person January 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, & 25. Also available online January 25–28.
Love Machina – directed by Peter Sillen
Futurists Martine and Bina Rothblatt commission an advanced humanoid AI named Bina48 to transfer Bina’s consciousness from a human to a robot in an attempt to continue their once-in-a-galaxy love affair for the rest of time.
Love Machina is where futurism meets love, where love meets humanity, where humanity meets AI. Director Peter Sillen (Benjamin Smoke, 62,000:1 Three Teams One City One Year) delivers a film transcending time and space. Sillen’s approach feels as imaginative and dreamlike as our protagonists. Love Machina is entrancing to watch—packed with discovery, curiosity, and heart. Sillen shares a love story between Martine and Bina Rothblatt, entangling us in their world of passion and extravagant determination. At the forefront of many social movements, Martine and Bina set out to do what previously seemed impossible, taking their love story past “till death do us part” to “as long as we both shall live.” Thoughtful and inquisitive, Sillen dares to transport us to infinity and beyond.—BB
Screens in person January 19, 20, 23, & 26. Also available online January 25–28.
World Cinema Documentary Competition:
Agent of Happiness – directed by Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó
Amber is one of the many agents working for the Bhutanese government to measure people’s happiness levels among the remote Himalayan mountains. But will he find his own along the way?
Agent of Happiness offers a unique take on the notoriously exoticized Bhutan and its unusual happiness policy. We follow Amber as he investigates various expressions of contentment across different households and lifestyles while navigating his own struggle as a Nepali minority. The holistic philosophy at the heart of the survey he conducts challenges the conventional metrics of fulfillment and success, often provoking some deeper soul-searching. The filmmakers elegantly capture many tender moments between Amber and his interlocutors, as well as some very revealing conversations filled with unflinching honesty and quiet wisdom.
Through its carefully crafted narrative, the film resonates as a heartfelt exploration of happiness in the face of adversity. As Amber grapples with societal disparities and personal roadblocks while searching for love, this story becomes a beautifully realized reminder to count our blessings.—Ania Trzebiatowska
Screens in person January 19, 20, 25, & 26. Also available online January 25–28.
Episodic:
Better Angels: The Gospel According To Tammy Faye – directed by Dana Adam Shapiro
As told by her family, friends, and enemies, the meteoric rise, scandalous fall, and unlikely resurrection of Tammy Faye, the “First Lady of the Electric Church,” poses an increasingly relevant question: How did we get the story so wrong?
Having premiered an Academy Award–nominated documentary feature (Murderball) and an animated short (My Biodegradable Heart) at Sundance, director Dana Adam Shapiro returns with a lively, ruminative documentary series that provides fresh insights into the life of American icon Tammy Faye Messner. A larger-than-life personality whose singular visage became a cultural touchstone, Messner and her personal breakthroughs—both high and low—were reflected in the political, religious, and societal news of the day. Shapiro adroitly excavates private and historical artifacts to craft a profile that distinctively centers Messner as the leading woman of her own story.—DC
Sundance will screen the first two episodes of this four-part documentary series in person on January 19, 20, & 28.
40th Edition Celebration Screenings:
Go Fish – directed by Rose Troche
Max is looking for love. Her roommate, Kia, already has it in the person of Evy, who lives at home with her mom while still trying to shake off her ex-husband. Then there’s Ely, Kia’s ex-student who is seemingly available. Ely shares a place with Daria, the quintessential lesbian about town, constantly in and out of women’s beds and hearts. Kia thinks Max would like Ely; Daria thinks Ely should like Max. Everyone schemes. We’re treated to a date, a dinner party, pride, honor, friendship, laundry, nail clipping — and, of course, sex.
Rose Troche’s debut feature serves as an insider view of lesbian life in the 90s, crafted by a creative team as skillful at portraying angst as irony. Dubbed upon its release as a queer Slacker for its low-budget, black-and-white chronicling of daily hopes, fears, and banalities, Go Fish begins where coming-out films used to end: All the women are gay, and sex is on everybody’s mind. At once gritty and lyrical, it tracks an interlinked cast of characters through a fanciful girl-meets-girl saga.
Go Fish was digitally restored by the Academy Film Archive and UCLA Film & Television Archive in conjunction with Sundance Institute in 4K from the original 16mm A/B camera negatives and 35mm magnetic soundtrack. The restoration was funded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Amazon MGM Studios, Frameline, Sundance Institute, and UCLA Film & Television Archive.
Screens in person in Salt Lake City on January 20 and in Park City on January 24. The Park City screening will be followed by a conversation with director Rose Troche, producer John Pierson, and more special guests.
Pariah – directed by Dee Rees
When forced to choose between losing her best friend or destroying her family, a Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and endures heartbreak in a desperate search for sexual expression.
Pariah first premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival as a short film. It later returned to the 2011 Festival as a feature film premiering in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, where it received an Excellence in Cinematography Award. Director Dee Rees workshopped Pariah in the Sundance Institute’s Directors and Screenwriters Labs and received three separate Institute grants to support production of the film. After opening to critical acclaim, Pariah, a young Black lesbian’s coming-of-age story, quickly became part of the LGBTQ+ film canon.
“I’m moved and excited to be coming back to where it all began and celebrating this special anniversary with the Institute,” said Pariah director Dee Rees. “From the lab advisors, to the fellows, to the audiences, Sundance was that magically supportive and generous community that enabled Pariah to be born in the world and it’s always a joyous, heady feeling to return.”
Screens in person in Salt Lake City January 20 and in Park City January 26. The Park City screening will be followed by a conversation with director Dee Rees.
The Times of Harvey Milk – directed by Rob Epstein
Set in San Francisco in the 1970s, The Times of Harvey Milk tells of the extraordinary rise to power of a long-haired, gay camera store owner from the Castro District who became one of the city’s most colorful and influential elected officials, as well as one of the decade’s most prominent leaders of the LGBTQ+ rights movement — that is, until he was shot and killed at City Hall by former police officer and fellow supervisor Dan White. Harvey Milk’s journey to that fateful day is recounted brilliantly through the course of the film.
A riveting, volatile, dynamic, and impassioned documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk’s stranger-than-fiction story is immensely moving, combining real emotional urgency with a compelling grasp of filmmaking craft. A moving affirmation and revelation of how one man can make a difference, it is a quintessential work about American values in conflict, which highlights a courageous and charismatic individual while exposing an incredible miscarriage of justice. As political renegades go, Milk wasn’t afforded the time to become a household name.
By memorializing the remarkable life and political career of LGBTQ+ advocate Milk, The Times of Harvey Milk played a pivotal role in influencing public opinion and discourse on gay rights. The documentary received widespread acclaim, indicated by its 1985 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. It also received the Special Jury Prize (Documentary) at Sundance’s very first festival in 1985, where it screened in the U.S. Documentary Competition. The film’s digital restoration, which will screen at the upcoming Festival, was completed by Janus Films and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
“Back in 1985, when The Times of Harvey Milk screened at the first Sundance Film Festival, Frederick Wiseman, D.A. Pennebaker, and Barbara Kopple were on the jury,” said director and producer Robert Epstein. “Being in the Festival was a reward in itself, but receiving a special jury award from these legends was a young filmmaker’s dream come true. Sundance has been an important part of my life and career ever since. How great to be returning with The Times of Harvey Milk as part of the 40th Edition Celebration.”
Screens in person January 19 in Salt Lake City and January 25 in Park City. The Park City screening will be followed by a conversation with director Robert Epstein and more special guests.
Short Films:
ALOK – directed by Alex Hedison
A compelling portrait of ALOK, acclaimed nonbinary author, poet, comedian, and public speaker. Executive-produced by Jodie Foster.
Featured in Short Film Program 1 – screens in person January 18, 19, 21, 27, and 28. Also available online January 25–28.
Merman – directed by Sterling Hampton IV
A 58-year-old Black queer man speaks the truth about his life as an emergency nurse, a leather enthusiast, husband, and civil rights advocate.
Featured in Short Film Program 2 – screens in person January 20, 21, 24, 27, & 28. Also available online January 25–28.
BUST – directed by Angalis Field
A trans cop with the New York City Police Department goes undercover to make a drug bust.
Featured in Short Film Program 3 – screens in person January 20, 21, 24, 27, & 28. Also available online January 25–28.
Didn’t Think I’d See You Here – directed by Dylan Guerra
Rory thinks there’s a ghost haunting his shower and decides to investigate its origin. But when he goes to a party and meets a romantic interest, his spectral mystery begins to unravel.
Featured in Short Film Program 4 – screens in person January 21, 22, 25, 27, & 28. Also available online January 25–28.
Grace – directed by Natalie Jasmine Harris
Sixteen-year-old Grace prepares for her baptism in the rural 1950s South. When she learns she must repent before the ritual, she begins to question the budding romantic feelings she has toward her best friend, Louise.
Featured in Short Film Program 5 – screens in person January 21, 22, 25, 27, & 28. Also available online January 25–28.
Bold Eagle – directed by Whammy Alcazaren
Trapped at home with hallucinogenic drugs and his talking cat, an “alter” anonymously performs lascivious acts on the Internet, seeking refuge in the strong arms of strange men, hoping to masturbate his way to true happiness.
Featured in Midnight Short Film Program – screens in person January 22, 25, 26, & 27.
Kristen Stewart to Be Honored With Visionary Award at 2024 Sundance Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala: Celebrating 40 Years – Thursday, January 18
Academy Award–nominated actress Kristen Stewart will be honored with the Visionary Award at the Festival’s fundraiser Opening Night Gala: Celebrating 40 Years, which will take place on January 18, 2024, at the DeJoria Center in Utah. The annual gala enables the nonprofit to raise critical funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, grants, and public programming that nurture artists globally.
Kristen Stewart will receive the Visionary Award in recognition of her work as an uncompromising artist and contributions to the field of independent film. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Princess Diana in Spencer and was the first American actress to receive a César Award for her role in Clouds of Sils Maria. Stewart’s profound work as an actor has exemplified the bold, risk-taking storytelling that Sundance has championed for many years. Throughout her impressive career, she has had 10 films screen at the Festival, including The Runaways, Adventureland, and Lizzie. She made her directorial debut with Come Swim at Sundance in 2017. For the 2024 Festival, Stewart will be returning with Love Me, premiering in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section and the recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, and Love Lies Bleeding, premiering in the Midnight section.
Sundance Events:
Power of Story: Four Decades of Taking Chances – Tuesday, January 23
With this conversation, Sundance looks back at the legacy of independent storytelling and the festival over the course of four decades. A group of artists reflect on their work and careers, the empowering nature of risk-taking, and the importance of negotiating creative freedom. We want to talk about the past as we contemplate the future of storytelling and explore how revolutionary narrative experiences can reshape culture through artistic discovery, emerging media, and the reassertion of independence. Panelists include Christine Vachon (A Different Man), Richard Linklater (God Save Texas, Hit Man), Miguel Arteta (Chuck & Buck), and Dawn Porter (Luther: Never Too Much). The conversation will be moderated by Eugene Hernandez (festival director and head of public programming). ASL-English Interpretation will be provided at this event.
Cinema Café: Debra Granik & Dee Rees in conversation – Thursday, January 25
The doors are open again at the Festival’s Cinema Café, where the culture of conversation is reinvigorated. Sundance’s series of informal chats brings together special guests for thought-provoking encounters and fascinating dialogue. ASL-English Interpretation will be provided at this event. Beyond Film is the official series of talks and events curated and produced by the Sundance Film Festival.
Sundance Partner Events:
ACLU “At Liberty”: How Censorship is Harming Queer & Trans Storytelling – Saturday, January 20
Sundance partner panel presented by ACLU. For centuries, storytelling has been a medium for social change. We share our stories to build understanding and empathy, to protest injustice, to rally support, and to compel action. In this live recording of the ACLU’s podcast, At Liberty, we question the impact censorship and anti-LGBTQ bans are having on our stories and on us as storytellers. Is there a connection between what’s happening at the state level and what’s happening on screen? This panel will feature Lió Mehiel (actor, In The Summers), Jules Rosskam (filmmaker, artist, educator, and director, Desire Lines), and Gillian Branstetter (ACLU Communications Strategist, LGBTQ Rights), moderated by Kendall Ciesemier (ACLU Senior Executive Producer of Multimedia and Host of At Liberty).
Cheers, Queers – co-hosted by GLAAD, Frameline & NewFest – Friday, January 19
GLAAD, Frameline, and NewFest come together to celebrate queer cinema and filmmakers at the 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival, co-hosting “Cheers, Queers”, a panel and party in Park City on Friday, January 19 at the Acura House of Energy at 550 Swede Alley.
The invite-only event will include a “Queer Film is Activism” panel featuring Alok Vaid-Menon, filmmaker Alex Hedison (director, ALOK), Allegra Madsen (Director of Programming at Frameline), David Hatkoff (Executive Director at NewFest), DaShawn Usher (Director of Communities of Color and Media at GLAAD), and Natalie Jasmine Harris (Director, Grace), moderated by Anthony Allen Ramos (Vice President of Communications and Talent at GLAAD). The panel will be followed by a mixer to toast the LGBTQ+ filmmakers and community members in attendance.
GLAAD spotlight on transgender storytellers at The Box Theater – Monday, January 22
A fireside chat hosted by entertainment journalist Shar Jossell, with director Yance Ford about his career and the premiere of his latest documentary Power at Sundance. This will be followed by a filmmaker conversation spotlighting storytellers and organization representatives, Moi Santos (Manager, Sundance Institute), River Gallo (Actor/Screenwriter/Producer, Ponyboi), and Sav Rodgers (Filmmaker and Founder, Transgender Film Center) moderated by Alex Schmider, to discuss the impact of authentic personal storytelling and the increasing value of community inclusion and connectivity in the entertainment industry.
Intentionally Intersectional – presented by IMDbPro & Prime Video – Friday, January 19
IMDbPro and Prime Video will host a discussion between community leaders about authentic and inclusive representation in the entertainment industry and the growing emphasis on showcasing characters with intersectional identities. The panelists include Nic Novicki (founder and director of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge), Alex Schmider (producer and director of transgender representation at GLAAD), Lipica Shah (actor and co-founder of 1497), and Andria Wilson Mirza (director of ReFrame). The panel will be moderated by Latasha Gillespie, global head of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility for Amazon MGM Studios, Prime Video, and Freevee; with an introduction from Col Needham, founder and CEO of IMDb. The IMDbPro Help Desk will be open before and after the panel to support industry professionals joining IMDbPro, claiming their name page, and managing and showcasing their profile. GLAAD and IMDbPro have an ongoing relationship, with GLAAD recently consulting on options for IMDbPro members to self-identify as LGBTQ+, among other identities.
Variety: Diversifying Storytelling in Film – Friday, January 19
Sundance partner event presented by Adobe. Leslie Grace, Lena Waithe, and Dawn Porter have broken down barriers when it comes to representation – both in the people and the storylines we see on screen. During this event, they will share their thoughts on the ways filmmakers and the industry at large can further representation in front of and behind the camera. Open to those who register to attend Adobe on Main and receive notice of approved access. Register Here.
Compiled by James Kleinmann. Descriptions courtesy of Sundance.
The 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival runs January 18-28 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah and online from January 25-28, for the full lineup and to purchase tickets visit festival.sundance.org.