When two-time Grammy nominated songwriter-producer D. Smith, who has appeared on both the Atlanta and Hollywood versions of the reality series Love & Hip Hop, had an idea for a film centering Black transgender sex workers and examining their place within the Black community, she approached several filmmaker friends with the concept. They all turned... Continue Reading →
The Sundance Institute has just announced the lineup of feature films for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, running January 19th–29th in person in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, with select titles available nationwide online January 24th – 29th via the festival's digital platform. Of the 101 features revealed so far, 20%... Continue Reading →
Chase Joynt's Framing Agnes was among the LGBTQ+ winners at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival—announced on Friday January 28th—honored with both the NEXT Innovator Award and the NEXT Audience Award. “This film simply grabbed me, taking me on a ride, questioning and re-questioning what was "real"," commented NEXT juror, Transparent creator Joey Soloway. "What an... Continue Reading →
UPDATE: Screens at the 40th Anniversary Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival on Sunday, July 17th at 7pm at Harmony Gold. Rita Baghdadi's feature documentary Sirens, which world premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, is a nuanced, intimate, and upbeat portrait of Lebanon's only all-female thrash metal band, Slave to Sirens. Although it opens... Continue Reading →
With a screenplay by Lauren Pomerantz (SNL, The Ellen DeGeneres Show), wife and wife co-directors Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne refashion the romcom by placing a platonic female friendship at its centre. Now both in their early thirties, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) have been best friends since high school. It's become comfortable... Continue Reading →
Ahead of Sundance 2022, taking place on the festival's online platform at Festival.Sundance.org January 20-30th (and in person at seven Satellite Screens venues around the US during the festival’s second weekend), the nonprofit Sundance Institute has announced the members of the six prize-awarding juries and the Beyond Film lineup. Among the jurors are Weekend filmmaker... Continue Reading →
UPDATE: January 5th 2022, Sundance announced that the Festival’s in-person Utah elements will be moving online. The Festival will begin Thursday January 20th 2022 as planned with screening schedule adjustments to be announced to account for an online only schedule. The seven satellite partners will host screenings for their local communities from January 28th-30th 2022. With... Continue Reading →
In 1984, trailblazing independent filmmaker Arthur Dong received an Oscar nomination for Sewing Woman, a touching documentary short about the life of a Chinese immigrant worker in San Francisco, his mother Zem Ping Dong. This recognition marked the director as an emerging artist to watch, while the film itself exemplified what would become hallmarks of... Continue Reading →
Based on the novella by Johan Theorin, Swedish filmmaker Frida Kempff's unsettling debut feature Knocking (or Knackningar in Swedish, such a delicious word) which played Outfest LA 2021 on Saturday night, is a sophisticated psychological horror and a masterclass in tension, spare dialogue, and intricate sound design. At its centre is a compelling performance by... Continue Reading →
Among the highlights at this year's Sundance was creator-writer-star Jibz Cameron and director Mariah Garnett’s Weirdo Night. It's a specially filmed version of the ordinarily monthly LA-based underground cabaret-style event that centres queer, female, and POC comedians, artists, and musicians, curated by Cameron and hosted with flair and a touch of filth by her performing... Continue Reading →
