The 2022 Sundance Film Festival has come and gone leaving in its wake a plethora of films, music, conversation, and virtual space.
Acura continued on as the Official Vehicle and a Presenting Sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival for the 12th consecutive year offering the independent film community and fans gathering virtually for the 2022 Sundance Film Festival a unique experience at AcuraWatchParty.com. Virtual Sundance programming from Acura included important conversations and activations with like-minded entertainment and media partners focusing on supporting diversity in film, along with A-list filmmakers and talent.
Embracing the creative spirit of the Sundance film community, Acura debuted a new four-part anime series, Chiaki’s Journey, during the Festival. Chiaki’s Journey featured a young hero’s quest to overcome multiple challenges on her path toward victory while offering viewers a first look at Acura’s trio of all-new Type S performance models: 2022 TLX Type S sport sedan, 2022 MDX Type S 3-row SUV, and 2022 NSX Type S supercar.
In staying true to form the 2022 emergent Sundance Film Festival theme of ‘Fighting the System” rang true as eloquently stated by Festival Programming Director, Kim Yutani, with art “made against the odds, under challenging circumstances, (with filmmakers) being inventive in how they’re telling their stories, in the way they explore intimacy, just creating films in a way that is imaginative.” during an interview for Vanessa Zimmer’s ‘Fighting the System’ Emerges as Major Theme in 2022 Lineup.
As the Delta and Omicron variants raged, Sundance bent on implementing updated COVID protocols over the holidays. At last, with the risk factors too great for the filmgoing populace the well-thought and deeply discerned decision was made to go virtual. Fortunately, Shari Frilot, Chief Curator of New Frontier, and a Harvard grad, stepped up and went where no man had gone before and created a vast virtual entity adeptly called “The Spaceship” where art, film, and multimedia converged and sent the 2022 Sundance Film Festival into the stratosphere allowing for parties, mingling, conversation, and film and artistic viewings.
Navalny, Festival Favorite Award, Audience Award: U.S. Documentary Presented by Acura
A still from Navalny, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
In August 2020, a plane traveling from Siberia to Moscow made an emergency landing. One of its passengers, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was deathly ill. Taken to a local Siberian hospital and eventually evacuated to Berlin, doctors confirmed that he had been poisoned with Novichok, a nerve agent implicated in attacks on other opponents of the Russian government. President Vladimir Putin immediately cast doubt on the findings and denied any involvement.
While recovering, Navalny and his team — already with a large social media following in tow — partnered with the data investigative journalism outlet Bellingcat as well as other international news organizations to investigate his attempted assassination and find proof of the Kremlin’s involvement. In NAVALNY, filmmaker Daniel Roher reveals a courageous and controversial would-be president at the precipice of sacrificing everything in order to bring reform to his homeland. —BT (Sundance.org)
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Director Sophie Hyde and Writer Katy Brand’s, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, stars Dame Emma Thompson, as a retired schoolteacher who has yet to experience the joy of sex. Enter Daryl McCormack as the young and debonnaire sex worker, Leo Grande. What starts out as a cold transactional relationship ends up as a deep, warm, caring transactional relationship opening hearts and minds to a retelling of modern love. Picked up by Searchlight Pictures and scheduled to stream exclusively on Hulu. Four stars.
Elizabeth Banks appears in Call Jane by Phyllis Nagy, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Wilson Webb.
Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane, set in the mid to late 1960’s follows the pursuit of women’s rights led by Elizabeth Banks, progressive suburbanite wife, and homemaker, Joy, who discovers a more engaging life in helping women get safe medical procedures for their unwanted or life-endangering pregnancies. Nagy wrote the 2015 Douglas Sirkian style melodrama, Carol, directed by Todd Haynes. Jane has a similar look with a joyous, optimistic, and forward-looking narrative. Four stars.
Emily The Criminal (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Emily The Criminalfrom Director John Patton Ford addresses the fallout from the collateral damage of a young woman’s college experience and relationship troubles. Aubrey Plaza portrays Emily, a young woman who went to college on student loans, partied, got an education, then received an assault conviction for her role in a relationship fight. Unable to land suitable work with her criminal record, Emily becomes a “dummy shopper,” in an illegal, underworld enterprise. Fast-paced, this psychological, neo-thriller reverberates an age-old adage, “desperate people do desperate things.” Highly recommended. A top pick.
EMERGENCY
Emergency, the recipient of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic, harkens the impact racism can have on life-threatening, real-life situations and its ramifications on human potential. Told through a darkly comedic lens with moments of “throw it all at the kitchen sink” style of comedy. Guaranteed to “shock, enlighten, and infuriate.” From two-time Sundance alum Carey Williams (2021’s modern, social media retelling of “Romeo and Juliet,” R#J), based on his 2018 Sundance short film of the same name. Excellent writing and strong acting. Four stars.
To The End (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Director Rachel Lears, whose Lears 2019 Sundance film Knock Down the House followed four women who ran insurgent congressional campaigns in 2018, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush. The film won the Audience Award and the Festival Favorite Award and was shortlisted for an Oscar and nominated for an Emmy. Lears 2022 offering, To The End, is a visionary look behind the scenes of a philosophical movement, social and political, where young people have rejected the cynicism and complacency of a power structure that has failed to meaningfully address the existential threat faced by climate change. Told through the narratives of four instrumental leaders and women of color — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Varshini Prakash, Alexandra Rojas, and Rhiana Gunn-Wright. This is more than the Green New Deal. It’s planetary survival. Four stars.
Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez appear in La Guerra Civil by Eva Longoria Bastón, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
La Guerra Civil, directed and produced by Eva Longoria Bastón tells the story of two of Mexico’s greatest lightweight modern-era boxers, American-born Oscar De La Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez. More than a boxing story, Longoria Bastón shapes the narrative through the Mexican and Mexican-American cultural lens. What emerges is a very intimate look at both boxers and their impact on the dichotomy of what it means to be Mexican and what it means to be Mexican-American. Four stars.
The Worst Person In The World (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
The Worst Person in the World directed by Joachim Trier is the third part of his Oslo trilogy. A beautifully made film with a first-time film portrayal for the lead actress, Renate Reinsve. The film is told through Reinsve’s character and is about finding one’s place in the world. In the film’s introduction, Trier referred to the film as a Norwegian romantic comedy told in twelve separate chapters with an epilogue and a prologue. Originally premiered in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival (with Renate Reinsve winning Best Actress for her performance).
Chiqui (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Chiqui, an indie episodic set in the 1980s was a romp. It’s 1987. Chiqui and Carlos emigrate from Colombia to New Jersey to find a better life for themselves and their unborn son. Upon their arrival, they quickly realize that the American dream is not as easy to achieve as they thought. The cast and crew – simply superb.
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. One of the most anticipated films of the festival from acclaimed director, Rory Kennedy. Kennedy’s films are well-researched and provide astute socio-cultural insights. Downfall’s production values were exceptional resulting in a very polished film revealing shifts in cultural norms undoubtedly contributing to the untimely and tragic Max 737 plane crashes. Scheduled for a February 13th Netflix release followed by a theatrical run. A Netflix and Moxie Films Production. Four stars.
Chloe Okuno
Watcher, Chloe Okuno’s, multi-layered suspenseful horror, drama, thriller features Maika Monroe as a young, blonde female coping with life in a foreign country. Monroe delivers a highly competent and strong performance. The non-diegetic soundtrack added immensely to the suspense and featured Max Richter’s “Moment in Paris.” Undeniable Charade and Rear Window Hitchcockian influences Shot on location in Bucharest, Romania. Four stars.
Maika Monroe appears in Watcher by Chloe Okuno, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance.
As the festival inched closer to its end, after nine days, 84 feature films and 59 short films, the juries deliberated and the audience voted. The 26 jury-awarded and six audience-awarded prizes recognized “achievement in global independent storytelling.” Bold, intimate, and culture-shifting stories prevailed across categories, with Grand Jury Prizes awarded to Nanny (U.S. Dramatic), The Exiles (U.S. Documentary), Utama (World Cinema Dramatic), and All That Breathes (World Cinema Documentary). Audience Awards were presented to Navalny (U.S. Documentary), Cha Cha Real Smooth (U.S. Dramatic), Girl Picture (World Cinema Dramatic), The Territory (World Cinema Documentary), Framing Agnes (NEXT), with Navalny winning the Festival Favorite Award.
Joana Vicente
“Today’s awards represent the determination of visionary individuals, whose dynamic work will continue to change the culture and create discourse throughout the year,” said Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente. “This year’s entire program has proven that no matter the context, independent storytelling remains a pivotal tool in expanding critical dialogues, and these stories will and must be shared.”
Tabitha Jackson
“The 2022 Sundance Film Festival once again met our audience wherever they happened to be,” added Sundance Film Festival Director Tabitha Jackson, “Whether you watched from home or one of our seven satellite screens, this year’s Festival expressed a powerful convergence; we were present, together, as a community connected through the work. And it is work that has already changed those who experienced it.”
Kim Yutani
“We are so grateful for this year’s jurors who brought their expertise and passion to their decision-making process,” said the Festival’s Director of Programming Kim Yutani, “We congratulate the award winners and we’re so thankful to each and every film in the program that made the 2022 Sundance Film Festival such a huge success.”
The awards announcement marked a key point of the 2022 Festival, where 84 feature-length and 59 short films — selected from 14,849 submissions — were showcased online via the Festival’s online platform; a selection of the program played at 7 Satellite Screen locations across the United States.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival jurors were: Chelsea Barnard, Marielle Heller, and Payman Maadi for U.S. Dramatic Competition; Garrett Bradley, Joan Churchill, and Peter Nicks for U.S. Documentary Competition; Andrew Haigh, Mohamed Hefzy, and La Frances Hui for World Cinema Dramatic Competition; and Emilie Bujès, Patrick Gaspard, and Dawn Porter for World Cinema Documentary Competition. Joey Soloway was the juror for the NEXT competition section. Penelope Bartlett, Kevin Jerome Everson, and Blackhorse Lowe juried the Short Film Program Competition.
Until next year, I’ll see you at the movies!
Larry Gleeson, left, with Hollywood starlet, Angie Dickinson. (Photo credit: HollywoodGlee)
TCM’s annual 31 Days of Oscar programming returns for its 28th year, kicking off on March 1st with a month-long showcase of films recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This year, for the first time, TCM will be celebrating The Winners, with each film having won an Oscar®.
This year, programming will be showcased 24/7 for 31 days on the TCM network, along with 31 films within the Classics Curated by TCM Hub on HBO Max, with exclusive content available from TCM Hosts and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
TCM celebrates 94 years of brilliance in film as recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Be sure to watch the Oscars live – Sunday, March 27, 2022, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on ABC.
(News release provided by Taryn Jacobs, Warner Media)
37TH FESTIVAL OPENS WITH THE U.S. PREMIERE OF “THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN” AND CLOSES WITH “DIONNE WARWICK: DON’T MAKE ME OVER”
FESTIVAL TO PRESENT 95 U.S. PREMIERES AND 48 WORLD PREMIERES
Santa Barbara, CA. (Thursday, February 10, 2022) –The Santa Barbara International Film Festival ® (SBIFF), presented by UGG , announced today the highly anticipated lineup for the 37th edition, which will run March 2 to 12, 2022. The festival will feature 48 world premieres and 95 U.S. premieres from 54 countries, along with tributes featuring the year’s top talent, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach programs.
SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling (Cr. Clint Wiseman Studio)
SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling stated this morning,
“It brings us an unbridled joy to share our slate for this edition of SBIFF. After two years of incertitude, it feels good to know we can continue to count on film and the festival to give us a sense of comfort and continuity. We’re extremely proud of the offerings at the 37th fest.”
OPENING NIGHT
SBIFF 2022 will start with the Opening Night Film, presented by UGG , on Wednesday, March 2 with the U.S. Premiere of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN, a heartwarming British comedy starring Oscar winners Sally Hawkins and Mark Rylance. The film is based on the true story of Maurice Fitcroft, who entered the 1976 British Open despite never having played a round of golf before.
CLOSING NIGHT
SBIFF 2022 will close on Saturday, March 12 with DIONNE WARWICK: DON’T MAKE ME OVER, with the iconic singer in attendance. The documentary follows Warwick as she smashed through cultural, racial, and gender barriers to become the soundtrack for generations and a voice fighting for humanitarian causes. Featuring interviews with Burt Bachrach, Gladys Knight, Gloria Estefan, Snoop Dogg, Bill Clinton, and many more.
THE TRIBUTES
SBIFF is an important showcase for Academy Award frontrunners, many of whom have arrived as nominees and gone on to win the Oscar. The 37th SBIFF proudly celebrates some of the year’s finest work in film. All tributes will be in person at the historic Arlington Theatre as well as streamed live.
Outstanding Directors of the Year Award sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter – Thursday, March 3, at 8:00 pm. Honorees to be announced. Moderated by Scott Feinberg.
● American Riviera Award honoring Kristen Stewart – Friday, March 4 at 8:00 pm. Moderated by Anne Thompson.®
● Virtuosos Award presented by UGG, honoring Caitriona Balfe (Belfast), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Jamie Dornan (Belfast), Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza), Emilia Jones (CODA), Troy Kotsur (CODA), Simon Rex (Red Rocket), and Saniyya Sidney (King Richard) – Saturday, March 5 at 8:00 pm, moderated by Dave Karger.
● Variety Artisans Award sponsored by Variety – Monday, March 7 at 8:00 pm. Honorees to be announced. Moderated by Jazz Tangcay.
● Montecito Award – Tuesday, March 8 at 8:00 pm. Honoree to be announced.
● Outstanding Performers of the Year Award presented by Manitou Fund honoring Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis – Sunday, March 6 at 8:00 pm. Moderated by Scott Feinberg.
● Cinema Vanguard Award sponsored by Deadline honoring Benedict Cumberbatch -Wednesday, March 9 at 8:00 pm. Moderated by Pete Hammond.
● Maltin Modern Master Award presented by Manitou Fund honoring Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman – Thursday, March 10 at 8:00 pm. Moderated by Leonard Maltin.
THE PANELS
SBIFF has become renowned for creating smart, insightful panels that feature a who’s who in the world of filmmaking, including many Oscar contenders. Returning will be our annual Producers Panel, Writers Panel, and Women’s Panel. All Panels will be in person at the historic Arlington Theatre as well as streamed live. Panelists to be announced. Writers Panel – Saturday, March 5 at 11:00 am – Moderated by Anne Thompson Producers Panel – Saturday, March 5 at 2:00 pm – Moderated by Glenn Whipp Women’s Panel – Sunday, March 12 at 11:00 am – Moderated by Madelyn Hammond.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS AND Q&A’s
● THE POWER OF THE DOG followed by a Q&A with Jane Campion – Thursday, March 3 at 2:00 pm – FREE admission
● 10th Anniversary screening of SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK followed by a Q&A with DAVID O. RUSSELL – Date and Time to be announced – FREE ADMISSION
● More to be announced GREG NAVA RETROSPECTIVE
Also, slated are Greg Nava’s seminal immigration saga, EL NORTE, and SELENA, the riveting biopic about the famous Tejano music legend who met a tragic end at only 23, starring Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos. Olmos will be in attendance at the screening.
SELENA – Tuesday, March 8 at 2:00 pm – FREE admission
EL NORTE – Wednesday, March 9 at 2:00 pm – FREE admission
Nava will be present for a Q&A following each of the screenings. Edward James Olmos will also be joining the SELENA Q&A.
Free Screenings made possible with support from John C. Mithun Foundation.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FREE PROGRAMS, AND OTHER MENTIONS
SBIFF Poster Designed by Acclaimed Artist Hank Pitcher
The 2022 SBIFF poster was painted by acclaimed artist and Santa Barbara resident Hank Pitcher. He remarked, “Standing on a beach, looking out to sea, or sitting in a theater looking at the screen, we project our hopes and dreams out onto those vast surfaces. It is like waiting in line to buy a ticket, then walking through the lobby into the auditorium to find a seat, or going to the shore and walking down to stand by the water. Both are about desire and discovery. I love big old movie theaters like the Riviera and the Arlington and the Granada. I have long thought of my painting as a way to stop the film at my favorite part and walk up on the stage and into the scene to look around.”
Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies – Named for renowned nature cinematographer Mike deGruy, Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies uses filmmaking to nurture creative, confident, and culturally aware thinkers. This year’s MFT Program will be offered to 2,000 4th–6th-grade students from Title I (low-income) schools throughout Santa Barbara County. This year’s program will feature critically acclaimed films and live Q&As with their directors, recorded discussions with the filmmakers and artisans from this year’s top animated films, along film education study guides. Sponsored by Montecito Bank & Trust, Patagonia, Union Bank, Bentson Foundation, and Volentine Family Foundation.
Film Studies Program – The Film Studies Program will invite 30 undergraduate film students from across the country to the Film Festival where they’ll take part in a packed curriculum that turns the festival into an interactive classroom. Participants receive priority access to the films, panels, filmmaker seminars, tributes, as well as intimate Q&As with filmmakers, talent, and other professionals. Sponsored by Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin.
10–10–10 Student Screenwriting and Filmmaking Mentorship and Competition – The 10-10-10 Program is made up of 20 area high school and college screenwriters and filmmakers. This year’s program includes virtual workshops, individual mentorship, and access to casting, visual effects, producing, and sound mentors. The student screenwriters and directors are paired together and guided through the process of making a film from script to screen. Other program highlights include pitching sessions, table reads, guest speaker Q&As and film talks. Sponsored by Kaleidoscope Productions.
Free Filmmaker Seminars – SBIFF will again present educational seminars with filmmakers premiering at this year’s festival. These seminars will be FREE to the public and will take place on each weekday during the Festival at Casa de la Guerra in downtown Santa Barbara just off the State Street Promenade.
The ADL Stand Up Award sponsored by ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties – This award will be presented to a dramatic film in the festival that represents an important message consistent with ADL’s efforts “to secure justice and fair treatment for all.” The winner will be announced during the Festival.
Visit sbiff.org for more information on the 2022 Program of Films!
(Press release provided by Brooke Blumberg, Sunshine Sachs)
THE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES NEW DATE
FOR 2022 GOVERNORS AWARDS
DANNY GLOVER, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, ELAINE MAY AND LIV ULLMANN TO BE HONORED WITH OSCARS®
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced the 12th Governors Awards will be held on Friday, March 25, 2022, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland® in Hollywood.
The Governors Awards are an annual event celebrating awards conferred by the Academy’s Board of Governors – the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and the Honorary Award. Highlights from the event are incorporated into the year’s Academy Awards show.
Honorary Awards will be presented to Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award will be presented to Danny Glover. Originally slated for January 15, 2022, the rescheduled event, produced by Jennifer Fox, will be scaled down in size.
The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, also an Oscar statuette, is given “to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.”
The 12th Governors Awards is proudly supported by Rolex, the Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers, and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
On February 10, the start of the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival will be celebrated in the Berlinale Palast. Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Claudia Roth, Governing Mayor of Berlin Franziska Giffey, this year’s Jury President M. Night Shyamalan, as well as the Festival Management Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian will kick off the Berlinale with a festive opening.
During the Opening Gala, the International Jury will be introduced. The event will be broadcast on ZDF/3sat from 7.20 pm and streamed live on the Berlinale website.
The opening film, the world premiere of François Ozon’s Peter von Kant, which is in Competition for the Bear Awards will be shown directly after. The director and his film team – Denis Ménochet, who plays the main part, and members of the cast, Khalil Garbia and Stéfan Crépon – will introduce the film in the Berlinale Palast.
A number of prominent German politicians and ambassadors have also announced their attendance.
On this evening, other international and national guests are anticipated as well:
Asia Argento, Dario Argento, Emily Atef, Iris Berben, Jonathan Berlin, Denis Côté, Anne-Marie Descôtes, Stéphane Dion, Andreas Dresen, Nancy Faeser, Maria Furtwängler, Martina Gedeck, Helene Hegemann, Annekatrin Hendel, Philipp Hochmair, Jerry Hoffmann, Louis Hofmann, Markus Imboden, Lorna Ishema, Janine Jackowski, Meltem Kaptan, Burghart Klaußner, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Jessica Krummacher, Heike Makatsch, Ricardo Martínez Váquez, Ulrich Matthes, Arif Havas Oegroseno, Clark Price, Burhan Qurbani, Anne Ratte-Polle, Sophie Rois, Clemens Schick, Wolfgang Schmidt, Jan Schomburg, Maria Schrader, Lilith Stangenberg, Armando Varricchio, Pedro Raúl Villagra Delgado and Julia von Heinz.
Due to the Covid-19 hygiene and security measures, there will be a reduction in seating capacity in the Berlinale cinemas to 50 percent. For the guests at premieres, further hygiene measures will be put in place, which will help to create a safe festival atmosphere. Due to the pandemic, it will not be possible to hold an opening party.
(Press release provided by Berlinale Press Office)
Big news out of Hollywood with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announcement of the 94th Oscar nominations this morning. Jane Campion’s, Power of The Dog, garnered 12 Oscar nominations, the most of any film this year, with the Denis Villeneuve directed Dune receiving ten nominations while Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story each received seven.
Here is the list of nominees for Oscars this year:
Best Picture: “Belfast”; “CODA”; “Don’t Look Up”; “Drive My Car”; “Dune”; “King Richard”; “Licorice Pizza”; “Nightmare Alley”; “The Power of the Dog”; “West Side Story.”
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”; Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”; Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”; Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”; Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car.”
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”; Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”; Penélope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers”; Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”; Kristen Stewart, “Spencer.”
Best Actor: Will Smith, “King Richard”; Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”; Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”; Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”; Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
Best Supporting Actress: Jessie Buckley, “The Lost Daughter”; Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”; Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”; Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”; Judi Dench, “Belfast.”
Best Supporting Actor: Ciarán Hinds, “Belfast”; Troy Kotsur, “CODA”; Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”; Jesse Plemons, “The Power of the Dog”; J.K. Simmons, “Being the Ricardos.”
Cinematography: “Dune”; “Nightmare Alley”; “The Power of the Dog”; “The Tragedy of Macbeth”; “West Side Story.”
Editing: “Don’t Look Up”; “Dune”; “King Richard”; “tick, tick … BOOM!”; “The Power of the Dog.”
Original Screenplay: “Licorice Pizza”; “Belfast”; “Don’t Look Up”; “King Richard”; “The Worst Person in the World.”
Adapted Screenplay: “The Power of the Dog”; “The Lost Daughter”; “CODA”; “Dune”; “Drive My Car.”
Costume Design: “Cruella”; “Cyrano”; “Dune”; “Nightmare Alley”; “West Side Story.”
Makeup and Hairstyling: “Coming 2 America”; “Cruella”; “Dune”; “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”; “House of Gucci.”
Best International Film: “Drive My Car,” Japan; “Flee,” Denmark; “The Hand of God,” Italy; “The Worst Person in the World,” Norway; “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom,” Bhutan.
Best Documentary: “Summer of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”; “Flee”; “Attica”; “Ascension”; “Writing With Fire.”
Production Design: “Dune”; “Nightmare Alley”; “The Power of the Dog”; “The Tragedy of Macbeth”; “West Side Story.”
Best Original Song: “Be Alive” from “King Richard,” music and lyric by DIXSON and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter; “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto,” music and lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda; “Down to Joy” from “Belfast,” music and lyric by Van Morrison; “No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die,” music and lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell ; “Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days,” music and lyrics by Diane Warren.
Original Musical Score: “Don’t Look Up”; “Dune”; “Encanto”; “Parallel Mothers”; “The Power of the Dog.”
Best Sound Design: “Belfast”; “Dune”; “No Time to Die”; “The Power of the Dog”; “West Side Story.”
Best Visual Effects: “Dune”; “Free Guy”; “No Time to Die”; “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”; “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Best Animated Feature: “Encanto”; “Flee”; “Luca”; “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”; “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
Best Animated Short Film: “Affairs of the Art”; “Bestia”; “Boxballet”; “Robin Robin”; “The Windshield Wiper.”
Best Live Action Short: “Ala Kachuu – Take and Run”; “The Dress”; “The Long Goodbye”; “On My Mind”; “Please Hold.”
Best Short Documentary: “Audible”; “Lead Me Home”; “The Queen of Basketball”; “Three Songs for Benazir”; “When We Were Bullies.”
Stay tuned for more as the winners will be announced on March 27th!
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival premiere, Am I OK?, marked the directorial debut of married creatives Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynn. The film features Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno as Lucy and Jane, two best friends who are forced to deal with significant change when Jane agrees to accept a major career move necessitating relocation and Lucy confesses her deepest secret: that she loves women and has for a long time.
The viewer is quickly taken into the relationship fold with an intimate and personalized invitation with a mesmerizing bedroom scene between the film’s two lead actors, Johnson and Mizuno. Sharp editing from Kayla Emter and Glen Scantlebury and well-executed cinematography from Cristina Dunlapan allow the scene to unfold in telling ways.
Dakota Johnson, left, and Sonoya Mizuno, explore relationships and friendships in Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allyne’s Am I OK? at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Notaro and Allynne present the friendship in a microcosm revolving around work, friendship, relationships, and sexuality. As Lucy comes to the realization her sexual orientation is not what she thought, she has a falling out with Jane. Jane experiences a surprise in her romantic relationship when she accepts a promotion to open a London office and her partner decides he is not interested in supporting the move. Meanwhile, Lucy finds her identity.
In its most basic essence Am I OK? explores sexuality and relationship mores between the two 30ish women. Jane, portrayed by Mizuno, is a firmly rooted woman finding success in her career and in her love life. On the other hand, Lucy, portrayed by Johnson, is struggling with her career and in the romance sphere.
Am I OK? is a beautiful story with exquisite character arcs. Johnson and Mizuno turn in highly compelling performances in a well-executed and strongly penned narrative. In addition, the filmmakers add comedic relief with several instances in magnifying character idiosyncrasies.
Warner Bros. and HBO Max have purchased the film. Expect an HBO MAx premiere in the near future. Until then…..I’ll see you at the movies!
Stay tuned for The Watcher!
Maika Monroe appears in Watcher by Chloe Okuno, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Elizabeth Banks and Cory Michael Smith appear in Call Jane by Phyllis Nagy, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Wilson Webb.
Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane, set in the mid to late 1960’s follows the pursuit of women’s rights. Progressive suburbanite wife and homemaker, Joy, portrayed by Elizabeth Banks, discovers a more engaging life in helping women get safe medical procedures for their unwanted or life-endangering pregnancies when the procedure was illegal in most of the U.S. The 2022 Sundance Film Festival Sundance programmed several films about abortion, including the documentary The Janes and the international drama Happening.
Elizabeth Banks appears in Call Jane by Phyllis Nagy, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Wilson Webb.
With a talent-laden cast led by Banks and Sigourney Weaver, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Nagy made her directorial debut with this film based on the real-life Jane Collective, an underground organization that helped women access abortions before Roe V. Wade. Written by Hayley Schore and Roshan Sethi, Call Jane explores the gender and body politics of the time within a positive and non-judgemental lens. Nagy also wrote the 2015 Douglas Sirkian style melodrama, Carol, directed by Todd Haynes. Jane has a similar look with a forward-looking narrative.
Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver appear in Call Jane by Phyllis Nagy, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Wilson Webb.
Roadside Attractions announced it acquired U.S. rights to the film on February 4, with a planned theatrical release this fall. In addition, Call Jane is a nominee for the Golden Bear, the top prize at the upcoming 2022 Berlin Film Festival, set for February 10th – 20th, 2022. Four stars.
The Berlinale World Cinema Fund (WCF), with its differentiated funding program (WCF, WCF Europe, WCF Africa, WCF ACP), is committed to cultural diversity, cooperation, sustainable development, and the promotion of cinema in regions with weak film infrastructures. Since its foundation in 2004, the WCF has pledged to play a constructive part in the democratization of international filmmaking – taking into account the relations between European countries with well-established film industries and countries of the so-called Global South.
Despite the pandemic, 2021 was – paradoxically – an extremely successful year for the World Cinema Fund. A large number of artistically significant films (16 world premieres in total) were selected at major film festivals and many of them received major awards. The pandemic does not seem to dominate the narratives of the projects submitted, but they do question the cultural complexity of the world.
Already at the start of this year, a WCF-funded film could celebrate a special success: Eami by Paz Encina (Paraguay) was awarded the Tiger Award for Best Film in the competition in Rotterdam.
Vincenzo Bugno, head of the World Cinema Fund.
“Over the years, we have become increasingly aware that this democratization must be viewed as part of a more complex discussion and strategy: the decolonization of cinema – the main theme of the World Cinema Fund last year – with its various structural, cultural-political layers and meanings. This is also about questioning our own identity and our funding strategies in a constructive process. It is a matter of developing decolonizing strategies and making them visible. For this reason, on WCF Day 2022 we have decided to address some essential issues relating to the need for a better balance between the different film industries and film initiatives in the world,” says the head of the WCF, Vincenzo Bugno.
The WCF Day is the World Cinema Fund’s annual public think-tank. The panels and rounds of discussion on February 16, 2022, will be focusing on the further development of funding and decolonizing strategies.
The WCF Day on February 16, 2022, will be taking place as an online event in English, from 1.30 pm to approx. 4.30 pm.
WCF Day: Further Developing Decolonising Strategies for Film Cultures and Film Industries, Re-Thinking Funding Strategies for the Past, Present and Future of Cinema in the WCF Regions
1.30 pmStart / Presentation by Vincenzo Bugno (head of the WCF) and Isona Admetlla (WCF coordinator)
Talks:
NO U-TURN & Generation Africa
Vincenzo Bugno, head of the WCF in conversation with Ike Nnaebue (director of No U-Turn, Nigeria – Panorama 2022,); Don Edkins (producer, South Africa) Tiny Mungwe (producer, South Africa)
Decolonizing Cinema Strategies / South to South
Marjorie Bendeck (International Advisor/head of CoCo, Cottbus) in conversation with Eliane Ferreira (producer, Brazil / Portugal); Bradley Liew (Producer, Malaysia / Philippines); Isabel Arrate (deputy director IDFA / managing director Bertha Fund, Netherlands)
Decolonizing Distribution / Contextualising Visibility
Presentation by the Berlinale Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek and the Head of the WCF, Vincenzo Bugno
Alaa Karkouti (marketing and creative consultancy expert for the Arab film and Entertainment Industry / CEO MAD Solutions, Egypt) in conversation with Weije Lai (producer/curator, Singapore / Canada), Steven Markowitz (Producer, South Africa); Fiorella Moretti (World Sales LUXBOX, France / Peru), Benjamin Cölle (academic/expert for Audience Design and Story Development, Germany)
Decolonizing Cinema / Decolonising History / Changing the Perspective
Presentation by Lutz Nitsche, German Federal Cultural Foundation and Vincenzo Bugno, WCF
Two Talks on WCF-Supported Projects From Argentina and Kenya
Puan by Maria Alché and Benjamin Naishtat (Argentina)
Testament by Zippy Kimundu (Kenya) and Meena Nanji (USA / Kenya), Wanjugu Kimathi (protagonist, Kenya).
The Sundance Film Festival has wrapped another successful year of showcasing the very best independent films from across the globe. Festival programmers, who this year painstakingly whittled down 3,762 feature-length submissions to the final 82 selections — not counting Shorts, Midnight, and other film categories; strove to create a balanced slate of films under Festival Programming Director Kim Yutani’s direction, “that were meaningful and inspiring, in addition to being simply entertaining.”
While deals were being made and are being inked, here are some of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival top selections:
Navalny
Festival Favorite Award
Audience Award: U.S. Documentary Presented by Acura
A still from Navalny, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
In August 2020, a plane traveling from Siberia to Moscow made an emergency landing. One of its passengers, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, was deathly ill. Taken to a local Siberian hospital and eventually evacuated to Berlin, doctors confirmed that he had been poisoned with Novichok, a nerve agent implicated in attacks on other opponents of the Russian government. President Vladimir Putin immediately cast doubt on the findings and denied any involvement.
While recovering, Navalny and his team — already with a large social media following in tow — partnered with the data investigative journalism outlet Bellingcat as well as other international news organizations to investigate his attempted assassination and find proof of the Kremlin’s involvement. In NAVALNY, filmmaker Daniel Roher reveals a courageous and controversial would-be president at the precipice of sacrificing everything in order to bring reform to his homeland. —BT (Sundance.org)
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Director Sophie Hyde and Writer Katy Brand’s, Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, stars Dame Emma Thompson, as a retired schoolteacher who has yet to experience the joy of sex. Enter Daryl McCormack as the young and debonnaire sex worker, Leo Grande. What starts out as a cold transactional relationship ends up as a deep, warm, caring transactional relationship opening hearts and minds to a retelling of modern love. Picked up by Searchlight Pictures and scheduled to stream exclusively on Hulu. Four stars.
Elizabeth Banks appears in Call Jane by Phyllis Nagy, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Wilson Webb.
Phyllis Nagy’s Call Jane, set in the mid to late 1960’s follows the pursuit of women’s rights led by Elizabeth Banks, progressive suburbanite wife, and homemaker, Joy, who discovers a more engaging life in helping women get safe medical procedures for their unwanted or life-endangering pregnancies. Nagy wrote the 2015 Douglas Sirkian style melodrama, Carol, directed by Todd Haynes. Jane has a similar look with a joyous, optimistic, and forward-looking narrative. Four stars.
Emily The Criminal (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Emily The Criminalfrom Director John Patton Ford addresses the fallout from the collateral damage of a young woman’s college experience and relationship troubles. Aubrey Plaza portrays Emily, a young woman who went to college on student loans, partied, got an education, then received an assault conviction for her role in a relationship fight. Unable to land suitable work with her criminal record, Emily becomes a “dummy shopper,” in an illegal, underworld enterprise. Fast-paced, this psychological, neo-thriller reverberates an age-old adage, “desperate people do desperate things.” Highly recommended. A top pick.
EMERGENCY
Emergency, the recipient of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic, harkens the impact racism can have on life-threatening, real-life situations and its ramifications on human potential. Told through a darkly comedic lens with moments of “throw it all at the kitchen sink” style of comedy. Guaranteed to “shock, enlighten, and infuriate.” From two-time Sundance alum Carey Williams (2021’s modern, social media retelling of “Romeo and Juliet,” R#J), based on his 2018 Sundance short film of the same name. Excellent writing and strong acting. Four stars.
To The End (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Director Rachel Lears, whose Lears 2019 Sundance film Knock Down the House followed four women who ran insurgent congressional campaigns in 2018, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush. The film won the Audience Award and the Festival Favorite Award and was shortlisted for an Oscar and nominated for an Emmy. Lears 2022 offering, To The End, is a visionary look behind the scenes of a philosophical movement, social and political, where young people have rejected the cynicism and complacency of a power structure that has failed to meaningfully address the existential threat faced by climate change. Told through the narratives of four instrumental leaders and women of color — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Varshini Prakash, Alexandra Rojas, and Rhiana Gunn-Wright. This is more than the Green New Deal. It’s planetary survival. Four stars.
Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez appear in La Guerra Civil by Eva Longoria Bastón, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
La Guerra Civil, directed and produced by Eva Longoria Bastón tells the story of two of Mexico’s greatest lightweight modern-era boxers, American-born Oscar De La Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez. More than a boxing story, Longoria Bastón shapes the narrative through the Mexican and Mexican-American cultural lens. What emerges is a very intimate look at both boxers and their impact on the dichotomy of what it means to be Mexican and what it means to be Mexican-American. Four stars.
The Worst Person In The World (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
The Worst Person in the World directed by Joachim Trier is the third part of his Oslo trilogy. A beautifully made film with a first-time film portrayal for the lead actress, Renate Reinsve. The film is told through Reinsve’s character and is about finding one’s place in the world. In the film’s introduction, Trier referred to the film as a Norwegian romantic comedy told in twelve separate chapters with an epilogue and a prologue. Originally premiered in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival (with Renate Reinsve winning Best Actress for her performance).
Chiqui (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Chiqui, an indie episodic set in the 1980s was a romp. It’s 1987. Chiqui and Carlos emigrate from Colombia to New Jersey to find a better life for themselves and their unborn son. Upon their arrival, they quickly realize that the American dream is not as easy to achieve as they thought. The cast and crew – simply superb.
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. One of the most anticipated films of the festival from acclaimed director, Rory Kennedy. Kennedy’s films are well-researched and provide astute socio-cultural insights. Downfall’s production values were exceptional resulting in a very polished film revealing shifts in cultural norms undoubtedly contributing to the untimely and tragic Max 737 plane crashes. Scheduled for a February 13th Netflix release followed by a theatrical run. A Netflix and Moxie Films Production. Four stars.
Chloe Okuno
Watcher, Chloe Okuno’s, multi-layered suspenseful horror, drama, thriller features Maika Monroe as a young, blonde female coping with life in a foreign country. Monroe delivers a highly competent and strong performance. The non-diegetic soundtrack added immensely to the suspense and featured Max Richter’s “Moment in Paris.” Undeniable Charade and Rear Window Hitchcockian influences Shot on location in Bucharest, Romania. Four stars.
Maika Monroe appears in Watcher by Chloe Okuno, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A still from Navalny, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Elizabeth Banks appears in Call Jane by Phyllis Nagy, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Wilson Webb.
Emily The Criminal (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
EMERGENCY
To The End (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez appear in La Guerra Civil by Eva Longoria Bastón, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
The Worst Person In The World (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Chiqui (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute).
Chloe Okuno
Maika Monroe appears in Watcher by Chloe Okuno, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance.
Joana Vicente
Tabitha JacksonKim Yutani
Larry Gleeson, left, with Hollywood starlet, Angie Dickinson. (Photo credit: HollywoodGlee)
