Sundance Film Festival completed the second day of its online festival programming featuring conversations with John Boyega, Elizabeth Banks, Regina Hall, Sigourney Weaver, Abi Damaris Corbin, Phyllis Nagy, Connie Britton, Colin Farrell, Hayley Lu Richardson, Wuumi Mosaku, Zoe Renee, Mariama Diallo, Chlose Okuno, Kogonada, and more. Stay tuned. In the meantime check out “How To Fest With Tabitha Jackson.”
Sundance Festival Director Tabitha Jackson on “How To Fest,” a daily segment chockful of festing tips, filmmaker interviews, and some of the day’s recommended screenings. (Photo courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Making the festival easily accessible to everyone is a primary driver and here is a daily segment titled, “How To Fest With Tabitha Jackson,” chock full of wise words combined with a Shari Frilot and Phyllis Nagy filmmaker chat. In addition, suggestions for the day’s films and events with brief overviews are provided to ease the sense of inundation. Furthermore, it’s a fun piece! Go forth and discover…
Day 2 at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival started off with Tabitha Jackson’s “How to Fest,” a wonderful way to open the day at Sundance – full of wise words and insight into promising films and filmmakers. Admittedly, I felt my face flush with Jackson’s closing inspirational alliteration, “Put on your intrepid trousers and go forth and discover.”
Taking those words to heart, After Yang presented itself. Stay tuned for more on this Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize winner!
At 1:45, DOWNFALL: The Case Against Boeing from acclaimed director Rory Kennedy, has numerous festivalgoers chomping at the bit with this comprehensive investigation into the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. More to follow on “searing indictment of a once-principled company corrupted by the influence of Wall Street to prioritize profits above all else.”
FESTIVAL VILLAGE: Now is the time to dip into Festival Village and add everything of interest to your schedule by “favoriting” – you don’t need reservations, but make a schedule now so that you don’t hear about it after it happens.
Mariama Diallo (Director, Amber Gray (Actor), Zoe Renee (Actor), Regina Hall (Actor)
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
The Festival takes place digitally via our enhanced online platform at Festival.Sundance.org, on the New Frontier Spaceship, a bespoke immersive platform allowing festival-goers to gather virtually, and in-person at seven Satellite Screens venues around the country during the Festival’s second weekend. Additional programming includes a daily talk show (“How to Fest: Daily”), and Satellite Screen conversations as well as partner offerings in the Festival Village. To note, all talks are available online via live stream or posted later on festival.sundance.org to view globally. Sign up for an account at festival.sundance.org to access online. All times are U.S. Mountain Time. Tickets are on sale.
ABOUT SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Flee, CODA, Passing, Summer Of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Precious, The Cove, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth, Napoleon Dynamite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Reservoir Dogs and sex, lies, and videotape.
The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute. 2022 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, AMC+, Chase Sapphire, Adobe; Leadership Sponsors – Amazon Studios, DIRECTV, DoorDash, Dropbox, Netflix, Omnicom Group, WarnerMedia, XRM Media; Sustaining Sponsors – Aflac, Audible, Canada Goose, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dell Technologies, IMDbPro, Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold, Rabbit Hole Bourbon & Rye, Unity Technologies, University of Utah Health, White Claw Hard Seltzer; Media Sponsors – The Atlantic, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Shadow and Act, Variety, Vulture. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute’s year-round programs for independent artists. Visit sundance.org/festivalfor more.
Until next time, I’ll see you at the Cinema House!
HollywoodGlee inside the Sundance Film Festival Headquarters at the Park City Marriott on January 23, 2019, in Park City, Utah, the day before the opening of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
Robert Redford addresses members of the press at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Press Conference at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, Utah, on January 29th, 2019. (Photo by Larry Gleeson)
Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford, Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente, and Festival Director Tabitha Jackson will kick off the 2022 Festival at 4 p.m. MT with a customary welcome and introductory remarks before the highly anticipated opening day premiere of New Frontier’s 32 Sounds!
Sam Greene (Photo coutesy of Sundance Inst.)
This indelible, feature-length journey from Sam Greene weaves together 32 audio experiences, crafting a cinematic poem about the power of sound to bend time, cross borders, and profoundly shape our perception of the world. Green previously premiered A Thousand Thoughts at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Featuring original compositions by JD Samson that will be performed live, 32 Sounds is designed to be experienced with personal headphones for a truly unique binaural audio experience. A high-quality headset is strongly recommended for online audiences.
Meet the artists behind all films and projects at the Festival on the Spaceship. Click here to learn more.
Secret Bonus Screening for Sundance Opening Film 32 Sounds —RSVP HERE
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival will be held January 20-30th, online and on seven satellite screens across the country. Tickets and packages are available HERE.
Until next time, I’ll see you at the movies!
Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah.
Like planets orbiting a star, moths are drawn to a flame, or film lovers gravitating to a screen, life gathers around light. The 2022 Sundance Film Festival is taking inspiration from our solar system’s biggest, most radiant source of light and life: the sun. Likewise, the 2022 Sundance Film Festival will shine the brightest of lights on independent artists and their powerful, culture-shifting work.
The Sundance Film Festival is the flagship public program of Sundance Institute. Throughout the year, the majority of the Institute’s resources support independent artists around the world as they make and develop new work through access to Labs, direct grants, fellowships, residencies, and other strategic and tactical support.
Acura will debut first-ever anime series during Sundanceshowcasing all-new lineup of Type S performance products
2022 marks Acura’s 12th year as Official Automaker and a Presenting Sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival
Acura continues its commitment in supporting up-and-coming and underrepresented artists through engaging Sundance Film Festival virtual programming and premieres
TORRANCE, CALIF., Jan. 19, 2022– Acura will offer 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 includes important conversations and activations with like-minded entertainment and media partners focused on supporting diversity in film, along with A-list filmmakers and talent. Acura is delivering this virtual experience as the Official Vehicle and a Presenting Sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival for the 12th consecutive year.
Acura also will present some of Sundance 2022’s most highly anticipated virtual premieres, while bringing the spirit of the festival and joy of the movies to film fans. To maintain the excitement in a COVID-safe environment, the automaker is sending hundreds of Acura Watch Party Kits filled with movie passes, snacks, and Sundance-themed swag to customers, filmmakers, talent, and partners to enjoy the Sundance experience from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, Acura is sending their Watch Party Kits to film students at various universities and colleges across Utah. These schools all have the opportunity to participate in the Festival through the free Local Lens initiative and Student Screening Program, and the Watch Party Kits provide students with even greater access to Sundance, furthering Acura’s mission of supporting up-and-coming filmmakers and artists.
Embracing the creative spirit of the Sundance film community, Acura is debuting a new four-part anime series, Chiaki’s Journey, during the Festival. Chiaki’s Journey features 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. Preview Chiaki’s Journey, here: https://acura.us/ChiakisJourneyBackstoryTeaser. And for more information on Chiaki’s Journey and the Acura Type S lineup, visit acura.com/type-s.
A full slate of Acura at Sundance creative programming will be available virtually for fans and filmmakers alike during the fest. Acura’s dedication to highlighting marginalized voices and furthering representation of all communities through film includes teaming with Outfest, the nonprofit organization that creates visibility to LGBTQIA+ storytellers and builds empathy to drive meaningful social change. Acura also will host panels and a networking event with the Latino Filmmakers Network, whose mission is to connect, inspire, educate and create opportunities for Latinos while promoting diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry.
Virtual programming schedule from the AcuraWatchParty.com digital space includes:
Thursday, January 20
Acura to debut Chiaki’s Journey anime series featuring all-new Type S performance product lineup.
Saturday, January 22 – Monday, January 24 – Acura Celebrates the LGBTQ+ Community with Outfest
Acura will present the annual Outfest Queer Brunch (Sunday, 1/23), panels, Sundance Selected Film Celebrations, meet-ups, and more.
Monday, January 24 – The Latino Filmmaker Network presented by Acura
The Latino Filmmaker Network will host panels and a networking event.
Additionally, Acura has once again partnered with IMDb to bring exclusive video content from the top talent at this year’s Festival and will take over IMDb’s homepage several times throughout the festival.
About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance – a commitment to expressive styling, high-performance, and innovative engineering, all built on a foundation of quality and reliability. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models – the ILX and TLX sport sedans, the RDX and MDX sport-utility vehicles, high-performance Type S variants, and the electrified NSX supercar. Integra will return to the Acura lineup in 2022.
All 2021 model year and newer Acura vehicles sold in America are made in the U.S., using domestic and globally sourced parts.
GIRL PICTURE, which will have its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, tells the story of two young women, Mimmi and Rönkkö who are best friends. They are there for each other and have each other’s back. Enter Emma, who has given her whole life to figure skating. Nothing gets between her and success. But when the girls meet, life opens new paths, and they all rocket in new directions. While Mimmi and Emma experience the earth-moving effects of first love, Rönkkö is on a quest to find pleasure. Three Fridays are all it takes to turn their worlds upside down.
GIRL PICTURE is directed by Alli Haapasalo and written by Ilona Ahti & Daniela Hakulinen. The films stars include Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, Linnea Leino, Sonya Lindfors, Cécile Orblin, Oona Airola, and Mikko Kauppila. The production company is Citizen Jane Productions. Producers are Leila Lyytikäinen and Elina Pohjola. Jarmo Kiuru handled the cinematography with Samu Heikkilä orchestrating the editing. Jan Forsström is credited with music supervision and production design while Anne Tolkkinen was responsible for the sound editing. GIRL PICTURE is in Finnish with English subtitles and with a runtime of 100 minutes.
Stay tuned for more on GIRL PICTURE as the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival is heating up!
Until next time, I’ll see you at the movies!
(Sourced from Hook Publicity (Jessica Uzzan) PR news release)
Another day, another batch of Sundance 2022 films! The film festival is set to run January 20th throught January 30th, 2022. Check out 42West Sundance 2022 Slate with riveting and informative documentaries from Rory Kennedy (DOWNFALL: THE CASE AGAINST BOEING), Eva Longoria Bastion (LA GUERRA CIVIL chronicling the epic boxing matches between Oscar De la Hoya and Julio César Chávez), Tia Lessin, and Emma Pildes (THE JANES, a revelatory period piece on finding a safe alternative to a life-threatening pregnancy). And, there’s the riveting Maika Monroe-led Watcher from Chloe Okuno! See below for more.
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.
42West Sundance 2022 Slate
CALL JANE
Premieres — Acquisition
Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A film by Phyllis Nagy
Starring Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Chris Messina, Kate Mara, Wunmi Mosaku, Cory Michael Smith, Grace Edwards
Set in Chicago, 1968. As a city and the nation are poised on the brink of violent political upheaval, suburban housewife Joy leads an ordinary life with her husband and daughter. When Joy’s pregnancy leads to a life-threatening condition, she must navigate a medical establishment unwilling to help. Her journey to find a solution to an impossible situation leads her to the “Janes,” a clandestine organization of women who provide Joy with a safer alternative — and in the process, change her life.
DOWNFALL: THE CASE AGAINST BOEING
Premieres — Netflix
Courtesy of IMDb and Sundance Institute.
A film by Rory Kennedy
Many of us take for granted that commercial air travel is safe. In 2018, with some 10,000 aircraft in service in more than 150 countries, industry leader Boeing had built its reputation on a dogged commitment to safety. But after 346 passengers are killed when two Boeing 737 MAX jets crash less than five months apart, dedicated journalists, surviving family members, and the United States Congress fight to reveal a culture of concealment and deceit within the venerated company.
Acclaimed director Rory Kennedy returns to the Sundance Film Festival with this comprehensive investigation into the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. Families of the victims relate the human cost of these tragedies, while aviation experts and former Boeing employees reveal what went wrong at the company, offering damning evidence of lies, negligence, and cover-up. DOWNFALL: The Case Against Boeing serves as a searing indictment of a once-principled company corrupted by the influence of Wall Street to prioritize profits above all else.
Rory’s films are all well-researched, informative and can pack a punch – expect nothing less with DOWNFALL.
GOD’S COUNTRY
Premieres — Acquisition
Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A film by Julian Higgins
Starring Thandiwe Newton, Jeremy Bobb, Joris Jarsky, Jefferson White, Kai Lennox, Tanaya Beatty
When a grieving college professor confronts two hunters she catches trespassing on her property, she’s drawn into an escalating battle of wills with catastrophic consequences.
THE JANES
US Documentary Competition — HBO
Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A film by Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes
In the spring of 1972, police raided an apartment on the South Side of Chicago. Seven women were arrested and charged. The accused were part of a clandestine network. Using code names, blindfolds, and safe houses to protect their identities and their work, they built an underground service for women seeking safe, affordable, illegal abortions. They called themselves Jane. Facing off against the mafia, the church, and the state, the Janes exhibited unparalleled bravery and compassion for those most in need.
Co-directors and Sundance Film Festival alumni Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes unearth this incredibly timely story to demonstrate how the fight for safe and legal abortions was and continues to be, an uncertain and perilous undertaking. Electrifying archival footage of Chicago in the late ’60s and early ’70s, coupled with affectingly honest interviews with the Janes themselves, brings to life the city and its spirit of revolution in that historic moment.
LA GUERRA CIVIL
Premieres — DAZN
Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A film by Eva Langoria Bastón
This feature-length documentary follows the epic rivalry between iconic boxers Oscar De La Hoya and Julio César Chávez in the 1990s sparked a cultural divide between Mexican nationals and Mexican-Americans. A chronicle of a battle that was more than a boxing rivalry, and examining a fascinating slice of the Latino experience in the process. La Guerra Civil is a DAZN Originals production, directed by Actress, Producer, Director & Activist, Eva Longoria Bastón and produced by her Emmy-nominated UnbeliEVAble Entertainment.
MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM
Midnight — Acquisition
Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
A film by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace
An immersive journey through the New York music scene of the early 2000s. Set against the backdrop of 9/11, the film tells the story of how a new generation kickstarted a musical rebirth for New York City that reverberated around the world. Inspired by the book by Lizzy Goodman.
WATCHER
U.S. Dramatic Competition — Acquisition
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 film by Chloe Okuno
Starring Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman, Ciubuciu Bogdan Alexandru
A young woman moves into a new apartment with her fiancé and is tormented by the feeling that she is being stalked by an unseen watcher in an adjacent building.
SNOWPIERCER
Season Three Premiere Event Screening + Panel
Daveed Diggs, Rowan Blanchard, Lena Hall, Iddo Goldberg, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, Katie McGuinness, Chelsea Harris, Mike O’Malley, Annalise Basso, Steven Ogg, Sheila Vand, Roberto Urbina, Christoph Schrewe (subject to change pending availability)
WarnerMedia Lodge
Friday, January 21st at 5:00-6:30PM
ABOUT SNOWPIERCER SEASON THREE: At the end of “Snowpiercer” season two, Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Ruth (Alison Wright), who were banished to Big Alice’s compost car, plotted to take back Snowpiercer. With the help of Javier (Roberto Urbina) and Alexandra (Rowan Blanchard), Layton and Ruth made it back to Snowpiercer and rallied with their supporters. Josie (Katie McGuiness) destroyed the Aquarium car, separating Snowpiercer’s head from the remaining 1,023 cars. Season three picks up with Layton (Diggs) and his inner circle commanding a small 10 car “pirate train” in search of Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) and a possible warm location to restart civilization; while back on Snowpiercer, Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean) is consolidating power, awaiting Layton’s return.
Stay tuned!
Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah.
Things are warming up with the approaching 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Obscured Pictures released their slate of films that are sure to heighten viewer sensibilities. To quote St. Louis, MO, hip hop/rapper Nelly, “it’s getting hot in herre (So hot).” Check out these fiery films:
GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE
(Acquisition Title)
Nancy Stokes, a retired schoolteacher, is yearning for some adventure, and some sex. Good sex. And she has a plan: she hires a young sex worker named Leo Grande.
Section: Premieres
Directed by: Sophie Hyde
Written by: Katy Brand
Cast: Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack
Producer: Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Run Time: 97 mins
SUMMERING
(Bleecker Street)
During their last days of summer and childhood — the weekend before middle school begins — four girls struggle with the harsh truths of growing up and embark on a mysterious adventure.
Section: Kids
Directed by: James Ponsoldt
Written by: James Ponsoldt & Benjamin Percy
Cast: Lia Barnett, Lake Bell, Sarah Cooper, Ashley Madekwe, Madalen Mills, Megan Mullally, Eden Grace Redfield, and Sanai Victoria
Producers: P. Jennifer Dana, Peter Block, James Ponsoldt
Run Time: 87 Minutes
YOU WON’T BE ALONE
(Focus Features)
Set in an isolated mountain village in 19th century Macedonia, YOU WON’T BE ALONE follows a young girl who is kidnapped and then transformed into a witch by an ancient spirit. Curious about life as a human, the young witch accidentally kills a peasant in the nearby village and then takes her victim’s shape to live life in her skin. Her curiosity ignited, she continues to wield this horrific power in order to understand what it means to be human.
Section: World Cinema Dramatic Competiton
Directed by: Goran Stolevski
Written by: Goran Stolevski
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Anamaria Marinca, Alice Englert, Carloto Cotta, Félix Maritaud, Sara Klimoska
Producers: Kristina Ceyton, Sam Jennings
Run Time: 109 mins
INSTANT LIFE
(Acquisition Title)
Destitute without electricity and running water, Yolanda Signorelli Von Braunhut has lost control of her late husband Harold’s iconic Amazing Live Sea Monkeys novelty. Yet she alone knows their secret formula, and from her crumbling estate on the Potomac, Yolanda wages legal and existential battles to fully win them back.
Section: Indie Episodic Program
Directed by: Mark Becker, Aaron Schock
Producers: Mark Becker, Aaron Schock, Julie Gaynin
The beauty of Sundance is the films. And, the 2022 festival is showcasing extraordinary World Cinema Documentary and NEXT films currently up for acquisition.
HollywoodGlee inside the Sundance Film Festival Headquarters at the Park City Marriott on January 23, 2019, in Park City, Utah, the day before the opening of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
Stay tuned for more on these informative gems from the Sundance Film Festival, scheduled for January 20th to the 30th, 2022, in Park City, Utah!
ALL THAT BREATHES, Dir. Shaunak Sen (World Cinema Doc Competition) – Against the darkening backdrop of Delhi’s apocalyptic air and escalating violence, two brothers devote their lives to protect one casualty of the turbulent times: the bird known as the Black Kite. (Acquisition title. Sales: Submarine)
THE MISSION, Dir. Tania Anderson (World Cinema Doc Competition) – A revelation of the inner lives of young LDS missionaries as they leave their homes for the first time and travel to the other side of the world in an attempt to convert some of Europe’s most non-religious, private and skeptical people, the Finns, to their faith. (Acquisition title. Sales: Autlook) NOTHING COMPARES, Dir. Kathryn Ferguson (World Cinema Doc Competition) – The story of Sinéad O’Connor’s phenomenal rise to worldwide fame and her exile from the pop mainstream. Focusing on Sinéad’s prophetic words and deeds from 1987-1992, the film reflects on the legacy of this fearless trailblazer through a contemporary feminist lens. (Acquisition title. Sales: Submarine)
RIOTSVILLE, USA, Dir. Sierra Pettengill (NEXT) – Welcome to Riotsville, a fictional town built by the U.S. military. Using footage shot by the media and government, the film explores the militarization of the police and the reaction of a nation to the uprisings of the late ’60s, creating a counter-narrative to a critical moment in American history. (Acquisition title. Sales: Cinetic)
SIRENS, Dir. Rita Baghdadi (World Cinema Doc Competition) – On the outskirts of Beirut, Lilas and Shery, co-founders and guitarists of the Middle East’s first all-female metal band, wrestle with friendship, sexuality and destruction in their pursuit of becoming thrash metal rock stars. (Acquisition title. Sales: CAA)
TANTURA, Dir. Alon Schwarz (World Cinema Doc Competition – Day One Film) – In 1948, the State of Israel was established and war broke out. Hundreds of Palestinian villages were destroyed with their inhabitants killed or exiled. The film focuses on one village: Tantura, bringing to light Israel’s founding myth and its society’s inability to come to terms with its dark past. (Acquisition title. Sales: UTA)
Kicking off the 2022 Sundance Film Festival at 4 pm on Thursday, January 20th, award-winning documentarian Sam Green returns to Sundance with a groundbreaking and immersive documentary, 32 SOUNDS, a film about the powerful effects of sound and how it affects our conscious and unconscious lives. 32 SOUNDS will feature original compositions of live music and narration by JD Samson that will be performed live.
32 SOUNDS is designed to be experienced with personal headphones for a truly unique binaural audio experience. A high-quality headset is strongly recommended for online audiences. Wireless headphones will be provided at performances held in the Egyptian Theatre.
32 SOUNDS will be a special hybrid digital/in-person presentation and will take place simultaneously at the Egyptian Theatre and in The Spaceship’s Cinema House.
Filmmaker Margaret Brown returns to Sundance with the World Premiere of her U.S. Documentary Competition film DESCENDANT, a deeply moving look at the descendants of the survivors of the Clotilda, the last ship carrying enslaved Africans to the United States 40 years after African slave trading became a capital offense.
Brown’s DESCENDANT explores and reveals the enduring power imbalance that persists between the descendants of Timothy Meaher, the man who chartered the illegal expedition, and the descendants of those who were enslaved aboard it. The Meaher family owns much of the heavily industrialized area that surrounds Africatown. Elevated cases of cancer and illness are prevalent there, but the Africatown community persists. Residents celebrate their heritage and take command of their legacy by bringing their history to the surface
In addition, Bianca Stinger’s cinematic meditation on memory and loss, THREE MINUTES – A LENGTHENING, will screen at Sundance in the Spotlight section after debuting to critical acclaim at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival.
In 2009, Glenn Kurtz discovered a crumbling 16mm color home movie in his parents’ closet — amateur footage his grandfather David shot in 1938 on a vacation to Europe. In addition to familiar tourist attractions, the film included three minutes of what would turn out to be the only known footage of the predominantly Jewish town of Nasielsk, Poland — David Kurtz’s birthplace — one year before the Nazi occupation would destroy the community, leaving fewer than 100 survivors of the Holocaust.
Stigter traces the story of those three minutes and the discoveries they prompted, conducting a filmic excavation seeking to expand time, postponing the inevitable fate of the people caught on celluloid. Examining each frame for clues, playing and replaying the haunting footage, performing active discovery on every detail, THREE MINUTES – A LENGTHENING bears witness to history to demonstrate the power of cinema to reclaim the past for the present.
