{"id":8718243,"date":"2023-01-17T11:09:28","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T19:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/?p=8718243&preview=true&preview_id=8718243"},"modified":"2023-01-17T15:37:09","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T23:37:09","slug":"sundance-2023-these-15-films-will-have-people-talking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/2023\/01\/17\/sundance-2023-these-15-films-will-have-people-talking\/","title":{"rendered":"Sundance 2023: These 15 films will have people talking"},"content":{"rendered":"

The independent filmmaking industry deserves a chance to shine and get away from that stormfront of mostly bad-box office news.<\/p>\n

That opportunity arrives Jan. 20-Jan. 29 at the Sundance Film Festival, which returns to live screenings after two virtual versions and offers a robust showcase for some of the best features the world has to offer.<\/p>\n

Numerous world premieres and buzzy titles will attract movie lovers, ear-muffed celebrities, journalists, publicists, studio reps and onlookers to Park City, Utah.<\/p>\n

But if you can’t make it there, know that some of the titles will be available to stream beginning Jan. 24. More information on these and more films is available at festival.sundance.org.<\/p>\n

Here are 15 to look out for, a number of which have Bay Area associations.<\/p>\n

\u201cStephen Curry: Underrated\u201d:<\/strong> Award-winning Oakland documentary-maker Peter Nicks (\u201cHomeroom,\u201d \u201cThe Waiting Room,\u201d \u201cThe Force\u201d) bring his ever-observant eye to the life and career of one of our most popular and respected NBA players — Golden State Warriors icon Stephen Curry. Filmmaker and Oakland native Ryan Coogler is one of the producers of this Apple TV+ documentary, which relates the inspirational story of Curry and how the four-time NBA champ defied naysayers and became a phenomenon. Sadly, it’s not available online, and there’s no word yet on when Apple TV+ will release it.<\/p>\n

\u201cShortcomings\u201d:<\/strong> Sacramento-born graphic novelist Adrian Tomine has drawn deserved comparisons to America\u2019s most daring cartoonists. If you haven\u2019t read any of the UC Berkeley alum\u2019s rich works — and you really should — this edgy adaptation from director Randall Park (yes, the cute actor from “Fresh off the Boat”) will likely make you a fan. It follows three Berkeley chums fumbling about with love, desire, heritage and expectations. It’s available online.<\/p>\n

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\u201cFremont\u201d:<\/strong> For his fourth feature film, Iranian filmmaker Babak Jalali comes up with a novel and timely concept.\u00a0 A former Afghan translator (newcomer Anaita Wali Zada) finds herself saddled with an empty life in the titular East Bay city, but things change when she assigned to write Chinese fortune cookie messages at the factory where she works. \u201cThe Bear\u2019s\u201d Jeremy Allen White costars. Shot in B&W, Jalali\u2019s feature will be available online.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarth Mama\u201d:<\/strong> Some films get snapped up by studios and distributors even before they get their world premiere at Sundance. Such is the case with 29-year-old Savanah Leaf\u2019s debut feature set in the Bay Area. A24 swooped in to grab the former Olympic volleyball player’s coming-of-age drama about Gia (Oakland newcomer Tia Nomore), a pregnant single mom with two other children in foster care. The film is not available online, and there’s no release date from A24 yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cFairyland\u201d:<\/strong> Debut filmmaker Andrew Durham wrote and directed this adaptation of Alysia Abbott\u2019s memoir about growing up in the \u201870s with a free-spirited father (Scoot McNairy) following the sudden death of her mother. Alysia is often left to her own devices as her father begins to date men once they relocate to San Francisco. Geena Davis, rock singer Adam Lambert and Maria Bakalova costar. The film is not available online.<\/p>\n

\u201cFancy Dance\u201d:<\/strong> Sundance loves coming-of-age stories. This exciting release from first-timer Erica Tremblay attests to that. The world premiere drama is about two girls from an Oklahoma reservation — the resourceful Jax (Lily Gladstone) and her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) — taking a road trip to find Roki\u2019s missing mother. It’s available online.<\/p>\n

\u201cCassandro\u201d:<\/strong> Gael Garcia Bernal lands a juicy, high-profile role as the real-life gay luchador (professional wrestler) Sa\u00fal Armend\u00e1riz, who, with the assistance of his trainer, breaks barriers by assuming the identity of an alter ego — the out and proud Cassandro. This is documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams’ feature debut, and it looks like a winner. Bad Bunny and Ra\u00fal Castillo costar. It’s not available online.<\/p>\n

\u201cInfinity Pool\u201d:<\/strong> His horror freakout (\u201cPossessor\u201d) rattled Sundance a few years ago, now director Brandon Cronenberg (David Cronenberg’s son) follows it up with what looks to be another unabashedly bizarre and brazen horror shocker. Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd lend their magnetic star power to this dark look at the festering underbelly of tourism. It might even make you think twice about booking that next trip to a tropical paradise. It’s not available online, but will arrive in theaters to disturb Jan. 27.<\/p>\n

\u201cMamacruz\u201d:<\/strong> Dramas about sexual awakenings (or re-awakenings), in general,\u00a0 tend to focus on characters under the age of 50. Director\/co-writer Patricia Ortega makes an exception here with a story about a buttoned-up, religious grandmother who dares to dip into porn and talk more freely about sex — to the chagrin of some, and the acceptance of others. Kiti Manver will be a Sundance standout. It’s available online.<\/p>\n