The 2023 Sundance Film Festival Standout Movies
With the bustling award season singing “au revoir’’ to the films of 2022, the Sundance Film Festival cut the ribbon for another year of new films. Entering its 38th year, the festival returned in-person to the snowy mountains of Park City, Utah for the first time since 2020. Providing up-and-coming filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their indie films to major distributors, such as Netflix or Apple, Sundance has become one of the most celebrated festivals in Hollywood. Films such as Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (2014) and the most recent Academy Award Best Picture Winner CODA (2021) emerged from this festival, which has garnered major prestige over the years. Embracing diverse voices and stories, it has played a seminal role in redefining the identity of the film industry. Based on all the buzz coming out of Sundance this year, here are some of my most anticipated films:
“Fair Play”
Scoring a $20 million distribution deal with Netflix, USC alum Chloe Domont’s debut feature “Fair Play” has been the biggest success story out of Sundance this year. A finance drama with a romantic thriller twist, “Fair Play” is about the downfall of a New York couple’s marriage as they fight tooth and nail for a promotion at a hedge fund company. Focusing on modern sexual politics and the toxicity of corporate workplaces, Domont wowed audiences with her timely script that subtly comments on today’s culture. The powerful and sensual performances of Alden Ehrenriech, known for his role as young Han Solo in “Solo: A Star Wars Story’’ (2018), and Phoebe Dynevor, fresh off her success in Netflix’s “Bridgerton,’’ only heightened the excitement and hype surrounding this film. Keep an eye out for its release on Netflix later this year.
“Past Lives”
In contrast to the tense and toxic relationship of “Fair Play,” A24’s “Past Lives” provides a more sentimental and poignant perspective of love and friendship. Already deemed by some trade articles as one of the biggest awards contenders of 2023, “Past Lives” touched the hearts of Sundance audiences through its story of unrequited love and heartbreak. Written and directed by Korean Canadian playwright Celine Song, “Past Lives” tracks the wavering romance between two childhood friends, as they continually drift apart and reconnect over the course of three stages in their lives. Compared to the achingly tragic and sentimental tones of films, such as Wong Kar-Wai’s “In the Mood for Love” (2000) and Jacques Demy’s “Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964), Song explores how love, fate and identity intertwine through her subtle dialogue and dreamlike aesthetics.
“The Eternal Memory”
Sundance is known for its debut of diverse documentaries that, more often than not, become Academy Award winners. This year Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi, who premiered her first film at Sundance in 2020, comes back to the festival with another touching and meditative documentary called “The Eternal Memory.” This is a follow-up to “The Mole Agent,” her Oscar-nominated documentary about a secret investigation of a retirement home in Chile (and one of my favorite films of 2020). “The Eternal Memory” grapples with similar existential questions that arise as we age and slowly lose control over our minds and bodies. This time Alberdi focuses on an elderly Chilean couple’s journey in dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. Once a prominent Chilean cultural commentator who fought to preserve the art and history of the nation after Pinchoet’s destructive dictatorship, Augusto now has to fight to keep his memory and identity alive with the support and love of his wife Paulina. Lauded for its unfiltered and authentic reflections on love, life and death, “The Eternal Memory” seems like another great showcase of Alberdi’s talent as a filmmaker.
“Shayda”
Winning the Audience Award in the World Cinema category at Sundance, “Shayda,” directed by Iranian Australian filmmaker Noora Niasari, is an emotionally powerful film that sheds light on the barriers women encounter when escaping abusive relationships. The film follows the titular protagonist’s fight for autonomy as she flees from Iran to Australia. Shayda leaves with her daughter to avoid her violent husband, whom she can’t divorce due to restrictive Iranian laws. Noted for her strong performance, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, who won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival last year, exemplifies the courage and tenacity of Shayda’s character. Despite dealing with traumatic subject matters, Niasari centralizes the story on how Shayda and her daughter find moments of happiness and peace in a world built against them. Through her poetic and quiet scenes, Niasari was praised for capturing the beauty and resilience of a mother-daughter love. In lieu of the Iranian government’s most recent violations of women’s rights, this film plays an important role in uplifting the stories of Iranian women whose voices have been silenced for too long.
“You Hurts My Feelings”
Sundance veteran Nicole Holofcener’s returns to the festival with the premiere of her newest film, “You Hurt My Feelings.” Known for films such as “Enough Said” (2013) and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” (2018), Holofcener has established herself as a clever and witty writer. She succeeds in crafting intimate stories that focus on human vulnerabilities and loneliness. Following the thematic strains established in her past films, “You Hurt My Feelings” manifests every romantic partner’s greatest fear: betrayal. After years of working alongside her husband on her upcoming novel, Beth, played by the impeccably funny Julia Louis-Dreyfus, overhears her husband, played by Tobias Menzies, harshly critiquing her new work behind her back. This one conversation causes Beth to spiral into an existential crisis, forcing her to reconsider her marriage and her career as writer. Dealing with themes of authenticity and honesty in relationships, Holofcener succeeds in creating flawed yet relatable characters, who deal with insecurities we have all faced at some point in our lives. With Louis-Dreyfus’ comedic chops and Holofcener sharp yet touching dialogue, “You Hurt My Feelings” is on the top of my watch-list.