SUNDANCE FILMS SIZZLE
Female Filmmakers Dominate the Line-Up
Sundance 2022 is here. Virtually, that is. After initially announcing that the festival would be held in person this year, the omicron variant started spreading like wildfire. While all other January and February events started postponing or going virtual, Sundance organizers initially stuck to their in person plan and announced that covid booster shots would be available at the festival. Well, that clearly didn’t happen, and they decided to officially go virtual for another year. And while it’s sad for filmmakers and movie aficionados to not get to attend in person, that was the smart decision. And of course, the decision to go virtual opens up the audience to a wider range of people. Let’s take a look at 5 exciting films from this year’s festival.
When You Finish Saving the World
Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg in his directorial debut, this comedy-drama is based on his audio drama of the same name. The film stars Finn Wolfhard as a high school student named Ziggy who wows a cadre of online fans with his original folk-rock songs much to the consternation of his mother Evelyn (Julianne Moore), who runs a shelter for survivors of domestic abuse.
Master
Mariama Diallo makes her directorial debut with this thriller film, which she also wrote. The film follows two African American women who begin to share disturbing experiences on the campus of a predominantly white New England university. The movie stars Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Amber Gray, Molly Bernard, and Ella Hunt. Master comes out on Amazon Prime on March 18, 2022.
Fresh
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan star in this thriller directed by Mimi Cave, in her directorial debut, from a script by Lauryn Kahn. The romantic thriller about the perils of modern dating follows a young woman who finds herself trying to survive her new boyfriend’s unusual appetite. Hmm, do we think he has a taste for human flesh? Fresh comes out on Hulu on March 4, 2022.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Emma Thompson stars in this comedy-drama as Nancy Stokes, a retired widow seeking out romance and excitement after her boring marriage. She decides to hire young, attractive sex worker Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack) for a night of pleasure, fun, and self discovery. The film was directed by Sophie Hyde from a script by comedian Katy Brand.
Am I Ok?
In this comedy-drama directed by real-life married couple Tig Notaro and Stephanie Alynne from a script by Lauren Pomerantz, Dakota Johnson stars as Lucy, a woman who begins to question her sexuality when she finds herself starting to fall for her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno). The film also stars Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Whitmer Thomas, Molly Gordon, June Diane Raphael, Tig Notaro, and Sean Hayes.
