Sundance 2020

[Chris Knipp]

Sundance 2020 (Jan. 23 - Feb. 2).

Among the jam of press at the festival, Guardian newspaper again has excellent coverage and AV Club will have reports. Hollywood Reporter is publishing daily reviews as is Variety - the two American movie trade journals maintaining quality of coverage. There's even Salt Lake City Weekly's "Daily Feed." I'll be culling some summaries from these and other sources to provide a limited overview of this important American film festival and the films people are liking. The founder Robert Redford, has stepped down as the "face" of the festival but reportedly is still deeply involved.

The Sundance 2020 lineup (see the whole thing HERE) includes features starring, among others, Angelina Jolie, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tessa Thompson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell, Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Glenn Close, Michael Keaton, Lena Waithe, Julianne Moore, Ana de Armas, Jude Law, Ella Balinska, David Oyelowo, and Anne Hathaway, and more, including of course newcomers, who are often the most interesting. Directors, some back for a repeat visit, include Dee Rees, Julie Taymor, Justin Simien, Alan Ball, Benh Zeitlin, and Viggo Mortensen, the latter making his directorial debut after 35 years as a lead actor.

The documentaries include an opening night one by Lana Wilson on on Taylor Swift (Miss Amiericana), one by Ron Howard about the devastating California "Camp" fires of 2018, Rebuilding Paradise, and Kim A. Snyder’s Us Kids, about the 2018 Parkland shooting survivors and the movement they began. There are also films about Russell Simmons' sexual abuse (which Oprah supported, then withdrew from), and about Hilary Clinton.

Women directors have made a very strong showing at this festival and are very well represented.

You can find a list of all the competing films in this year's Sundance HERE.