Sundance Institute revealed this week that it will continue its film festivals in Hong Kong this year and London next year, with selections for each largely drawn from the Institute’s renowned Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “We’ve nurtured filmmakers around the globe for many years now and these experiences have brought a rich perspective to all we do. Exploring international opportunities for the diverse landscape of American independent storytelling is an exciting proposition, and something to which we are equally committed.”
The Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong will take place September 17-27, 2015, covering Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for two consecutive weekends at The Metroplex, a newly opened state-of-the-art cineplex in Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong. Ten independent films will premiere as part of the screening series, marking its second year. The first year’s program featured the Hong Kong premieres of films including Whiplash, The Skeleton Twins, Life After Beth and The Case Against 8.
The Sundance Film Festival: London will take place in 2016 at the new Picturehouse Central. The festival will build on the success of Sundance London, hosted in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and which featured the international and UK premieres of films including Fruitvale Station, Obvious Child, Frank, The Trip to Italy, The Queen of Versailles, Blackfish, Upstream Color and The Look of Love and was attended by filmmakers, artists and supporters including HRH The Prince of Wales, Michael Fassbender, Gemma Arterton, Ryan Reynolds, Gina Rodriguez, Lake Bell, Jimmy Carr, the Eagles, Peaches, David Cross, Rose McGowan, Minnie Driver and Rufus Wainwright.
In advance of this 2016 festival, the Institute will host a few private screenings and events for London’s independent film community at the new Picturehouse Central in June of this year.Sundance Film Festival: London
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Sundance Film Festival to Return to London + Expands to Hong Kong
Sundance Institute revealed this week that it will continue its film festivals in Hong Kong this year and London next year, with selections for each largely drawn from the Institute’s renowned Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “We’ve nurtured filmmakers around the globe for many years now and these experiences have brought a rich perspective to all we do. Exploring international opportunities for the diverse landscape of American independent storytelling is an exciting proposition, and something to which we are equally committed.”
The Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong will take place September 17-27, 2015, covering Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for two consecutive weekends at The Metroplex, a newly opened state-of-the-art cineplex in Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong. Ten independent films will premiere as part of the screening series, marking its second year. The first year’s program featured the Hong Kong premieres of films including Whiplash, The Skeleton Twins, Life After Beth and The Case Against 8.
The Sundance Film Festival: London will take place in 2016 at the new Picturehouse Central. The festival will build on the success of Sundance London, hosted in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and which featured the international and UK premieres of films including Fruitvale Station, Obvious Child, Frank, The Trip to Italy, The Queen of Versailles, Blackfish, Upstream Color and The Look of Love and was attended by filmmakers, artists and supporters including HRH The Prince of Wales, Michael Fassbender, Gemma Arterton, Ryan Reynolds, Gina Rodriguez, Lake Bell, Jimmy Carr, the Eagles, Peaches, David Cross, Rose McGowan, Minnie Driver and Rufus Wainwright.
In advance of this 2016 festival, the Institute will host a few private screenings and events for London’s independent film community at the new Picturehouse Central in June of this year.
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“Russian Roulette” “Shadows of Time” Win Sundance London Short Film Competition
Shadows of Time by Sambit BanerjeeRussian Roulette by Ben Aston has won the Official Selection Award and Shadows of Time by Sambit Banerjee has won the Community Choice Award in the Short Film Competition for the third Sundance London film and music festival, taking place April 25 to 27, 2014, at The O2:. Both films will screen at the festival and both filmmakers will receive prizes.
Additional finalists for the competition were: 1 on 1 by Joe Talbot; Making the News by Daniele Baron & Conor OGrady; Red Onions by Nadia Lachman; My City by Robert Ryan; Family Business by Mark Drake; Heaven’s Secret – A Film About Love After Death by Ed Wiles; Brothers by Aleksandra Czenczek; The Elevator Pitch by Simon Ryninks; Redemption by Laura Lisete Roosaar; and Art of Motion by Rhodri Williams. All winning and finalist films are available for immediate viewing at sundance-london.com/short-film-competition.
Sundance London will include 39 films (21 features and 18 shorts), including Fruitvale Station (Director: Ryan Coogler), Blue Ruin (Director: Jeremy Saulnier), Frank(Director: Lenny Abrahamson), Hits (Director: David Cross), They Came Together (Director: David Wain), The Voices (Director: Marjane Satrapi) and The Trip to Italy (Director: Michael Winterbottom). All screenings will take place at Cineworld at The O2.
Russian Roulette by Ben AstonRussian Roulette (Director : Ben Aston, Screenwriter : Oli Fenton) — London seems a little less lonely when Lucy meets a libidinous cosmonaut on chat roulette…Official Selection Winner
Shadows of Time (Director and screenwriter: Sambit Banerjee) — 52 people died in the 7/7 terrorist attack on London and hundreds were severely injured. Men, women and children of different nationalities and faith were all equally affected. Shadows of Time is a poignant tale of love, loss and life as seen through the eyes of an ordinary Muslim woman whose husband died in the horrific incident. Community Choice Award Winner
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Feature Films, Special Events, Short Films and Panels Announced for 2014 Sundance London
The program lineup of feature films, short films and panel discussions is unveiled for the third Sundance London film and music festival, taking place April 25 to 27, 2014, at The O2 in London. Twenty-four films will make their world, international, European or UK premieres at Sundance London. Ten are by female filmmakers and seven are by first-time feature filmmakers. The films collectively received 12 awards when they premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Among the filmmakers expected to attend are Ryan Coogler, David Cross, Rose McGowan and Marjane Satrapi. All screenings will take place at Cineworld at The O2.
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME
American independent narrative and documentary films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
Blue Ruin Blue Ruin (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Saulnier) — A mysterious outsider’s quiet life turns upside down when he returns to his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. Proving to be an amateur assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family. Cast: Macon Blair, Amy Hargreaves, Sidné Anderson, Devin Ratray, Kevin Kolack.
The Case Against 8 The Case Against 8 (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Documentary) Winner of the Directing Award: U.S. Documentary at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.International Premiere
Dinosaur 13Dinosaur 13 (Director: Todd Miller) — An unprecedented saga in human history unfurls in this true tale of the world’s greatest dinosaur discovery and the ensuing battle to possess a 65-million-year-old treasure. (Documentary) International Premiere
Drunktown’s FinestDrunktown’s Finest (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) — Three young Native Americans—a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual—come of age on an Indian reservation. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis. International Premiere
Finding FelaFinding Fela (Director: Alex Gibney) — Fela Anikulapo Kuti created the musical movement Afrobeat and used it as a political forum to oppose the Nigerian dictatorship and advocate for the rights of oppressed people. This is the story of his life, music, and political importance, from the award-winning director of Taxi to the Dark Sideand We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks. (Documentary) European Premiere
Fruitvale StationFruitvale Station (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O’Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic presented by Acura at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. UK Premiere
HitsHits (Director and screenwriter: David Cross) — A small town in upstate New York is populated by people who wallow in unrealistic expectations. There, fame, delusion, earnestness and recklessness meet, shake hands and disrupt the lives around them. Hits is the directorial debut of writer, comedian and actor David Cross, best known for his work on Arrested Development. Cast: Michael Cera, Meredith Hagner, Matt Walsh, James Adomian, Jake Cherry, Derek Waters, Wyatt Cenac, Jason Ritter. International Premiere
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi. Winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. UK Premiere
LAMBERT & STAMPLAMBERT & STAMP (Director: James D. Cooper) — In this crazy, chaotic gospel of chance, aspiring filmmakers Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert set out to search for a subject for their underground movie, leading them to discover, mentor, and manage the iconic band known as The Who and create rock ‘n’ roll history. (Documentary) UK Premiere
Little Accidents Little Accidents (Director and screenwriter: Sara Colangelo) — In a small American coal town living in the shadow of a recent mining accident, the disappearance of a teenage boy draws three people together—a surviving miner, the lonely wife of a mine executive, and a local boy—in a web of secrets. Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook, Chloë Sevigny, Jacob Lofland, Josh Lucas. International Premiere
MemphisMemphis (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A strange singer drifts through the mythic city of Memphis, surrounded by beautiful women, legendary musicians, a stone-cold hustler, a righteous preacher, and a wolf pack of kids. Under a canopy of ancient oak trees and burning spirituality, his doomed journey breaks from conformity and reaches out for glory. Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson. International Premiere
Obvious Child Obvious Child (Director and screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre) — An honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant, just in time for the worst/best Valentine’s Day of her life. Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind. UK Premiere
They Came Together They Came Together (Director: David Wain, Screenwriters: Michael Showalter, David Wain) — This subversion/spoof/deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre has a vaguely, but not overtly, Jewish leading man, a klutzy, but adorable, leading lady, and New York City itself as another character in the story. They Came Together reunites director Wain with many of the stars from his 2001 cult teen classic, Wet Hot American Summer. Cast: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, Christopher Meloni. International Premiere
Under the Electric Sky EDC2013Under the Electric Sky (EDC 2013) (Directors: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz) — This 3-D film chronicles the love, community, and life of festivalgoers during Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, the largest music festival in the U.S. Behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews with Insomniac’s Pasquale Rotella reveal the magic that makes this three-night, 345,000-person event a global phenomenon. (Documentary) UK Premiere
The Voices The Voices (Director: Marjane Satrapi, Screenwriter: Michael R. Perry) — This genre-bending tale centers around Jerry Hickfang, a lovable but disturbed factory worker who yearns for attention from a woman in accounting. When their relationship takes a sudden, murderous turn, Jerry’s evil talking cat and benevolent talking dog lead him down a fantastical path where he ultimately finds salvation. Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick, Jacki Weaver. International Premiere
SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAM
On-screen stories complemented by extraordinary off-screen experiences.
AxiomAxiom (Director: NYSU, Screenwriters: David Gambero & NYSU) — Axiom is an island in the middle of nowhere, steep cliffs on all sides. On the island there is an underground city dominated by a bell, the bell decides the fate of the city’s inhabitants. Cast: Jonathan David Mellor, Santi Senso, Cova de Alfonso, Silvia Vacas, Pablo Menasanch, Julia Llerena. World Premiere
UK SPOTLIGHT
Drawing on the Sundance Film Festival’s rich legacy of premiering outstanding films produced in the UK – including An Education, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Bruges, In the Loop, Kinky Boots, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels – this showcase presents two UK films that premiered in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. this year.
FrankFrank (Director: Lenny Abrahamson, Screenwriters: Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan) — Frank is an offbeat comedy about a wannabe musician who finds himself out of his depth when he joins an avant garde rock band led by the enigmatic Frank—a musical genius who hides himself inside a large fake head. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy. UK Premiere
The Trip to ItalyThe Trip to Italy (Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriters: Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, Michael Winterbottom) — Michael Winterbottom reunites Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon for more delectable food, some sharp-elbowed rivalry, and plenty of laughs.Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon. European Premiere
SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Two wide-ranging collections of short films that screened in January at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Short Film Programme 1
Cruising Electric (1980) / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Brumby Boylston) — The marketing department green-lights a red-light tie-in: 60 lost seconds of modern movie merchandising. International Premiere
Dawn / U.S.A. (Director: Rose McGowan, Screenwriters: M.A. Fortin, Joshua John Miller) — Dawn is a quiet young teenager who longs for something or someone to free her from her sheltered life. Dawnis the directorial debut of actress Rose McGowan (Planet Terror). International Premiere
Exchange & Mart / United Kingdom (Directors: Cara Connolly, Martin Clark, Screenwriter: Cara Connolly) — Reg is a lonely girl at a remote Scottish boarding school where paranoia about rape is rife. Her unorthodox self-defense class provides the human touch she craves so deeply. When she is attacked in the woods, she knows what she has to do…
Love. Love. Love. / Russia (Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram) — Every year, through the endless winters, her love takes new shapes and forms. Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Marilyn Myller / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Mikey Please) — Marilyn maketh. Marilyn taketh awayeth. Marilyn is trying really hard to create something good. For once, her expectation and reality are going to align. It will be epic. It will be tear-jerkingly profound. It will be perfect. Nothing can go wrong.
Notes on Blindness / United Kingdom, U.S.A., Australia (Directors: Peter Middleton, James Spinney) — In 1983, writer and theologian John Hull became blind. To help make sense of his loss, he began keeping an audio diary. Encompassing dreams, memories, and his imaginative life, Notes on Blindness immerses the viewer in Hull’s experience of blindness.
Of God and Dogs / Syrian Arab Republic (Director: Abounaddara Collective) — A young, free Syrian soldier confesses to killing a man he knew was innocent. He promises to take vengeance on the God who led him to commit the murder. Winner of the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. European Premiere
Phantom Limb / United Kingdom, Australia (Director and screenwriter: Alex Grigg) — James and Martha narrowly survive a motorcycle accident. During the aftermath, however, James begins to experience Martha’s phantom pains.
Short Film Programme 2
Afronauts / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Frances Bodomo) — On July 16th 1969, America prepares to launch Apollo 11. Thousands of miles away, the Zambia Space Academy hopes to beat America to the moon. Inspired by true events. UK Premiere
Burger / United Kingdom, Norway (Director and screenwriter: Magnus Mork) — It’s late night in a burger bar in Wales… Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award for Direction and Ensemble Actingat the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
The Cut / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Geneviève Dulude-Decelles) — The Cut tells the story of a father and a daughter, whose relationship fluctuates between proximity and detachment, at the moment of a haircut. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
I Think This Is the Closest to How the Footage Looked / Israel (Directors: Yuval Hameiri) — A man with poor means recreates a lost memory of the last day with his mom. Objects come to life in a desperate struggle to produce a single moment that is gone. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
The Last Days of Peter Bergmann / Ireland (Director: Ciaran Cassidy) — In 2009, a man claiming to be from Austria arrived in the town of Sligo, Ireland. During his final days, Peter Bergmann went to great lengths to ensure no one ever discovered who he was and where he came from. UK Premiere
Life’s a Bitch / Canada (Director: François Jaros, Screenwriter: Guillaume Lambert) — Love. Grief. Choc. Denial. Sleeplessness. Bubble bath. Mucus. Masturbation. Pop tart. Pigeons. Toothpaste. Hospital. F__k. Bye. Hair. Sports. Chicken. Bootie. Kids. Rejection. Squirrels. Cries. Awkward—95 scenes, five minutes: life’s a bitch. UK Premiere
MeTube: August Sings Carmen “Habanera” / Austria (Director and screenwriter: Daniel Moshel) — George Bizet`s “Habanera” from Carmen has been reinterpreted and enhanced with electronic sounds for MeTube, an homage to thousands of ambitious YouTube users and video bloggers, and gifted and less gifted self-promoters on the Internet.
The Obvious Child / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stephen Irwin) — Somebody broke the girl’s parents. The rabbit was there when it happened. It was an awful mess.
Yearbook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A man is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence before the planet blows up. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: Animation at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. International Premiere
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3 Iconic Films Discovered by the Sundance Film Festival to Screen at 2014 Sundance London
Winter’s BoneThree films discovered by the Sundance Film Festival in its 30-year history have been selected to screen at the 2014 edition of the Sundance London film and music festival. Sundance London will take place from April 25-27, 2014, at The O2. The films are: MEMENTO, which launched Christopher Nolan’s directing career after its premiere at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, leading to his work directing Inception and a trilogy of Batmanfilms; RESERVOIR DOGS, which was supported by Sundance Institute during production and premiered at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, propelling Quentin Tarantino’s directing career; and WINTER’S BONE, from director Debra Granik and featuring Jennifer Lawrence in one of her first film roles, before she appeared in the Hunger Games series and won an Academy Award for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook.
Memento (Director: Christopher Nolan, Screenwriters: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan) — A man with a relentless desire to revenge his wife’s brutal murder faces a rare, untreatable form of memory loss that hinders his path. Memento is a complex puzzle in which the outcome is known and the enjoyment comes from piecing together the steps leading up to it. Cast: Harriet Sansom Harris, Mark Boone Junior, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Guy Pearce, Stephen Tobolowsky. Winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the2001 Sundance Film Festival.
Reservoir Dogs (Director and screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino) — Six unacquainted professional criminals are brought together by a veteran thief to execute an elaborate diamond robbery that goes awry. Confused and panicked by their narrow escape, the four surviving jewel thieves regroup at the planned rendezvous spot, where they question trustworthiness and face harrowing confrontations and fierce dissension. Cast: Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Tim Roth, Lawrence Tierney. Premiered at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival.
Winter’s Bone (Director: Debra Granik, Screenwriters: Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini) — When a teenage girl’s crystal-meth-making father skips bail and goes missing, she and her young siblings and disabled mother face losing their home. In a heroic quest, the girl traverses the county to confront her kin, break their silent collusion, and bring her father home. Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Dale Dickey, Garret Dillahunt, Kevin Breznahan. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
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Sundance London Sets 2014 Dates

The 2014 edition of the Sundance London film and music festival will take place from April 25 to 27, 2014, at The O2. In addition to the return of the Sundance London Short Film Competition, the festival will feature an expanded filmmaker development program and a Shorts Workshop.
The Sundance London Short Film Competition invites UK-based filmmakers to enter original films between three and five minutes in length, with the winning entry screening at Sundance London and its filmmaker receiving a three-night stay at The Langham, London as well as additional prizes to be announced. Entries should relate to a theme of ‘Making a go of it’: stories about moving forward in life, love or loss and the pursuit of inspiration.’ Submissions can be documentary, animation, live action, comedy, drama or any other preferred format or genre, and will accepted until 17:59 (GMT) on Monday 3 March, 2014.
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William Oldroyd’s ‘Best’ Wins 2013 Sundance London Short Film Competition

Best, a five-minute film from Surrey, UK filmmaker William Oldroyd, is the winner of the Short Film Competition for the second Sundance London film and music festival, April 25-28, 2013. The film will screen as part of the official Short Film Programme at the festival.
In Best, with one man’s wedding moments away, he and his best friend confront their future.
Oldroyd said: “I am privileged to have my short film presented in my home city as part of this year’s festival. There is no better champion of international, emerging film makers than Sundance Institute, and I am grateful for their endorsement and support. I’m really looking forward to meeting the other participants and glad that Best will now get a wider, more diverse audience.”
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A.C.O.D., Mud and Metro Manila Added to 2013 Sundance London
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A.C.O.D.[/caption]Three feature films have been added to the programme for the second Sundance London film and music festival, 25-28 April at The O2. They are: A.C.O.D. (Director: Stuart Zicherman, Screenwriters: Ben Karlin, Stuart Zicherman), Mud (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Nichols) and Metro Manila(Director: Sean Ellis, Screenwriters: Sean Ellis, Frank E. Flowers).
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME
The international and UK premieres of American independent narrative and documentary films that premiered in January at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
A.C.O.D. (Director: Stuart Zicherman, Screenwriters: Ben Karlin, Stuart Zicherman) — Carter is a well-adjusted Adult Child of Divorce. So he thinks. When he discovers he was part of a divorce study as a child, it wreaks havoc on his family and forces him to face his chaotic past. Cast: Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O’Hara, Amy Poehler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clark Duke. (Narrative) International Premiere
[caption id="attachment_3364" align="alignnone" width="550"]
Mud[/caption]Mud (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Nichols) — Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive and form a pact to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail and reunite him with his true love. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon. (Narrative) UK Premiere
UK SPOTLIGHT
Drawing on the Sundance Film Festival’s rich legacy of premiering outstanding films produced in the UK – including An Education, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Bruges, In the Loop, Kinky Boots, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels – this new showcase presents a selection of UK films that premiered in Park City, Utah.
[caption id="attachment_3365" align="alignnone" width="550"]
Metro Manila[/caption]Metro Manila (Director: Sean Ellis, Screenwriters: Sean Ellis, Frank E. Flowers) — Seeking a better life, Oscar and his family move from the poverty-stricken rice fields to the big city of Manila, where they fall victim to various inhabitants whose manipulative ways are a daily part of city survival. Cast: Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega. Winner of the Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (Narrative) International Premiere
These additions join the following previously announced titles:
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME
Blackfish Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Blood Brother Director: Steve Hoover
Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes Director: Francesca Gregorini
God Loves Uganda Director: Roger Ross Williams
In a World… Director: Lake Bell
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete Director: George Tillman Jr.
The Kings of Summer Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Muscle Shoals Director: Greg ‘Freddy’ Camalier
Running from Crazy Director: Barbara Kopple
Touchy Feely Director: Lynn Shelton
Upstream Color Director: Shane CarruthSPECIAL EVENT PROGRAMME
History of the Eagles Part One Director: Alison Ellwood
Peaches Does Herself Director: Peaches
Sleepwalk With Me Director: Mike BirbigliaUK SPOTLIGHT
In Fear Director: Jeremy Lovering
The Look of Love Director: Michael Winterbottom
The Moo Man Director: Andy Heathcote
The Summit Director: Nick RyanSHORT FILM PROGRAMME
The Apocalypse Director: Andrew Zuchero
Black Metal Director: Kat Candler
The Date Director: Jenni Toivoniemi
Irish Folk Furniture Director: Tony Donoghue
Jonah Director: Kibwe Tavares
Reindeer Director: Eva Weber
Until the Quiet Comes Director: Kahil Joseph
Whiplash Director: Damien Chazelle
The Whistle Director: Grzegorz Zariczny
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2013 US Sundance Festival Winners Blood Brothers, Upstream Color Among Lineup for 2013 Sundance London
[caption id="attachment_3231" align="alignnone" width="550"]
Blood Brother[/caption]Sundance London film and music festival, unveiled the programme of panels, feature films and short films for the second edition of the festival scheduled to run April 25-28, 2013, at The O2 in London.
The programme includes 18 feature films and nine short films across four sections, including a new UK Spotlight. Films include the U.K. premiere of Blood Brother, winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival; and Upstream Color, winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and from the director of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic-winning film Primer.
In addition to film screenings and panels, Sundance London will host several live music performances and events with Peaches announced as the first headlining act for the 2013 festival.
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME
The international and UK premieres of American independent narrative and documentary films that premiered in January at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
Blackfish (Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite) — Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity. (Documentary)International Premiere
Blood Brother (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary presented by Acura at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (Documentary) UK Premiere
Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes (Director and screenwriter: Francesca Gregorini) — Emanuel, a troubled girl, becomes preoccupied with her mysterious, new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. In offering to babysit her newborn, Emanuel unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world, of which she becomes the gatekeeper. Cast:Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O’Connor, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard. (Narrative)International Premiere
God Loves Uganda (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — A powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to infuse African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right. The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting “sexual immorality” and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow biblical law. (Documentary) European Premiere
In a World… (Director and screenwriter: Lake Bell) — An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed. Winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. (Narrative) International Premiere
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (Director: George Tillman Jr., Screenwriter: Michael Starrbury) — Separated from their mothers and facing a summer in the Brooklyn projects alone, two boys hide from police and forage for food, with only each other to trust. A story of salvation through friendship and two boys against the world. Cast: Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Anthony Mackie, Jeffrey Wright. (Narrative) UK Premiere
The Kings of Summer (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Chris Galletta) — A unique coming-of-age comedy about three teenagers who, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a makeshift house in the woods. Free from their parents’ rules, their idyllic summer quickly becomes a test of friendship. Cast: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie. (Narrative) International Premiere
Muscle Shoals (Director: Greg ‘Freddy’ Camalier) — Down in Alabama Rick Hall founded FAME Studios and gave birth to the Muscle Shoals sound. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Gregg Allman, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Bono and others bear witness to the greatest untold American music story. (Documentary) UK Premiere
Running from Crazy (Director: Barbara Kopple) — Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, strives for a greater understanding of her family history of suicide and mental illness. As tragedies are explored and deeply hidden secrets are revealed, Mariel searches for a way to overcome a similar fate. From two-time Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple. (Documentary) International Premiere
Touchy Feely (Director and screenwriter: Lynn Shelton) — A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother’s foundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his “healing touch.” Cast: Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Scoot McNairy, Ellen Page, Josh Pais. (Narrative) International Premiere
Upstream Color (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins. Winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and from the director of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic-winning film Primer. (Narrative) UK Premiere
SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAMME
On-screen stories complemented by extraordinary off-screen experiences.
History of the Eagles Part One (Director: Alison Ellwood) — Iconic American rock band the Eagles have earned countless awards and sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, including the best-selling album of all time. Using never-before-seen home movies, archival footage and new interviews with all current and former members of the Eagles, this documentary provides an intimate look into the history of the band and the legacy of their music. Includes an extended Q&A with the Eagles. (Documentary) International Premiere
Peaches Does Herself (Director and screenwriter: Peaches) — On the advice of an old stripper, Peaches makes sexually forthright music. This electro rock opera follows Peaches’ rise in popularity and her love affair with a beautiful she-male that ultimately leads her to realize who she really is. Cast: Peaches, Danni Daniels, Sandy Kane, Mignon, Sweet Machine Band, Jolly Goods. Sundance London will also host a performance by Peaches. (Narrative) UK Premiere
Sleepwalk With Me (Director: Mike Birbiglia, Screenwriters: Mike Birbiglia, Ira Glass, Joe Birbiglia, Seth Barrish) — Reluctant to confront his fears of love, honesty, and growing up, a budding standup comedian has both a hilarious and intense struggle with sleepwalking. Cast: Mike Birbiglia, Lauren Ambrose, Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, Cristin Milioti. Winner of the Best of NEXT <=> Audience Award, Presented by Adobe Systems Incorporated, at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Includes an extended Q&A with director and screenwriter Mike Birbiglia, moderated by comedian Jimmy Carr.(Narrative) European Premiere
UK SPOTLIGHT
Drawing on the Sundance Film Festival’s rich legacy of premiering outstanding films produced in the UK – including An Education, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Bruges, In the Loop, Kinky Boots, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels – this new showcase presents a selection of UK films that premiered in Park City, Utah.
In Fear (Directed and story by: Jeremy Lovering) — Trapped in a maze of country roads with only their vehicle for protection, Tom and Lucy are terrorized by an unseen tormentor exploiting their worst fears. Eventually they realize they’ve let the evil in – it’s sitting in their car. Cast: Alice Englert, Iain De Caestecker, Allen Leech. (Narrative) UK Premiere
The Look of Love (Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriter: Matt Greenhalgh) — The true story of British adult magazine publisher and entrepreneur Paul Raymond. A modern day King Midas story, Raymond became one of the richest men in Britain at the cost of losing those closest to him. Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Tamsin Egerton. (Narrative)UK Premiere
The Moo Man (Directors: Andy Heathcote, Co-director: Heike Bachelier) — A year in the life of heroic farmer Steve, scene stealing Ida (queen of the herd), and a supporting cast of 55 cows. When Ida falls ill, Steve’s optimism is challenged and their whole way of life is at stake. (Documentary) UK Premiere
The Summit (Director: Nick Ryan) — Twenty-four climbers converged at the last stop before summiting the most dangerous mountain on Earth. Forty-eight hours later, 11 had been killed or simply vanished. Had one, Ger McDonnell, stuck to the climbers’ code, he might still be alive. Winner of the Editing Award: U.S. Documentary at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.(Documentary)
SHORT FILM PROGRAMME
A wide-ranging collection of short films that screened in January at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. All will screen together in one Short Film Programme. The winner of the Sundance London Short Film Competition will be the tenth short film featured.
The Apocalypse (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Zuchero) — Four uninspired friends try to come up with a terrific idea for how to spend their Saturday afternoon. International Premiere
Black Metal (Director and screenwriter: Kat Candler) — After a career spent mining his music from the shadows, one fan creates a chain reaction for the lead singer of a black metal band. European Premiere
The Date (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Toivoniemi) — Tino’s manhood is put to the test in front of two women when he has to host a date for Diablo, the family’s stud cat. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Irish Folk Furniture (Director: Tony Donoghue) — In Ireland, old hand-painted furniture is often associated with hard times, with poverty, and with a time many would rather forget. In this animated documentary, 16 pieces of traditional folk furniture are repaired and returned home. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: Animation at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
Jonah (Director: Kibwe Tavares, Screenwriter: Jack Thorne) — When two young men photograph a gigantic fish leaping from the sea, their small town becomes a tourist attraction in this story about the old and the new. UK Premiere
Reindeer (Director: Eva Weber) — A lyrical and haunting portrait of reindeer herding in the twilight expanses of the Lapland wilderness.
Until the Quiet Comes (Director and screenwriter: Kahlil Joseph) — Shot in the Nickerson Gardens housing projects in Watts, Los Angeles, this film deals with themes of violence, camaraderie and spirituality through the lens of magical realism. Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. European Premiere
Whiplash (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — An aspiring drummer enters an elite conservatory’s top jazz orchestra. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fictionat the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. International Premiere
The Whistle (Director: Grzegorz Zariczny) — Marcin, a lowest-leagues football referee who lives in a small town near Krakow, dreams of better times. At his mother’s urging, he decides to change his life and find himself a girlfriend and a better job. Winner of the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. UK Premiere
