Category Archives: Film Festivals

The 36th Sundance Film Festival takes place next month, running January 23-February 2, with a lineup consisting of 130 features, 74 shorts, 12 episodics, and 28 exhibitions, performances, and VR experiences.

Once again, as I’ve done since 2011’s festival, I’ll profile each of the nearly 60 feature and long-form episodic documentaries in advance of the festival, beginning tomorrow.

Please note: These are not reviews. As a Documentary Programming Associate for Sundance, I recommend every film in the 2020 lineup. These profiles instead provide background about the teams behind this year’s docs in anticipation of the festival and the films’ later release. For a sample, check out last year’s series, which began here.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced the Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short Subject shortlists today. In addition, one documentary feature is included on the International Feature Film shortlist. Congratulations to all the filmmakers – especially the Sundance, DOC NYC, and Nantucket Film Festival alumni represented.

The official lists are below, with links to my previous coverage, where applicable. The final nominees will be announced on January 13.

Documentary Feature:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Documentary Short Subject:
After Maria
Fire in Paradise
Ghosts of Sugar Land
In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
Life Overtakes Me
The Nightcrawlers
St. Louis Superman
Stay Close
Walk Run Cha-Cha

 

 

International Feature Film

 

 

 

 

 

 

Czech Republic, THE PAINTED BIRD
Estonia, TRUTH AND JUSTICE
France, LES MISERABLES
Hungary, THOSE WHO REMAINED
North Macedonia, HONEYLAND
Poland, CORPUS CHRISTI
Russia, BEANPOLE
Senegal, ATLANTICS
South Korea, PARASITE
Spain, PAIN AND GLORY

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, December 6:
MIDNIGHT FAMILY

Director:
Luke Lorentzen

World Premiere:
Sundance 2019

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, Hot Docs, AFI Docs, New Directors/New Films, Sheffield DocFest, CPH:DOX, Hong Kong, Cartagena, Ambulante, Guadalajara, Docville, Full Frame, San Francisco, Freep, Doc10, Sydney, Krakow

About:
A Mexico City family struggles to make a living as ragtag private paramedics, facing cut-throat competition to respond to patients in need of urgent help.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.