Sundance Film Festival 2023 #DAY2

Brooke Shields, Michael J. Fox, Jason Momoa, Dakota Johnson, Adam Lambert, Marlee Matlin, Randall Park, Jonathan Majors & More

Participate in the Second Day of Sundance Film Festival’s Programming

Sundance Film Festival welcomed film fans over the action-packed second day of premieres and conversations. Yesterday’s Festival events included buzzing press lines and premieres for 20 Days in Mariupol, Against the Tide, Animalia, AUM: The Cult at the End of the World, Blueback, Fancy Dance, Fremont, Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, Gush, Heroic, MAMACRUZ, Other People's Children, Pianoforte, Squaring The Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis), To Live and Die And Live, and more along with insightful panels with topics ranging from the importance of diversity and innovation in film, and Hollywood’s progress and challenges to implement change. The Festival’s Short Film Program 2 and Midnight Short Film Program premieres included A Folded Ocean, AirHostess-73, AliEN0089, Baba, Claudio’s Song, I AM HOME, In the Flesh, Life Without Dreams, Pipes, Power Signal,  Rest Stop, Troy, Unborn Biru, and We Were Meant To. 



FILM PREMIERES

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Attendees included director Davis Guggenheum and star Michael J. Fox who attended the premiere’s press line with his wife Tracy Pollan and their children Aquuinnah Fox, Sam Fox, and Schuyler Fox. 

Deep Rising

Executive producer and narrator Jason Momoa, director and executive producer Matthieu Rytz, film subject Dr. Sandor Mulsow, Co-Executive Producer Laura Clarke all attended the premiere and walked the press line. 

During the film’s intro, Jason Momoa stated “It’s great to be part of my first film at Sundance.” And he continued that the Deep Rising premiere is an exciting night for him and the film’s team. With the project focused on illuminating the vital relationship between the deep ocean and sustaining life on Earth, he expressed that it should make you angry and fired up. He communicated that this is our ocean and land, and we all should prioritize understanding facts and the scope of what is happening.

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields 

Film talent Brooke Shields and executive producers George Stephanopoulos, Ali Wentworth walked the press line.

Fair Play

Film talent included Gael García Bernal, Saúl Armendáriz (the real life Cassandro), director Roger Ross Williams, and producer Ted Hope who walked the press line. 

Gael Garcia Bernal said as a kid he saw the revamping of Lucha libre and enjoyed when they introduced new characters, while noting the sport is really hard.

Roger Ross Williams expressed about Garcia Bernal that there was “never a doubt in my mind who was going to play Cassandro. He’s one of the greatest actors of our time.”

Cassandro

Film talent included Gael García Bernal, Saúl Armendáriz (the real life Cassandro), director Roger Ross Williams, and producer Ted Hope who walked the press line. 

Justice 

Director Doug Liman, producer Amy Herd, Executive Producers Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus were among the filmmaking team who walked the press line. 

Doug Liman (Director)stated: “The initial cut of the film was significantly longer and Dan and Liz helped shape it. The machinery that’s put into place against anyone who dare speak out and we knew that machinery would be turned on this film so we were extremely diligent because in talking to people we understood that secrecy was essential.”

Magazine Dreams 

Film talent included Jonathan Majors, Haley Bennett, and Taylour Paige who walked the press line. 

Fairyland

Film talent included Emilia Jones, Adam Lambert, Scoot McNairy, Nessa Dougherty, Cody Fern, Bella Murphy, director and screenwriter Andrew Durham, and producer Sofia Coppola who attended the premiere’s press line. 

During the film’s Q&A, Lambert commented on Fairyland being his film debut and how special it was to highlight queer experiences and his ties to San Francisco. Director Andrew Durham explained the intricacies of filming the film’s time lapse scenes in one day at Golden Gate Park and the hard work it took from the film’s hair and makeup teams to shift between decades during that day's shoot. 

The Disappearance Of Shere Hite 

Film EP and narrator, Dakota Johnson walked the press line.

At the film’s Q&A following the film, Dakota Johnson was asked how the book, “The Hite Report” would be received today, responding she thinks it would be widely appreciated. She feels like men would be way more afraid to behave the way they did then, she hopes. She stated a re-release is timely.

Polite Society 

Film Talent Ritu Arya and Priya Kansara and Director Nida Manzoor walked the press line for the Midnight Section world premiere.

Earth Mama

Film talent included Erika Alexander, Tia Nomore and Director/Writer/Producer Savannah Leaf who attended the premiere’s press line. 

Each year, Sundance serves as a place for the community to come together and discover exciting and compelling projects by visionary artists. Continuing to foster the spirit of thought-provoking discussion throughout 2023, Sundance Film Festival also programs a series of panels across discipline and topic.

 The Sundance Film Festival is an artist program of the Sundance Institute. Proceeds earned through Festival ticket sales go to uplifting and developing emerging artists on a year-round basis through focused labs, direct grants, fellowships, residencies, and more.

 Courtesy of Sundance Institute