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Sundance Film Festival · 2009

Sundance Film Festival 2009

US Dramatic Competition

This year's 16 films were selected from 1026 submissions.

Programme

16 films · 8 reviews

Jump to a film

Amreeka

Review preview for Amreeka

Dabis is certainly to be praised for her lightness of touch, filling many of her scenes with a humour often lacking from films addressing issues of migration.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives full of challenges

(Country: US, Canada, Kuwait; Year: 2009; Director: Cherien Dabis; Writer: Cherien Dabis; Stars: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat, Joseph Ziegler) , Official site

Full review See: Sundance Diary: Cold Souls, When You're Strange, Victoria Day, 500 Days Of Summer

World Premiere

Arlen Faber

A reclusive author of a groundbreaking spiritual book awakens to new truths when two strangers enter his life.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: John Hindman; Writer: John Hindman; Stars: Kat Dennings, Lauren Graham, Olivia Thirlby, Jeff Daniels, Tony Hale.)

World Premiere

Big Fan

Review preview for Big Fan

Paul may in many ways be the ultimate ‘loser’ but he feels like a ‘winner’, so this becomes not just a study of obsession but of the essence of self-delusion and its importance in many people's lives.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Being the world's greatest New York Giants' fan proves tricky after an altercation with the team's star player.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Robert D Siegel; Writer: Robert D Siegel; Stars: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto)

Full review

World Premiere

Brief Interviews With Hideous Men

When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation, a doctoral candidate in anthropology tries to remedy her heartache by interviewing men about their behaviour.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: John Krasinski; Writer: John Krasinski, David Foster Wallace; Stars: Julianne Nicholson, John Krasinski, Timothy Hutton, Dominic Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Rashida Jones)

World Premiere

Cold Souls

Review preview for Cold Souls

With tongue firmly in cheek Cold Souls thrives off the irony and contradictions that plague its protagonist.

Adam Woodward · 3.5 out of 5
A jaded actor discovers that in order to save his soul he must first open his mind. Plus read our with Sophie Barthes.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Sophie Barthes; Writer: Sophie Barthes; Stars: Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Dina Korzun, Emily Watson) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Sophie Barthes interview about Cold Souls , Sundance Diary: Cold Souls, When You're Strange, Victoria Day, 500 Days Of Summer

World Premiere

Dare

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Adam Salky; Writer: David Brind; Stars: Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashley Springer, Ana Gasteyer, Alan Cumming, Sandra Bernhard, Rooney Mara)

World Premiere

Don't Let Me Drown

Two Latino teens whose lives are affected by the attack on the World Trade Center discover that love is the only thing that keeps them from drowning.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Cruz Angeles; Writer: Cruz Angeles, Maria Topete; Stars: EJ Bonilla, Gleendilys Inoa, Damián Alcázar, Ricardo Chavira, Gina Torres) , Official site

See: Sundance Day Four

World Premiere

The Greatest

After the tragic loss of their teenage son, a family is again thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a young woman.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Shana Feste; Writer: Shana Feste; Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons, Aaron Johnson, Mike Shannon)

See: Sundance Diary: Day Two

World Premiere

Humpday

Review preview for Humpday

A mumblecore masterpiece.

George Williamson · 5 out of 5
Two old friends take male bonding a little too far.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Lynn Shelton; Writer: Lynn Shelton; Stars: Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore, Lynn Shelton, Trina Willard) , Official site

Full review

World Premiere

Paper Heart

Even though performer Charlyne Yi doesn't believe in love, she bravely embarks on a quest to discover its true nature - a journey that takes on surprising urgency when she meets unlikely fellow traveler, actor Michael Cera.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Nicholas Jasenovec; Writer: Nicholas Jasenovec, ; Stars: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake Johnson)

World Premiere

Peter And Vandy

Juxtaposing a couple's romantic beginnings with the twisted-manipulative-regular couple they have become, Peter And Vandy is a contemporary Manhattan love story with no beginning and no end.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Jay DiPietro; Writer: Jay DiPietro; Stars: Jess Weixler, Jason Ritter, Jesse L Martin, Tracie Thoms)

World Premiere

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire (Push: Based On The Novel By Sapphire, Precious, Precious: A Novel By Sapphire)

Review preview for Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire

This is an actors' movie through and through, with all of them pulling off the key emotional scenes magnificently.

Amber Wilkinson · 3 out of 5
An obese teenager tries to escape from her hellish homelife with the help of an inspirational teacher.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Lee Daniels; Writer: Lee Daniels; Stars: Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz) , Official site

Full review See: Sundance Diary: Opening Night and Day One

World Premiere

Sin Nombre

Review preview for Sin Nombre

This is a vivid portrait of the landscape of the Americas, picking apart every step of the migrant’s journey.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
The paths of a Honduran migrant and a gangland youth trying to escape his past cross on the top of a train.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Cary Fukunaga; Writer: Cary Fukunaga; Stars: Edgar Flores, Paulina Gaitan, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Luis Fernando Peña, Diana García)

Full review See: Sundance Diary: Day Five

World Premiere

Taking Chance

Review preview for Taking Chance

At times extraordinarily moving, the film ultimately fails to allow the audience to connect to either the fallen marine or Strobl himself.

Tony Sullivan · 2.5 out of 5
Marine officer escorts fallen comrade back from Iraq.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Ross Katz; Writer: Ross Katz, Michael Strobl; Stars: Kevin Bacon, Blanche Baker)

Full review

World Premiere

Toe To Toe

The story of an inter-racial friendship put to the test by the intense pressures of a competitive Washington, DC prep school.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Emily Abt; Writer: Emily Abt; Stars: Sonequa Martin, Louisa Krause, Silvestre Rasuk, Leslie Uggams, Gaius Charles, Ally Walker) , Official site

World Premiere