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Sundance Film Festival · 2014

Sundance Film Festival 2014

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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema.

Programme

11 films · 6 reviews

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Appropriate Behavior (Appropriate Behaviour)

Review preview for Appropriate Behavior

A solid, grounded piece of work that approaches its subject with a maturity remarkable for a first feature from a young director.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
A young New Yorker struggles to understand herself in the aftermath of a break-up.

(Country: US, UK; Year: 2014; Director: Desiree Akhavan; Writer: Desiree Akhavan; Stars: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Scott Adsit, Halley Feiffer, Anh Duong, Hooman Majd, Arian Moayed, Aimee Mullins, Christopher Baker, Robyn Rikoon, Justine Cotsonas, Jake Katzman, Maryann Urbano, Daniella Rabbani, James Claude Bristow)

Full review See: Interview with Desiree Akhavan about Appropriate Behaviour

World premiere

Drunktown's Finest

Three young Native Americans - a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual - come of age on an Indian reservation.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Sydney Freeland; Writer: Sydney Freeland; Stars: Jeremiah Bitsui, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Lora Martinez-Cunningham, Amber Midthunder, Mark Sivertsen, Debrianna Mansini, Elizabeth Frances, Tailinh Agoyo, Pierre Barrera, Luis Bordonada, James Burnett, Ryan Begay, Rulan Tangen, Nataanii Nez Means)

World premiere

The Foxy Merkins

Two lesbian hookers work the streets of New York. One is a down-on-her-luck newbie; the other is a beautiful - and straight - grifter who's an expert on picking up women. Together they face bargain-hunting housewives, double-dealing conservative women, and each other in this prostitute buddy comedy.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Madeleine Olnek; Writer: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Madeleine Olnek; Stars: Gian Maria Annovi, Frances Bodomo, Diane Ciesla, Claudia Cogan, Dennis Davis, Lee Eaton, Betsy Farrell, Nancy Giles, Lisa Haas, Alex Karpovsky, Deb Margolin, Jackie Monahan, Jennifer Prediger, Charles Rogers, Laurie Weeks)

World premiere

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

Review preview for A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

An astonishing début that marks out Ana Lily Amirpour as an extraordinary directorial talent.

Jennie Kermode · 5 out of 5
A lonely vampire and a young man exhausted by caring for his father come together in a nightmare city.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Ana Lily Amirpour; Writer: Ana Lily Amirpour; Stars: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnò, Dominic Rains, Rome Shadanloo, Milad Eghbali, Reza Sixo Safai, Pej Vahdat)

Full review

World premiere

Imperial Dreams

A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Malik Vitthal; Writer: Ismet Prcic, Malik Vitthal; Stars: Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds, Rotimi, John Boyega, Glenn Plummer)

World premiere

Land Ho!

Review preview for Land Ho!

The contrast between the characters and the actors sparky chemistry means the laughs have a head start, but there is also a considerable amount of psychological terrain being covered.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
Two old friends take a trip to Iceland.

(Country: Iceland, US; Year: 2014; Director: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens; Writer: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens; Stars: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Lynn Nelson, Alice Olivia Clarke, Karrie Crouse, Elizabeth McKee, Emmsjé Gauti, Magnús Kr. Guðmundsson, Þrúður Kristjánsdóttir)

Full review See: Land Ho! interview with Earl Lynn Nelson and Paul Eenhoorn

World premiere

Listen Up Philip

Review preview for Listen Up Philip

The moments of distinctly sub-Woody Allenesque humour make you dream of what might have been.

Richard Mowe · 2 out of 5
An angry writer and his relationships.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Alex Ross Perry; Writer: Alex Ross Perry; Stars: Krysten Ritter, Elisabeth Moss, Jason Schwartzman, Jonathan Pryce, Dree Hemingway, Joséphine de La Baume, Kate Lyn Sheil, Jennifer Kim, Daniel London, Joanne Tucker, Lee Wilkof, Rob Yang, Keith Poulson, Francis Benhamou, Miriam Weisbecker)

Full review

World premiere

Memphis

Review preview for Memphis

It's always difficult to tell a story about nothing happening, and director Tim Sutton is not entirely successful in doing so here.

Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
A musician strives to find inspiration in a city with an overwhelming history.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Tim Sutton; Writer: Tim Sutton; Stars: Willis Earl Beal, Constance Brantley, Larry Dodson, Devonte Hull, Lopaka Thomas)

Full review

World premiere

Obvious Child

Review preview for Obvious Child

This is really a film that rests on Slate’s charm, which fortunately she delivers in spades.

Owen Van Spall · 3.5 out of 5
A struggling comedian loses her boyfriend, her home and her job, then accidentally gets pregnant from a one night stand.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Gillian Robespierre; Writer: Gillian Robespierre, Gillian Robespierre, Karen Maine, Elisabeth Holm, Anna Bean, Gillian Robespierre; Stars: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, Gabe Liedman, David Cross, Richard Kind, Polly Draper, Paul Briganti, Cindy Cheung, Stephen Singer, Emily Tremaine, Crystal Lonneberg, Ernest Mingione, Julie Zimmer)

Full review

World premiere

Ping Pong Summer

1985. Ocean City, Maryland. Summer vacation. Rap music. Parachute pants. Ping pong. First crushes. Best friends. Mean bullies. Weird mentors. That awkward, momentous time in your life when you're treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you're as funky fresh as it gets.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Michael Tully; Writer: Michael Tully, Michael Tully; Stars: Susan Sarandon, Lea Thompson, John Hannah, Amy Sedaris, Judah Friedlander, Robert Longstreet, Quinn McColgan, Logan Bennett, Maddie Howard, Emmi Shockley, Chelsea Reba, Helena May Seabrook, Joseph McCaughtry, Terry McConnaughey, Myles Massey)

World premiere

War Story

A war photographer retreats to a small town in Sicily after being held captive during the conflict in Libya.

(Country: US; Year: 2041; Director: Mark Jackson; Writer: Kristin Gore, Mark Jackson; Stars: Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Ben Kingsley, Vincenzo Amato, Donatella Finocchiaro, Guido Caprino, Wejdi Trabelsi, Loredana Marino, Amalia Contarini, Luana Toscano)

World premiere