International films to look forward to at the Sundance Film Festival
TEN international films are set to be screened online as part of the “World Cinema Dramatic Competition” at this year’s Sundance Film Festival from 28 January to 3 February. The largest independent film festival in the US is being held digitally for the first time in its 43-year history.
All films will be available over a 24-hour on-demand screening window starting two days after the initial screening. Non-English films will be screened with English subtitles.
Film: One for the Road
Directed by: Baz Poonpiriya
Language: English and Thai
Produced by: Wong Kar Wai
Production country: China/Hong Kong/Thailand
Cast: Thanapob Leeratanakajorn, Ice Natara, Violette Wautier, Aokbab Chutimon, Ploi Horwang and Noon Siraphun
Directed by Baz Poonpiriya (Bad Genius) and produced by Wong Kar Wai (The Grandmaster) under his production company Jet Tone Films, “One for the Road” follows two estranged friends Boss and Aood who reunite after Aood discloses he is suffering from terminal cancer. The duo then embark on a final road trip to complete Aood’s bucket list – but both are hiding something which might destroy their relationship forever.
“One for the Road” is scheduled to premiere on 28 January, 8 PM MT.
Film: Human Factors
Directed by: Ronny Trocker
Language: French/German
Produced by: Susanne Mann, Martin Rehbock and Paul Zischler
Production country: Germany/Italy/Denmark
Cast: Mark Waschke, Sabine Timoteo, Jule Hermann, Wanja Valentin Kube, Hannes Perkmann and Daniel Séjourné
Written and directed by Ronny Trocker (The Eremites), “Human Factors” revolves around a middle-class family who are left shaken and agitated by a mysterious home invasion following their return from a family holiday.
The drama is produced by Susanne Mann, Martin Rehbock and Paul Zischler under their company Zischlermann Filmproduktion who also produced Trocker’s debut feature film “The Eremites” (2016).
“Human Factors” will be screened at the festival on 29 January, 10 AM MT.
Film: Luzzu
Directed by: Alex Camilleri
Language: Maltese
Produced by: Alex Camilleri, Rebecca Anastasi, Ramin Bahrani and Oliver Mallia
Production country: Malta
Cast: Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia and David Scicluna
Written and directed by editor Alex Camilleri (Keep the Change) in his directorial debut, “Luzzu” revolves around Jesmark (Jesmark Scicluna), a struggling fisherman on the island of Malta, who is forced to turn his back on generations of tradition and risk everything by entering the world of black-market fishing to provide for his partner and newborn baby.
The drama is co-produced by Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger).
“Luzzu” is set to premiere at the festival on 29 January, 1 PM MT.
Film: The Pink Cloud
Directed by: Iuli Gerbase
Language: Portuguese
Produced by: Patricia Barbieri
Production country: Brazil
Cast: Renata de Lélis and Eduardo Mendonça
“The Pink Cloud”, written and directed by Iuli Gerbase in her directorial debut, follows Giovana (Renata de Lélis) who finds herself stuck in a flat with a man (Eduardo Mendonça) she just met after witnessing a toxic and mysterious pink cloud, changing her life in a way she never expected.
The science-fiction drama is scheduled to be screened on 29 January, 4 PM MT.
Film: Prime Time
Directed by: Jakub Piątek
Language: Polish
Produced by: Jakub Razowski
Production country: Poland
Cast: Bartosz Bielenia, Magdalena Popławska, Andrzej Kłak, Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Dobromir Dymecki and Monika Frajczyk
Set on New Year’s Eve 1999, “Prime Time” revolves around Sebastian (Bartosz Bielenia) who locks himself in a TV studio and has two hostages, a gun and an important message for the world.
The hostage-thriller is directed by Jakub Piatek (One Man Show) in his feature film debut. Piatek has also co-written the screenplay with Lukasz Czapski (The Moths).
“Prime Time” is set to be screened at the festival on 30 January, 1 PM MT.
Film: El Planeta
Directed by: Amalia Ulman
Language: English and Spanish
Produced by: Amalia Ulman, Kathleen Heffernan and Kweku Mandela
Production country: USA/Spain
Cast: Amalia Ulman, Ale Ulman, Nacho Vigalondo, Zhou Chen and Saoirse Bertram
Set in the backdrop of post-2009 economic crisis, Amalia Ulman’s feature film directorial debut “El Planeta” that she has also written, co-produced and stars in revolves around the bonding between fashion student Leonor Jimenez (Amalia Ulman) and her mother María Rendueles (Ale Ulman, Amalia’s real-life mother) who is on the verge of eviction following the death of Leo’s father.
The Spanish comedy-drama is scheduled to be screened on 30 January, 4 PM MT.
Film: The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet
Directed by: Ana Katz
Language: Spanish
Produced by: Ana Katz and Laura Huberman
Production country: Argentina
Cast: Daniel Katz, Julieta Zylberberg, Valeria Lois, Mirella Pascual and Carlos Portaluppi
Directed by award-winning actress, director and producer Ana Katz (My Friend from the Park), black-and-white drama “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet” follows Sebastian (Daniel Katz), an ordinary man in his thirties, navigating through love, loss and fatherhood accompanied by his loyal dog until the world is rocked by a sudden catastrophe, upending Sebastian’s already turbulent life.
The drama is set to premiere on 31 January, 10 AM MT.
Film: Hive
Directed by: Blerta Basholli
Language: Albanian
Produced by: Yll Uka, Valon Bajgora and Agon Uka
Production country: Kosovo/Switzerland/Macedonia/Albania
Cast: Yllka Gashi, Çun Lajçi, Aurita Agushi, Kumrije Hoxha, Adriana Matoshi and Kaona Sylejmani
“Hive”, written and directed by Blerta Basholli in her feature film directorial debut, is set in the backdrop of post-Kosovo war. The film follows Fahrije Hoti (Yllka Gashi), whose husband is missing in the Kosovo war, as she sets up her own small business to provide for her kids and at the same time fights against a patriarchal society that does not support her.
The female empowerment drama is scheduled to be screened on 31 January, 1 PM MT.
Film: Fire in the Mountains
Directed by: Ajitpal Singh
Language: Hindi
Produced by: Ajay Rai and Alan McAlex
Production country: India
Cast: Vinamrata Rai, Chandan Bisht, Mayank Singh Jaira, Harshita Tewari and Sonal Jha
Written and helmed by Ajitpal Singh in his feature film directorial debut, “Fire in the Mountains” revolves around a couple Chandra (Vinamrata Rai) and Dharam (Chandan Bisht) who run an inn high above the only road in a small Himalayan village and need to care for their special-needs son by transporting him up and down the hill resulting in clashes between the couple.
The drama is set to be screened on 31 January, 7 PM MT.
Film: Pleasure
Directed by: Ninja Thyberg
Language: English
Produced by: Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå and Erik Hemmendorff
Production country: Sweden/Netherlands/France
Cast: Sofia Kappel, Revika Anne Reustle, Evelyn Claire, Chris Cock, Dana DeArmond and Kendra Spade
“Pleasure” follows 20-year-old Jessica aka Bella Cherry (Sofia Kappel) who leaves the small town life in Sweden for Los Angeles with the aim of making a career in the adult-film industry, but the road to her goal turns out to be bumpier than she imagined.
The drama has been directed by Ninja Thyberg in her feature film directorial debut. Thyberg has also co-written the screenplay with Peter Modestij (I Am Greta).
“Pleasure” will be screened on 31 January, 10 PM MT.
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