Did the awards go to the best films? Well I would never have given the directing gong to the two Daniels for Swiss Army Man and the Grand Jury prize winner Birth of a Nation, bought for a Sundance record of US$17.5 million by Fox Searchlight, will surely be appreciated here. Madman has the US Grand Jury documentary winner Weiner, not to be confused with Todd Solondz's Wiener-Dog, which screened in the Premieres section where a lot of the more commercial films unspooled.
Birth Of A Nation (Fox)
Nate Parker's story of Nat Turner's 1831 slave rebellion is quite an achievement as the first-time helmer did almost everything on the film, and he has a riveting screen presence in the central role. The film should reverse this year's all-white Oscars in 2017.
Birth of a Nation. Source: Sundance
Manchester By The Sea (Universal)
Parker will face some stiff competition in the 2017 acting category from Casey Affleck who stars in Kenneth Lonergan's long-awaited third film about a man facing tragedy along with his wife, played by Michelle Williams (who did double duty at the festival also appearing in Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women). The younger brother of Ben and best friend of Joaquin is currently on a career high in two upcoming films directed by Australians, Craig Gillespie's The Finest Hours and John Hillcoat's Triple Nine. He of course was Oscar-nominated for Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford in 2008.
Kyle Chandler and Casey Affleck in 'Manchester By The Sea'. Source: Sundance
Love And Friendship (Transmission)
Like Lonergan Whit Stillman has been away from feature filmmaking for way to long and makes a welcome return by adapting a Jane Austen novella in a far less stuffy manner than we are accustomed. His Last Days of Disco cast members Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny helped make it possible while is as dashing as ever.
'Love and Friendship'. Source: Sundance
Agnus Dei (TBC)
Still up for grabs this formidable French-Polish drama focusing on pregnant nuns who were raped by soldiers during World War Two, was surprisingly made by Anne Fontaine who directed Samuel (in far fewer garments) in the turgid Australian film, Adoration. I hear Agnus Dei should find an Aussie home very soon.
'Agnus Dei'. Source: Sundance
Weiner (Madman)
The winner of the US documentary Jury prize, directed by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, traces the political downfall of US politician Anthony Weiner and his attempted comeback as he runs for mayor of New York.
Anthony Weiner is the subject of 'Weiner'. Source: Sundance
Hunt For The Wilderpeople (Madman)
Based on Barry Crump's Kiwi classic Wild Pork and Watercress, Taika Waititi's film is at once playful and warm not unlike his 2010 hit . Again he showcases the talent of a Maori kid, Paper Planes Julian Dennison, who is a natural showman and comedian.
'The Hunt For The Wilderpeople'. Source: Sundance
The Intervention (TBC)
The Kiwis had a huge year in Sundance and Melanie Lynskey deservedly won a special acting award for this dramedy, which was directed by her best friend Clea DuVall. Her fiancé in the film is also played by her real life boyfriend, Jason Ritter. In the story Lynskey's busybody has brought together her friends, Big Chill style, to try and convince one couple to divorce, though it eventuates that her own drinking and commitment issues are just as much of a problem. Quite a hoot with Lynskey's deadpan in the mix. It may go to Paramount
'The Intervention'. Source: Sundance
Tickled (TBC)
Kiwis Dylan Reeve and former television journalist David Farrier started out wanting to make a light-hearted documentary about something they stumbled across on the internet, competitive endurance tickling. Yet things turn sinister when they realise the tickled boys they see are essentially being abused and the company behinds it are on their trail. The film was on many of the best film lists with US critics.
'Tickled'. Source: Sundance
The Fundamentals of Caring (Netflix)
A comedy that's worth every cent Netflix paid for it—US $7 million—Paul Rudd admitted he was too busy "being an ant" to do much preparation for his role as a caregiver in Rob Burnett's film, though it didn't matter. His repartee with Craig Roberts (Submarine) as an 18 year-old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is priceless.
'The Fundamentals of Caregiving' Source: Sundance
Tallulah (Netflix)
This cinema directing debut of Sian Heder (Orange Is the New Black) marks a Juno reunion of sorts with Ellen Page as a young drifter who kidnaps a baby girl from her incompetent mother and goes to live with Allison Janney's jilted wife.
'Tallulah'. Source: Sundance
Indignation (Roadshow)
It took a while for renowned producer-screenwriter and long-time Ang Lee collaborator James Schamus to direct a movie himself, yet Indignation which he adapted from Philip Roth's novel, and was inspired by the author's early college years in closed-minded 1950s America, was a surprise festival hit. Logan Lerman is touching in what has been deemed a break-out role as a lovelorn New Jersey native leaving behind his family to attend college in Ohio. The film is headed for Berlin.
'Indignation' Source: Sundance
Captain Fantastic (eOne)
Entertainment One had acquired this heart-warming Viggo Mortensen movie long before the festival. Critics say its one of his best roles and fits him like a glove. The actor who once went barefoot in New Zealand while playing Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, here is a father raising his kids and living mostly subsistence in rural Washington. When his bipolar wife kills herself in a mental institution, his kids travel to attend the funeral and are suddenly thrust into the contemporary world they have hardly experienced.
'Captain Fantastic' Source: Sundance
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