Will you be attending the Sundance Film Festival from January 19–29, or watching select films online from January 24–29 in 2023? We’re excited to highlight the films programmed for this year’s festival, and related panels and events that feature the films created by women and non-binary directors.
Films with the ReFrame Stamp have received the mark of distinction for demonstrating gender-balanced hiring.
U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Presenting 12 world premieres of fiction feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers audiences a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, directed by Raven Jackson
Fair Play, directed by Chloe Domont
Fancy Dance, directed by Erica Tremblay
The Persian Version, directed by Maryam Keshavarz
Sometimes I Think About Dying, directed by Rachel Lambert
The Starling Girl, directed by Laurel Akira Parmet
Theater Camp, co-directed by Molly Gordon
A Thousand and One, directed by A.V. Rockwell
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
World-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
AUM: The Cult at the End of the World, co-directed by Chiaki Yanagimoto
Bad Press, co-directed by Rebecca Lansberry-Baker
Beyond Utopia, directed by Madeleine Gavin
The Disappearance of Shere Hite, directed by Nicole Newnham
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, co-directed by Michèle Stephenson
Going Varsity in Mariachi, co-directed by Alejandra Vasquez
Joonam, directed by Sierra Urich
Little Richard: I Am Everything, directed by Lisa Cortés
Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV, directed by Amanda Kim
The Stroll, directed by Kristen Lovell & Zackary Drucker
Victim/Suspect, directed by Nancy Schwartzman
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Fiction projects from emerging artists around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Animalia, directed by Sofia Alaoui (France, Morocco, Qatar)
Bad Behaviour, directed by Alice Englert (New Zealand)
Girl, directed by Adura Onashile (UK)
MAMACRUZ, directed by Patricia Ortega (Spain)
La Pecera, directed by Glorimar Marrero Sánchez (Puerto Rico, Spain)
Scrapper, directed by Charlotte Regan (UK)
Shayda, directed by Noora Niasari (Australia)
Slow, directed by Marija Kavtaradze (Lithuania, Spain, Sweden)
When It Melts, directed by Veerle Baetens (Belgium)
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Documentaries by some of the boldest global filmmakers capturing the world today.
5 Seasons of Revolution, directed by Lina (Germany, Syria, Netherlands, Norway)
Against the Tide, directed by Sarvnik Kaur (India)
The Eternal Memory, directed by Maite Alberdi (Chile)
Is There Anybody Out There?, directed by Ella Glendining (UK)
Millsuthando, directed by Millsuthando Bongela (South Africa)
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, directed by Anna Hints (Estonia, France, Iceland)
Twice Colonized, directed by Lin Alluna (Greenland, Denmark, Canada)
NEXT
Visionary works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program.
Kim’s Video, co-directed by Ashley Sabin
King Coal, directed by Elaine McMillion Sheldon
The Tuba Thieves, directed by Alison O’Daniel
Young. Wild. Free., directed by Thembi L. Banks
MIDNIGHT
From horror and comedy to works that defy genre classification, these films will keep you wide awake, even at the most arduous hour.
birth/rebirth, directed by Laura Moss
My Animal, directed by Jacqueline Castel (Canada)
Polite Society, directed by Nida Manzoor (UK)
Run Rabbit Run, directed by Daina Reid
NEW FRONTIER
New Frontier champions artists who engage in experimental storytelling at the crossroads of film, art, performance, and media technology, showcasing cutting-edge work that explores and evolves cinema culture in today’s rapidly changing landscape. New Frontier is presently in a process of reimagination. This year, we return to our roots to offer a lineup of resonant experimental films.
A Common Sequence, co-directed by Mary Helena Clark
Gush, directed by Fox Maxy
Last Things, directed by Deborah Stratman
PREMIERES
A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated fiction and documentary films of the coming year.
Cat Person, directed by Susanna Fogel
Earth Mama, directed by Savanah Leaf
The Deepest Breath, directed by Laura McGann
Food and Country, directed by Laura Gabbert
Invisible Beauty, co-directed by Bethann Hardison
It’s Only Life After All, directed by Alexandria Bombach
Judy Blume Forever, directed by Davina Pardo & Leah Wolchok
Murder in Big Horn, directed by Razelle Benally
Past Lives, directed by Celine Song
PLAN C, directed by Tracy Droz Tragos
The Pod Generation, directed by Sophie Barthes
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, directed by Lana Wilson
Rye Lane, directed by Raine Allen-Miller
You Hurt My Feelings, directed by Nicole Holofcener
SPOTLIGHT
A tribute to the cinema we love from throughout the past year.
The Eight Mountains, co-directed by Charlotte Vandermeersch
Other People’s Children, directed by Rebecca Zlotowski
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
One-of-a-kind moments highlight new independent woks that add to the unique Festival experience.
CODA, directed by Siân Heder (2021 and 2022 Encore Screening)
Klondike, directed by Maryna Er Gorbach (2021 and 2022 Encore Screening)
SHORT FILM PROGRAM 1
Driven by innovation and experimentation, the Short Film Program calls out filmmaking’s most original voices.
Help Me Understand, directed by Aemilia Scott
Parker, directed by Sharon Liese & Catherine Hoffman
Sweatshop Girl, directed by Selma Cervantes
Inglorious Liaisons, directed by Chloé Alliez & Violette Delvoye
SHORT FILM PROGRAM 2
Rest Stop, directed by Crystal Kayiza
I AM HOME, directed by Kymon Greyhorse
Life Without Dreams, directed by Jessica Bardsley
Baba, co-directed by Anya Chirkova
SHORT FILM PROGRAM 3
When You Left Me on That Boulevard, directed by Kayla Abuda Galang
White Any, directed by Shalini Adnani
Hawaiki, directed by Nova Paul
Nocturnal Burger, directed by Reema Maya
SHORT FILM PROGRAM 4
Weapons and Their Names, directed by Melina Valdez
The Flying Sailor, directed by Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis
Thriving: A Dissociated Reverie, directed by Nicole Bazuin
SHORT FILM PROGRAM 5
Mulika, directed by Maisha Maene
In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-Weeny Pocket, directed by Yoko Yuki
The Kidnapping of the Bride, directed by Sophia Mocorres
SHORT FILM PROGRAM 6
Mirror Party, directed by Bridey Elliott
OURIKA!, directed by Xenia Matthews
Take Me Home, directed by Liz Sargent
SHORT ANIMATED FILM PROGRAM
fur, directed by Zhen Li
By Water, directed by Iyabo Kwayana
BurgerWorld, directed by Maggie Brewer
The Sea on the Day When the Magic Returns, directed by Jiwon Han
SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM PROGRAM
Shirampari: Legacies of the River, directed by Lucia Flórez
Call Me Mommy, directed by Tara O’Callaghan
Margie Soudek’s Salt and Pepper Shakers, directed by Meredith Moore
Under G-d, directed by Paula Eiselt
MIDNIGHT SHORT FILM PROGRAM
In the Flesh, directed by Daphne Gardner
AliEN0089, directed by Valeria Hofmann
Unborn Biru, directed by Inga Elin Marakatt
Pipes, co-directed by Jessica Meier
SHORT BEFORE FEATURE
It’s Raining Frogs Outside, directed by Maria Estela Paiso
INDIE EPISODIC PROGRAM
Created specifically for bold stories told in multiple episodes, with an emphasis on independent perspectives and innovative storytelling.
Chanshi, executive produced by Ayelet Iberman, Mirit Toovi
The Night Logan Woke Up, executive produced by Nancy Grant
A note from the Sundance Institute on the 2023 festival’s director demographics:
The data we are sharing reflects information provided directly by the artists. Some artists chose not to self-identify in all data areas.
U.S. COMPETITION:
Dramatic: 61% or 8 of the 13 directors in this year’s U.S. Dramatic Competition identify as women; 61% or 8 of the 13 identify as people of color; 23% or 3 of the 13 identify as LGBTQ+.
Documentary: 63% or 10 of the 16 directors in this year’s U.S. Documentary Competition identify as women; 63% or 10 of the 16 identify as people of color; 13% or 2 of the 16 identify as LGBTQ+; 6% or 1 of the 16 identify as a person with a disability.WORLD COMPETITION:
Dramatic: 58% or 7 of the 12 directors in the World Dramatic Competition identify as women; 50% or 6 of the 12 identify as people of color; 25% or 3 out of 12 directors identify as LGBTQ+.
Documentary: 46% or 6 of the 13 directors in the World Documentary Competition identify as women; 38% or 5 of the 13 as people of color; 23% or 3 of the 13 identify as LGBTQ+; 8% or 1 of the 13 identify as a person with a disability.FEATURE FILM SUBMISSIONS: Of the 4,061 feature film submissions, 1,662 were from the U.S. and 2,399 were international; 1,105 (27%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as women; 91 (2%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as nonbinary individuals; 1,676 (41%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as people of color; 547 (13%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as LGBTQ+.
ALL FEATURES: Of the 101 feature films announced so far, 54 (53%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as women; 5 (5%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as nonbinary individuals; 46 (45%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as people of color; 20 (20%) by one or more filmmakers who identify as LGBTQ+; 3 (3%) by one or more filmmakers who identifies as a person with a disability.
Source