Sundance Film Festival 2025: Know Date, Schedule, and Featured Films

Sundance Film Festival 2025: Know Date, Schedule, and Featured Films

While many in the entertainment industry are dealing with the devastating effects of the California wildfires, some will migrate to the mountains in search of cleaner air. The annual Sundance Film Festival 2025 kicks off Thursday in Park City, Utah.

The 41st edition of Robert Redford’s brainchild will be, as always, a year of discovery and debate. Films currently in theaters include:

“Free Leonard Peletier” premieres just days after former President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of an indigenous activist, almost half a century after he was imprisoned for the murder of two FBI agents in 1975.

“2000 Meters to Andriivka” is a co-production of The Associated Press and Frontline, directed by Oscar-winner Mstyslav Chernov, about Ukraine’s attempt to liberate occupied territories.

Several films about transgender rights, including “Heightened Scrutiny,” about civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio. The issue took on added urgency after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that limits protections for transgender people.

Some issues are even in the works: Bao Nguyen’s documentary “The Stringer” raises questions about the identity of the photographer behind the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Napalm Girl” photograph. Both the AP, which looked into the claim for six months, and retired AP photographer Nick Ut are challenging it, and Ut’s lawyers have requested that it be removed from the show.

The film is an investigation, according to festival director Eugene Hernandez, who is proceeding with plans to show it. “I think that once more people see the movie, a really important conversation will come out over the next few days.”

It is not entirely heavy so don’t worry. Of course, there is drama—including a movie about rebuilding after a fire called “Rebuilding,” starring Josh O’Connor—as well as horror, satire, literary adaptations, comedies, documentaries about well-known people, and those that flatly defy categorization.

The program includes some extremely funny content, Hernandez stated. The story “Bubble & Squeak,” which centers on a married couple accused of smuggling cabbages into a country where they are prohibited, is one of those Hernandez mentioned.

Here’s all the information you require:

When is Sundance?

Sundance film festival 2025 will run from January 23 until February 2. Over each of the eleven days, screenings will begin early in the morning and run until midnight, with about 90 features making their premieres. On January 31, the winners of the awards will be revealed.

What celebrities are expected to attend?

Stars whose films will premiere include Jennifer Lopez, Benedict Cumberbatch, Diego Luna, Conan O’Brien, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Ayo Edebiri, Olivia Colman, Andre Holland, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Bowen Yang, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Lily Gladstone, Dev Patel, Emily Watson, John Lithgow, Marlee Matlin, John Malkovich, Rose Byrne, Chloe Sevigny, Josh O’Connor, Ben Whishaw, Dylan O’Brien, Lili Reinhart and Willem Dafoe.

What’s the big movie?

One of the great things about the Sundance Film Festival 2025 is that it often picks films that aren’t as well-known.

Some of the more well-known titles that premiere at the festival include Bill Condon’s Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Lopez; Amir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius); Opus, a horror film about a star cult starring Edebiri and John Malkovich; Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet, starring Bowen Yang and Kelly Marie Tran. “Atropia,” a war satire starring Alia Shawkat, “Pee-wee Himself,” about the late Paul Reubens, “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” and “The Alabama Solution,” Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman’s documentary about a cover-up in one of America’s most notorious prison systems.

How is the festival responding to the California wildfires?

Festival organizers have been discussing the impact of the fires with filmmakers, crew, audience members and donors and have been as supportive and accommodating as possible, including extending deadlines to give filmmakers more time to complete their films. The festival will also display QR codes before screenings with information on sharing resources and contributing to relief efforts.

“As hard as the last week has been, this will be a moment to come together,” Hernandez said. “The community’s really responding to support those who need it most right now. I think that’s going to be a profound aspect of this year’s festival.”

Will Sundance really be leaving Park City?

Almost. After 2027, the festival will no longer be primarily based in Park City. It could stay in Utah, but it will primarily be operated out of Salt Lake City. Other finalists include Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio. The Sundance Institute plans to announce its final decision in the first quarter of 2025.

“Park City as the home of Sundance is such a special place,” Hernandez said. “I look at it optimistically because we have two more exciting years in this current configuration. I think we’re going to make the most of those two years and make them as memorable and meaningful as we can.”

When can you watch Sundance films?

Access to the films premiering at Sundance doesn`t vital require an pricey experience to Park City anymore. The pageant has completely embraced a web issue for a lot of their movies.

What started as a vital COVID-19 adjustment has end up a important a part of this system. From Jan. 30 via Feb. 2, audiences can movement plenty of this system online. Prices begin at $35 for a single movie ticket and cross up to $800 for unlimited access.

Otherwise, movies that secure distribution can take everywhere from some weeks to over a year to hit theaters or streaming services. Steven Soderbergh`s “Presence,” which premiered remaining January, is simply hitting theaters this week.

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