15 Must-See Films at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival

On December 7, 2022, Sundance Institute announced the comprehensive slate of independent films selected across the feature film categories for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. 

The 2023 Festival will take place January 19–29, 2023, in person in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, along with a selection of films available online across the country January 24–29, 2023. 

U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION

The U.S. Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film, presenting the world premieres of 12 narrative feature films.

The Accidental Getaway Driver / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Sing J. Lee, Screenwriter: Christopher Chen, Producers: Kimberly Steward, Basil Iwanyk, Andy Sorgie, Brendon Boyea, Joseph Hiếu)

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Raven Jackson, Producers: Maria Altamirano, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak)

Magazine Dreams / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Elijah Bynum, Producers: Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, Jeffrey Soros, Simon Horsman)

The Persian Version / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Maryam Keshavarz, Producers: Anne Carey, Ben Howe, Luca Borghese, Peter Block, Corey Nelson)

Shortcomings / U.S.A. (Director: Randall Park, Screenwriter: Adrian Tomine, Producers: Margot Hand, Randall Park, Hieu Ho, Jennifer Berman, Howard Cohen, Eric d’Arbeloff)

The Starling Girl / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Laurel Akira Parmet, Producers: Kevin Rowe, Kara Durrett)

A Thousand and One / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: A.V. Rockwell, Producers: Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Lena Waithe, Rishi Rajani, Brad Weston)

U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Presenting the world premieres of 11 nonfiction feature films, the U.S. Documentary Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at American films illuminating the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.

Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Amanda Kim, Producers: Amy Hobby, David Koh, Mariko Munro, Jennifer Stockman, Jesse Wann)

MIDNIGHT

From horror flicks and wild comedies to chilling thrillers and works that defy any genre, these films will keep you wide awake and on the edge of your seat.

birth/rebirth / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Laura Moss, Screenwriter: Brendan J. O’Brien, Producers: Mali Elfman, David Grove Churchill Viste)

PREMIERES

This showcase of world premieres presents highly anticipated films on a variety of subjects, fiction and nonfiction.

Cat Person / France, U.S.A. (Director: Susanna Fogel, Screenwriter: Michelle Ashford, Producers: Helen Estabrook, Jeremy Steckler)

Earth Mama / U.K, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Savanah Leaf, Producers: Lance Acord, Sam Bisbee, Chenney Chen, Simon Cooper, Ben Coren, Christine D'Souza Gelb, Jackie Kelman Bisbee, David Kimbangi, Danielle Massie, Shirley O'Connor, Medb Riordan, Cody Ryder, Cameron Washington, James Wilson)

Judy Blume Forever / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchok, Producers: Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Marcella Steingart)

Past Lives / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Celine Song, Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon)

A Little Prayer / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Angus MacLachlan, Producers: Lauren Vilchik, Max A. Butler)

You Hurt My Feelings / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Nicole Holofcener, Producers: Stefanie Azpiazu and Anthony Bregman)