by Gary M. Kramer, Staff Writer

I have covered and attended many film festivals over my career, but I have never been to or worked Sundance. I have worked on Slamdance. And I have seen many of the films that come out of Sundance on release. I also catch the annual touring shorts program every year. But I just haven’t made it to Utah in January. However, this year, because it is online, I can attend the fest from the safety and comfort of my home. I’m excited to sample the independent and international films screening this year. Here are a few titles I’m expecting to see. 

The film I am most excited to see at Sundance is Flee, Jonas Poher Rasmussan’s animated documentary about Amin, an Afghan refugee who escapes his homeland (and an impending marriage) to be his true self. This appeals not just because of the queer angle, but also the dual investigation into identity and immigration. Moreover, Flee appeals to my interest in narrative—how tell a human interest/human rights story that exposes the horrors Amin experienced in his homeland and elsewhere while also respecting his privacy/protecting his identity. Animation can often depict things that cannot be shown in real life. I am anxious to see how Rasmussan takes a personal story and makes it universal. And I appreciate the bravery of men like Amin to tell their stories and help me understand how he survived and thrived. 

Another title that interests me is Human Factors, a dark drama about a couple who grapple with the aftermath of a home invasion. This film also plays with narrative as the truth is filtered through different points of view; each character has an agenda. 

I’ve been really impressed with Polish cinema of late, so I am intrigued to see Prime Time, directed and co-written by Jakub Piatek. The tagline reads: In 1999 Sebastian locks himself in a TV studio. He has two hostages, a gun, and an important message for the world. I wonder what it could be? I guess I will find out. 

I love films about people coping with trauma, and that makes me want to see Mass, actor Fran Kranz’s directorial debut about two couples coming together years after a tragedy occurred involving both their children. The cast includes Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaac and Martha Plimpton, so this should be gripping.

Lastly, I plan to see all the Live-Action and Documentary Shorts programs. Given that I teach Short Attention Span Cinema at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, I want to see what titles I might screen in upcoming seminars. There are a few shorts I’m looking forward to, especially: A Concerto Is a Conversation, which is codirected by Ben Proudfoot, (I greatly admired his short, That’s My Jazz); Snowy, about a pet turtle; and When We Were Bullies, about a man tracking a classmate and teacher to address a bullying incident that happened 50 years prior.