The Sundance Film Festival, which starts today, is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. While this year no one's flying to Utah -- and having to bundle up for all the snow, -- there are still several great looking LGBTQ+ films debuting in its virtual iteration. Everything from The Miseducation of Cameron Post, to Assassination Nation, to Call Me By Your Name has screened here. Will any of this year's films join the history of great queer movies to debut at the festival? From documentaries and shorts, to exciting queer thrillers and a dramatic lesbian period romance, here are the LGBTQ+ films and projects debuting at Sundance this year.
"The World to Come"
"The frontier is on fire," The Advocate says about this 19th-century period piece from Mona Fastvold. Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby star as a farmer's wife and her new neighbor. According to the synopsis, "a grieving Abigail (Waterston) tends to her withdrawn husband Dyer (Casey Affleck) as free-spirit Tallie (Kirby) bristles at the jealous control of her husband Finney (Christopher Abbott), when together their intimacy begins to fill a void in each other's lives they never knew existed."
"Together Together"
Patti Harrison makes a star turn as Anna, a young loner who signs up to be a surrogate mother for a single man in his 40s played by Ed Helms. Harrison and Helms give great performances in this film that explores pregnancy, family, and unconventional friendships. Tig Notaro and Julio Torres also appear and steal some scenes.
My Name is Pauli Murray
This documentary seeks to show the world the impact of Pauli Murray, a legal trailblazer and nonbinary Black lawyer, activist, poet and priest who inspired everyone from Thurgood Marshall to Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The project comes from directors Betsy West and Julie Cohen, who also directed RBG, and features never-before-seen footage and audio recordings to bring the legend to life.
"Flee"
A Danish/French/Swedish/Norwegian production, Flee is directed by Jonas Pher Rasmussen and follows Amin, who arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Denmark from Afghanistan as a youth. Now as a successful academic who's engaged to his long-time boyfriend, Amin worries that a secret he's been hiding for two decades will ruin everything he's built.
"Knocking"
This Swedish film from director Frida Kempff and screenwriter Emma Brostrom explores gaslight culture and the way mentally ill women are treated. Molly (Ceclilia Milocco) is a woman who's moved into a new apartment following a tragic accident. But her new home doesn't offer the rest and relaxation she needs, as she starts hearing a knocking coming from her ceiling. While everyone else in the building dismisses her, saying they don't hear anything, Molly hears the sound turn from just knocking to a woman's cries.
"Ma Belle, My Beauty"
First-time filmmaker Marion Hill takes a look at polyamory in this film about newlyweds Bertie and Fred, who have moved to France following their nuptials. The couple go through normal moving bumps, but it all gets even more complicated when Lane, the couple's quirky ex shows up for a surprise visit.
"We're All Going to the World's Fair"
Another debut feature, writer-director Jane Schoenbrun's We're All Going to the World's Fair explores themes of identity and isolation by telling the story of a teen girl named Casey as she explores creepypastas and online culture. In the film, Casey decides to take the "World's Fair Challenge," a mysterious online role playing horror game. What starts as a strange internet wormhole soon turns into a world where dream and reality mix and nothing is as it seems.
"Ailey"
Alvin Ailey is one of the most legendary and influential American dancers and choreographers, and in Ailey, director Jamila Wignot explores his impact and influence through archival footage of his dances. Mixing together archival footage with footage of the current company at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the film shows us Ailey's life and language of dance.
Shorts
This is the Way We Rise is a short exploring the creative process of Native Hawaiian slam poet Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio as she seeks to protect sacred sites atop Maunakea, Hawai'i. Unlivable takes a look at the epidemic of murders of trans women in Brazil by following Marilene as she searches for her daughter Roberta, a trans woman who has gone missing. A third short, Trepanation's description simply reads "what was once familiar is now unrecognizable. All previous desires are overshadowed by the need to disappear completely."
New Frontiers
Two new projects are debuting at the Sundance New Frontier lineup. First is Weirdo Night, a new digital version of legendary performance artist Dynasty Handbag's infamous live monthly show at Zebulon in LA. Adjusting to the new post-quarantine world, Dynasty Handbag brings along friends like Patti Harrison, Smiling Beth, Sarah Squirm, and Blasia Discoteca for this frenetic digital party night. The second is 4 Feet High, a series that mixes animation and live action to tell the story of Juana, a 17-year-old wheelchair user exploring her sexuality and trying to learn to love her body. There are six episodes of the show, plus four additional 360-degree episodes.
