By Stephanie Ornelas
[Pictured: The Hebrew Hammer, 2005 Sundance Film Festival]
Those who have attended the Sundance Film Festival over the years might remember when Miyubi came to Park City, Utah, in 2017 as part of the Fest's New Frontier category. The VR experience by Felix & Paul Studios tells the story of one year inside a 1980s family - seen through the eyes of a toy robot the kids get for Christmas. Or maybe attendees remember when Franz Kafka's It's A Wonderful Life screened in the Shorts Program in 1995. Peter Capaldi's experimental short was praised as a lovingly strange film that is a metamorphosis of a Christmas classic, and he later received an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his project.
These are just two examples of a whole slew of past Sundance Festival and Institute-supported films that are centered around the holidays, from dramatic shorts to romcoms and even horror films. We've put together a helpful list of films for you to dive into just in time for your holiday break. And, depending on the mood you're in, they're all available to watch now.
A crucial piece of holiday planning is what you put on the TV. And let's remember that not all holiday movies share the same sentiment. Whether you want to watch something lighthearted or you're looking to get out some aggression, here are ten films that premiered at the Sundance Festival, and were supported by the Institute, to help you unwind after (or during) a busy holiday:
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