[Ryan Reynolds stars in The Voices]
By Stephanie Ornelas
What do Tim Burton and Taika Waititi have in common? They both captivated audiences with their spooky-fun films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and What We Do in the Shadows, and they've both directed Sundance-supported projects featuring some seriously awesome pets. But they're certainly not the only ones.
Today is National Pet Day, and a lot of us know what it feels like to come home to our pets after a long afternoon. They bring irreplaceable joy that so many find therapeutic. Even those who don't have pets of their own might agree that seeing an adored animal - whether in person or on the big screen - can help lift our spirits on some of the most challenging days.
If you had a whole day to honor your pet or a pet of a loved one, what would you plan for them? Maybe a trip to the dog beach or park, or an afternoon snuggling up in front of the TV. If you're planning for the latter today, here's a list of Sundance pets you can put on your screen, from a tiny horse to a zombie dog to a conniving cat.
Settle in with your fluffy, feathery, or scaly companion. Here are nine films about pets that hit the screens at the Sundance Film Festival:
More from Sundance Institute
08/05/2025
A sinister fairy infiltrates a desperate family in Kenneth Dagatan's In My Mother's Skin, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Photo co...
05/05/2025
Shari Sebbens attends the 2024 Sundance Film Festival The Moogai premiere at The Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donayle West/Shutterstock for Sunda...
02/05/2025
The 85th annual Peabody Awards were a special moment for Sundance Institute-supp...
02/05/2025
The 46th annual News & Documentary Emmys are just around the corner, and this ye...
01/05/2025
Paul Reubens appears in Pee-wee as Himself, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Michael Ochs A...
30/04/2025
Film elements held at the Deluxe warehouse in March of 2015. Photo by Luis Silva...
29/04/2025
(L-R) Tim Rarus, Bridgetta Bourne, Nyle DiMarco, Jerry Covell, Greg Hlibok, and Davis Guggenheim attend the premiere of Deaf President Now! at Eccles Theatre ...
25/04/2025
Emily Watson, Isaiah Saxon, Helena Zengel, and Finn Wolfhard at The Legend of Ochi premiere (photo by Soul Brother/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)...
24/04/2025
We're huge fans of shining a spotlight on the documentaries that empower, en...
22/04/2025
Chloe Sevigny at the Magic Farm premiere (photo by Michael Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)...
21/04/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. Whi...
18/04/2025
Director Andrew Ahn, alongside actors Youn Yuh-jung and Joan Chen, takes a photo of the audience after the premiere of his film The Wedding Banquet at Eccles ...
17/04/2025
Emilie Blichfeldt attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of The Ugly ...
16/04/2025
It's an understatement to say that the Peabody Awards are major. The winners...
14/04/2025
By Bailey Pennick
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
11/04/2025
(L-R) Kevin Macdonald and Sam Rice-Edwards attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of One to One: John & Yoko at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2025, ...
09/04/2025
The cast and crew of The Librarians attend the film's 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere at The Ray Theatre. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for S...
09/04/2025
By Jandiz Estrada Cardoso
I am overjoyed to share the eight screenwriting fellows selected to participate in Sundance Institute's 2025 Episodic Intensive. ...
09/04/2025
A still from Captains of Zaatari by Ali El Arabi, an official selection of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courte...
07/04/2025
By Bailey Pennick
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
03/04/2025
(L-R) Ji-young Yoo, Pedro Pascal, and Jay Ellis at the Freaky Tales premiere. (Photo by George Pimentel/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)
By Stephanie...
02/04/2025
Pedro Pascal appears in Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Freaky Tales, which pr...
27/03/2025
Boulders Vibrant Community of Artists, Enthusiastic Audiences, and Breathtaking ...
26/03/2025
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood reviews the script for her beloved film Love and Basketball, which she workshopped at the 1998 Directors Lab before it premiere...
24/03/2025
Residency Honoring the Legacy of Social Justice Leader Michael Latt Selects Eigh...
21/03/2025
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 23: (L-R) Jos Esteban Alenda, Maximiliano Rivas, Glorimar Marrero S nchez, Isel Rodr guez, Pedro Juan Lopez, and Amaya Izquierdo atte...
19/03/2025
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: (L-R) Shoko Egawa, Chiaki Yanagimoto, Ben Braun, and Andrew Marshall attend the 2023 Sundance Film Festival AUM: The Cult at the ...
14/03/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
13/03/2025
(L-R) Stephanie Suganami, Tatanka Means, John Malkovich, Ayo Edebiri, and Juliette Lewis attend the premiere of Opus at Eccles Theatre in Park City. (Photo by...
11/03/2025
By Lucy Spicer
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...
06/03/2025
The Building Bridges Completion Fund reaffirms a commitment to showcasing
and c...
05/03/2025
By Stephanie Ornelas
(L-R) Kenner Bolt, Brendon Boyea, Hiep Tran Nghia, Sing J. Lee, Andy Sorgie and Dustin Nguyen attend the 2023 Sundance Film Festival The...
03/03/2025
The 2025 Academy Awards were a shining moment for Sundance-supported films, underscoring the Festival's role as a launchpad for powerful storytelling and gr...
27/02/2025
Director Rashad Frett and actor Stephan James share a hug on stage following the premiere of Ricky. Photo by Jason Peters
By the Archives team
Though the 20...
26/02/2025
Glenn Close, Michelle Satter, and Marielle Heller at The Sundance Film Festival ...
26/02/2025
Created in 2003 to recognize an outstanding feature film addressing ideas or characters central to science and technology, this juried prize is awarded through ...
26/02/2025
The Gayle Stevens Volunteer Award is given annually to a volunteer who has demonstrated a long-standing passion for and commitment to the work of the Sundance I...
26/02/2025
And just like that, it's awards day! We're here at The Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah, for the much-anticipated 2025 Sundance Film Festival Awards Cerem...
26/02/2025
It's only been a few days since the 2025 Sundance Film Festival finished up,...
23/02/2025
Today, the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards filmmakers took over Santa Monica...
13/02/2025
By Jessica Herndon
While we're still riding high over our incredible 2025 ...
13/02/2025
12 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Filmmakers Selected for...
12/02/2025
Sly Stone appears in SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) by Ahmir Que...
12/02/2025
By Jessica Herndon
As awards season heats up, a handful of celebrated filmmakers and artists are grabbing our attention, and many of them have shared their ex...
02/02/2025
2026 Edition of Sundance Film Festival to Take Place in Park City and Salt Lake ...
30/01/2025
Steven Yeun and Kristen Stewart at the Love Me premiere (photo by George Pimentl...
29/01/2025
PARK CITY, UTAH, January 28, 2025 - Tonight the nonprofit Sundance Institute awarded the prizes for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program at the Sh...
23/01/2025
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 19: Steven Soderbergh at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Presence premiere at the Library Center Theatre on January 19, 2024, in Par...
23/01/2025
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival is kicking off and the Oscar nominations have dr...
18/01/2025
10 Projects to Be Developed at Annual January Screenwriters Lab;
10 Projects t...
[Ryan Reynolds stars in The Voices]
