(L-R) Greta Gerwig and Miranda July, Credit: Frazer Harrison; Sundance NEXT FEST Marquee, Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez; Toro y Moi and Neon Indian, Credit: Frazer Harrison.
Los Angeles, CA - The Sundance Film Festival sheds its bulky sweaters and mountain parkas to reveal Sundance NEXT FEST, August 12-14 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. The weekend-long summer festival marks its fourth appearance in LA and celebrates the renegade spirit of independent artists. Each of six new independent film premieres will be paired with either a music act, live performance or conversation with an icon of independent cinema.
New program elements this year include NEXT DOOR, a free outdoor entertainment venue for attendees to mingle and enjoy a drink, and a short film program. Also, just before NEXT FEST kicks off, NIGHT BEFORE NEXT, a celebration event on August 11, will benefit the Institute and honor an independent filmmaker to watch.
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, Sundance NEXT FEST is a heat wave of new independent film, music and more. For our fourth year we're mixing things up with more films and an outdoor entertainment venue, offering bigger and better opportunities for audiences to celebrate the summer energy and spirit of film and music in LA.
NIGHT BEFORE NEXT, a celebration benefiting Sundance Institute and its artists, will precede the jam-packed weekend revelry on August 11 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel. On the eve of NEXT FEST, guests will come together to honor an emerging artist, with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Institute. Honorees in previous years have included Ryan Coogler, Benh Zeitlin, Marielle Heller and Damien Chazelle. Tickets ($150 and up) include a Sundance Institute membership and access to an outdoor party with live entertainment, interactive games and food trucks, as well as the opportunity to purchase tickets to a private dinner and reception with Institute alumni and artists.
NEXT FEST is an extension of the popular NEXT section at the Sundance Film Festival which showcases stylistically adventurous and bold films, and has launched titles including Obvious Child, Tangerine, James White, Nasty Baby, and Escape from Tomorrow. NEXT FEST highlights in previous years have included the L.A. premiere of Noah Baumbach's Mistress America paired with a performance by Sky Ferreira, Jeff Baena's Life After Beth followed by a solo acoustic set by Father John Misty, a screening of A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night with a live performance by Warpaint, a back- to- back DJ set by Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi, the world premiere of Kendrick Lamar's short film, m.A.A.d., and an extended conversation between the filmmakers of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter and Werner Herzog.
The lineup will be announced later this summer, and tickets ($15-25) will go on sale at that time as well. Guests will also be able to choose between purchasing full weekend festival packages or individual tickets to select events. Sundance Institute members will have access to an advance ticket sale, special member seating at screenings, an invitation to an exclusive members party and auto entry into our NEXT FEST sweepstakes. For more information and to become a member, visit sundance.org/next.
NEXT FEST supporters to date include: Principal Sponsors - Acura and Adobe; Major Sponsor - Kickstarter; and Supporting Sponsors - Beachside Films, FilmL.A., Inc., and Utah Film Commission.
Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institutes signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles
Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles makes its home in the historic United Artists building in Downtown LA. Built in 1927 for the maverick film studio, the ornate, storied and vibrant Theatre and the 14-story Spanish Gothic office tower that fronts it have been lovingly retrofitted into a modern hotel - enlivening the buildings historical soul with the scrupulous attention to detail that Ace has built its reputation on. Its the kind of project that we dream about, and were honored to stand as a spiritual anchor at the heart of the Broadway Theater Districts vibrant modern renaissance.
# # #
Editor's note: For images, visit sundance.org/nextfestimages. Information for press who wish to attend and cover Sundance NEXT FEST will be available this summer.
Download a PDF version of this news release.
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(L-R) Greta Gerwig and Miranda July, Credit: Frazer Harrison; Sundance NEXT FEST Marquee, Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez; Toro y Moi and Neon Indian, Credit: Frazer Harrison. 
