Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

2023 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens Announced

27/06/2023

PARK CITY, UT, June 27, 2023 - The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the 2023 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens program, a free summer screening series, with tickets available now. Taking place July 26-29, the program will provide Utahns with free indoor and outdoor screenings of some of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival's most talked about movies, many of them not yet released, over an exciting weekend filled with events curated for local storytellers, filmmakers and actors in attendance, film intros, and Q&As. Talent scheduled to attend to introduce their films and participate in Q&As following the screenings includes actor Anaita Wali Zada (Fremont), director Tracy Droz Tragos (PLAN C), and director Joe Brewster (Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project). Tickets can be reserved online at http://sundance.org/local-lens.

Celebrating Utah is always rewarding - in the spirit of continuing our ongoing connection with film lovers in our home state this summer, we'll screen a fascinating variety of films across venues Utahns know and love, said Joana Vicente, CEO, Sundance Institute. Our roots here are strong and we're so excited to share these diverse documentaries and fiction offerings with our beloved local audience.

Please see below for more information and the schedule of upcoming events:

2023 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens Schedule

Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 9:00 PM: The Deepest Breath Screening

Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre Outdoor Screening

2188 Red Butte Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

The Deepest Breath / U.K., Ireland (Director and Screenwriter: Laura McGann, Producers: John Battsek, Sarah Thomson, Jamie D'Alton, Anne McLoughlin) - A champion freediver and expert safety diver seemed destined for one another despite the different paths they took to meet at the pinnacle of the freediving world. A look at the thrilling rewards - and inescapable risks - of chasing dreams through the depths of the ocean. Distributed by Netflix. Documentary.

Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 9:00 PM: The Pod Generation Screening

City Park Outdoor Screening

1400 Sullivan Rd, Park City, UT 84060

The Pod Generation / Belgium, France, U.K. (Director and Screenwriter: Sophie Barthes, Producers: Genevi ve Lemal, Yann Zenou, Nadia Kamlichi, Martin Metz) - In a not-so-distant future, amid a society madly in love with technology, tech giant Pegazus offers couples the opportunity to share their pregnancies via detachable artificial wombs or pods. And so begins Rachel and Alvy's wild ride to parenthood in this brave new world. Distributed by Roadside Attractions/Vertical Entertainment. Cast: Emilia Clarke, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rosalie Craig, Vinette Robinson, Jean-Marc Barr. Fiction.

Friday, July 28, 2023 at 11:00 AM: Artists Event- Filmmaking Deep Dive: Pitching Your Project

Location Forthcoming

This event is geared to fiction or nonfiction directors, producers, editors, and other artists, but is also open to the general public upon RSVP

This event offers four emerging Utah filmmaking teams the opportunity to pitch their feature-length projects to a panel of industry experts and receive feedback on their film idea, plus on the process of pitching itself valuable information for any filmmaker. Pitching teams will be nominated by local Utah arts organizations and selected by Sundance Institute staff. The panel will include producers Andrea Meditch, Anish Savjani, and Bob Moore, and Basil Tsiokos (Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival). The event will be moderated by Eugene Hernandez (Director of the Sundance Film Festival and head of public programming).

Friday, July 28, 2023 at 7:00 PM: KOKOMO CITY Screening

Broadway Centre Cinemas Indoor Screening

111 E. Broadway 300 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84111

KOKOMO CITY / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: D. Smith, Producers: Harris Doran, Bill Butler) - This unfiltered documentary passes the mic to four Black transgender sex workers in Atlanta and New York City - Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell and Dominique Silver as they hold nothing back while breaking down the walls of their profession. Distributed by Magnolia Pictures. Documentary.

Friday, July 28, 2023 at 9:00 PM: Polite Society Screening

City Park Outdoor Screening

1400 Sullivan Rd, Park City, UT 84060

Polite Society / U.K. (Director and Screenwriter: Nida Manzoor, Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Olivier Kaempfer, John Pocock) - A merry mash up of sisterly affection, parental disappointment, and bold action, Polite Society follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan, who believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood. Distributed by Focus Features. Cast: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Nimra Bucha, Akshay Khanna, Seraphina Beh, Ella Bruccoleri. Fiction.

Friday, July 28, 2023 at 11:30 PM: birth/rebirth Screening

Broadway Centre Cinemas Indoor Screening

111 E. Broadway 300 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84111

birth/rebirth / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Laura Moss, Screenwriter: Brendan J. O'Brien, Producers: Mali Elfman, David Grove Churchill Viste) - A single mother and a childless morgue technician are bound together by their relationship to a little girl they have reanimated from the dead. Distributed by Shudder. Cast: Marin Ireland, Judy Reyes, A.J. Lister, Breeda Wool. Fiction.

Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 2:00 PM: PLAN C Screening

Megaplex Theatres at The Gateway Indoor Screening

400 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

*Director Tracy Droz Tragos to introduce the film and participate in a post-screening discussion following the screening

PLAN C / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Tracy Droz Tragos) - With a controversial visionary at the helm,
LINK: https://www.sundance.org/blogs/2023-sundance-film-festival-local-lens-...
See more stories from sundance

More from Sundance Institute

08/07/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Juan Meja Botero, the Director of Igualada: Refusing to Know Your Place

One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a fro...

04/07/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Tadashi Nakamura, the Filmmaker Behind Third Act

By Lucy Spicer Editor's note: We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robe...

02/07/2025

Release Rundown: What to Watch in July, From FOLKTALES to Oh, Hi!

Hege Wik and Odin appear in FOLKTALES by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institut...

02/07/2025

IGUALADA Beats the Odds in the Ultimate Underdog Tale

(Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Patty Consolazio This one's for any person who's ever felt put down, left out, marginaliz...

27/06/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Eva Victor, the Writer-Director Behind Sorry, Baby

By Jessica Herndon One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Fest...

26/06/2025

Amrou Al-Kadhi's Layla Brings Audience to Its Knees

Louis Greatorex, Amrou Al-Kadhi and Bilal Hasana. (Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Veronika Lee Claghorn The world premiere of Amr...

25/06/2025

Personnel Thoughts: Our Sundance Film Festival Picks From the Aubrey Plaza Archives

Aubrey Plaza getting ready for My Old Ass (photo by George Pimentel/Shutterstock...

25/06/2025

Inside the Archives: Underscoring the Value of Digitization and Access

On the set of Leslie McCleave's The Shamrocks with Mount Timpanogos as a backdrop during the 1999 Directors Lab. Photo by Sandria Miller...

24/06/2025

John August on Encouraging Exploration at the Sundance Institute Labs

John August with fellow Kibwe Tavares at Sundance Institute's 2016 June Screenwriters Lab. Photo by Brandon Cruz for Sundance Institute...

24/06/2025

ReFrame Rise Selects Third Cohort for Two-Year Fellowship Program

The Comprehensive and Customized Program Supports and Sustains Mid-Career Directors & DPs with Support from Netflix...

20/06/2025

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore Shows How the Deaf Icon Changed Hollywood and Beyond

(L-R) Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, and Shoshannah Stern attend the 2025 Sundance ...

20/06/2025

2025 Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellows Selected

Ignite Lab Will Kick Off a Year of Opportunities for Emerging Filmmakers Ages 18 to 25 Marking the Program's 10th Year...

20/06/2025

Enigma Wants to Unravel a Mystery in Trans Sisterhood History

Zackary Drucker attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Enigma at the Egyptian Theatre on January 28, 2025, in Park City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walk...

18/06/2025

Kasi Lemmons on the Enduring Originality of the Sundance Institute Labs

Kasi Lemmons with fellow Daniel Kaluuya at Sundance Institute's 2016 January Screenwriters Lab. Photo by Brandon Cruz for Sundance Institute...

18/06/2025

The Fight for Trans Rights Is Highlighted in Heightened Scrutiny

Sam Feder at Heightened Scrutiny premiere (photo by Robin Marshall / Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Bailey Pennick Editor's note: Since the...

17/06/2025

2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens

Top L-R: The Dating Game, All That's Left of You ( ) Center L-R: Come See Me in the Good Light, Omaha, Rebuilding Bottom L-R: Selena y Los Din...

17/06/2025

The Intersex Protagonist in Ponyboi Is a Revelation

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: River Gallo attends the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Ponyboi premiere at the Library Center Theatre on January 20, 2024, in Park ...

16/06/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Carmen Emmi, the Writer-Director of Plainclothes

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

13/06/2025

Prime Minister: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Leader Who Champions Kindness

(L-R) Lindsay Utz, Michelle Walshe, and The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Prime Minister at Eccles T...

10/06/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Cristina Costantini, the Director of SALLY

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...

07/06/2025

Creative Accomplices: Alex Ross Perry and Jason Schwartzman

By Bailey Pennick Alex Ross Perry is in the middle of a thought. It's not following just one strand, though. It's a textured and tangent-filled journey...

05/06/2025

SALLY Expands the Portrait of an American Icon

(L-R) Cristina Costantini, Tam O'Shaughnessy, Bear Ride, and Lauren Cioffi attend the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of SALLY at The Ray Theatre on ...

04/06/2025

Film Festival Watch: See These 16 Sundance Institute-Supported Films at Tribeca 2025

By Jessica Herndon The Tribeca Festival is back, bringing a whirlwind of world ...

03/06/2025

Release Rundown: What to Watch in June, From SALLY to Sorry, Baby

Sally Ride appears in SALLY by Cristina Costantini, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by NASA....

03/06/2025

Sundance Institute Adds Scott Frank, David Nevins, Greg Sarris, and Blair Ligelis Stein to Board of Trustees

PARK CITY UT, June 2, 2025 - The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today th...

03/06/2025

The Pride of the Sundance Film Festival: 400 LGBTQ+ Films to Watch This June (and Beyond!)

[Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-Chan, and Bowen Yang appear in The We...

29/05/2025

From Fellow to Advisor: Erica Tremblay at Sundance Institute's Native Lab

Director Erica Tremblay on the set of Little Chief' during the 2018 Native Filmmakers Lab. Photo by Tytianna Harris for Sundance Institute...

28/05/2025

Inside the Archives: Directors Lab Creative Advisors Nurture Filmmaking Talent Over the Years

Creative advisor Joan Darling and artistic director Gyula Gazdag chat with fello...

24/05/2025

Paul Reubens Opens Up on His Terms in Pee-wee as Himself

(L-R) Senior Manager and Festival Programmer Adam Montgomery and Matt Wolf attend the Sundance Film Festival premiere of Pee-wee as Himself January 23 at The ...

23/05/2025

Get Familiar With This Summer's Filmmakers Through These 16 Sundance Institute-Supported Films

Elijah Wood and Melanie Lynskey star in Macon Blair's award-winning film I ...

20/05/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Matt Wolf, the Filmmaker Behind Pee-wee as Himself

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

15/05/2025

Detroit Is Gorgeous and Grief Is Gritty in To Live and Die and Live

PARK CITY, UTAH JANUARY 20: Skye P. Marshall, Omari Hardwick, Cory Hardrict, Qasim Basir, Dana Gourrier, and Amin Joseph attend the 2023 Sundance Film Festiva...

15/05/2025

Directors Lab at 45: Writer-Director Marielle Heller Remembers Finding Her Voice in the 2012 Lab

Director of photography Benjamin Kasulke, actors Katie Henney and Hannah Marks, ...

12/05/2025

Sundance Film Festival: CDMX 2025 by Cinpolis Announces the Official Program for the Second Edition

The Sundance Film Festival: CDMX 2025 program is composed of 15 feature films an...

08/05/2025

What to Watch: 6 Sundance Institute-Supported Films by Filipino Directors

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

Dark History and Evil Are Unearthed in The Moogai

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

Black Box Diaries, Queendom, and Will & Harper Among Six Sundance Institute-Supported Films Taking Home Peabody Awards

The 85th annual Peabody Awards were a special moment for Sundance Institute-supp...

02/05/2025

Sundance Institute-Supported King Coal, FRIDA, and More Land Nominations for News & Documentary Emmys

The 46th annual News & Documentary Emmys are just around the corner, and this ye...

01/05/2025

Release Rundown: What to Watch in May, From The Moogai to Pee-wee as Himself

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

Inside the Archives: Preserving and Saving At-Risk Films Takes a Village

Film elements held at the Deluxe warehouse in March of 2015. Photo by Luis Silva...

29/04/2025

Deaf President Now! Resurfaces a Pivotal Civil Rights Struggle

(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

The Legend of Ochi Takes Families on an Adventure

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

Film Festival Watch: Catch These 13 Sundance Institute-Supported Films at the 2025 Hot Docs Festival

We're huge fans of shining a spotlight on the documentaries that empower, en...

22/04/2025

Amalia Ulman Breaks the Rules With Magic Farm

Chloe Sevigny at the Magic Farm premiere (photo by Michael Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)...

21/04/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Nadia Fall, the Director of Brides

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

Everyone Is Cordially Invited to Celebrate Queer Joy in The Wedding Banquet

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

The Ugly Stepsister: A Cinderella Body Horror Story That Will Leave a Crowd in Shambles

Emilie Blichfeldt attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of The Ugly ...

16/04/2025

Queendom, Sugarcane, and Will & Harper Among Sundance Institute-Supported Films To Earn Peabody Nominations

It's an understatement to say that the Peabody Awards are major. The winners...

14/04/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Andrew Ahn, the Filmmaker Behind The Wedding Banquet

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

11/04/2025

One to One: John & Yoko is an Immersive '70s Viewing Experience

(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, ...