PARK CITY, UT (January 20, 2023) – Sundance Film Festival welcomed film fans over the action-packed first day of premieres and conversations on Day One, featuring the Sundance Scoop, a kickoff conversation and Q&A with Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming Kim Yutani, and Senior Programmer and Strategic Initiatives Director John Nein, moderated by Incoming Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming, Eugene Hernandez. The press conference delivered buzz with the announcement of the world premiere of Justice in the Festival Special Screenings section scheduled to take place in-person on Friday, January 20.
The Festival kicked off with Opening Night: A Taste of Sundance Celebration where inspiring and breakout storytellers were honored including Ryan Coogler(Sundance Institute | Variety Visionary Award), Luca Guadagnio (Sundance Institute International Icon Award), W. Kamau Bell (Vanguard Award presented by Acura – Nonfiction), Nikyatu Jusu (Vanguard Award presented by Acura – Fiction), presenters included Dakota Johnson, Lena Waithe, Boots Riley, and Roger Ross Williams. Additionally, the evening capped off with a performance by folk rock duo, Indigo Girls.
Yesterday’s Festival events also included buzzing press lines and premieres for Little Richard: I Am Everything, The Longest Goodbye, Shayda, Kim’s Video, L’immensita, Run Rabbit Run, and Birth/Rebirth. Additionally, the festival’s Short Film Program 1 premieres included Help Me Understand, Parker, Ricky, Sweatshop Girl, Inglorious Liaisons.
Each year, Sundance serves as a place for the community to come together and discover exciting and compelling projects by visionary artists. Continuing to foster the spirit of thought-provoking discussion throughout 2023, Sundance Film Festival also programs a series of panels across discipline and topic.
The Sundance Film Festival is an artist program of the Sundance Institute. Proceeds earned through Festival ticket sales go to uplifting and developing emerging artists on a year-round basis through focused labs, direct grants, fellowships, residencies, and more.
*Photos Courtesy of Sundance Institute