The 6 Movies From the Sundance Film Festival That Everyone Will Be Talking About

"Fair Play"

Newly-engaged — and madly in love — New York City couple Emily and Luke work at the same high-stakes financial firm where they keep their romantic relationship under wraps. But when one lands a big promotion, a balance shift between the two young professionals starts to rock their relationship. A standout performance from Bridgerton breakout star Phoebe Dynevor proves that she's more than just corsets and curtsies; she plays the ambitious, stock-yielding Emily whose partner Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) begins to unravel as a result of her success. Eventually, the couple's volatile relationship comes to an explosive head.

The feature debut from writer-director Chloe Domont explores dynamics in gender and power and premiered to a standing ovation at the famed festival followed by a mega $20 million deal from Netflix.

"Eileen"

Adapted from the popular Ottessa Moshfegh novel of the same name, Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway star in William Oldroyd's film set in a dreary 1960s Boston. Eileen (McKenzie) lives a quiet, gloomy life with her alcoholic, deadbeat father and a dead-end job at the local prison. When new mysterious and glamorous psychologist, Dr. Rebecca (Hathaway), joins the staff of the jail, she and Eileen strike up an unlikely and flirtatious friendship that provides some excitement to Eileen's dull life. But the two soon find themselves entangled in a messy situation involving one of their inmates. The psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat with every one of its unpredictable twists and turns.

"Cat Person"

Based on Kristen Roupenian's viral short story of the same name published in The New Yorker in 2017, Cat Person stars Nicholas Braun (Succession) as 30-something Robert and Emilia Jones (Coda) as college student Margot, two strangers who meet at the campus movie theater Margot works at. After an initial, some-what awkward flirting encounter, the two exchange numbers and strike up a texting relationship. But when they make IRL plans, Margot can't help but imagine that this person, whom she essentially knows nothing about, could be dangerous. The comedic thriller is a titillating take on modern dating and the fears (both rational and irrational) that come along with it. It's funny, clever, and is painfully relatable for dating singles.

"Theater Camp"

The mockumentary-style comedy (think Abbott Elementary) was developed from the 2020 short film of the same title written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, and Broadway-legend Ben Platt. The story follows a beloved upstate New York theater camp, the AdirondACTS, which must face a summer without its founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) after she falls into a coma. It's up to teachers and camp alum Amos (Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Gordon) — and Joan's thespian-averse son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) — to attempt to run and save the financially-endangered camp.

Gordon and Lieberman make their feature directorial debut with this painfully accurate portrayal of the theater kid persona. The star studded cast, which also includes The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, received the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble during the festival's award ceremony. This feel-good comedy encourages all thespians to embrace their inner theater nerd and desire to break into song and dance at any given moment.

"Drift"

After tragedy strikes a young woman's family in their war-ravaged city of Liberia, Africa, Jacqueline (Cynthia Erivo) escapes to Greece, where she finds herself homeless and hungry. While on the quest for survival, the nomad meets American tour guide Callie (Alia Shawkat) who's kindness and friendship help Jacqueline to open up about and process her trauma. Director Anthony Chen makes his English-language debut with this touching film adapted from the 2013 novel, A Marker to Measure Drift. Erivo's brilliant and profound performance positions her for much-deserved Oscar buzz in the next awards season.

"Landscape With Invisible Hand"

Based on the M.T. Anderson novel of the same name, Landscape With Invisible Hand is a sci-fi comedy about a dystopian society following "first contact" from an alien species. Teenage artist Adam (Asante Blackk) and his family must now figure out how to survive in a world where many human valuables and job titles are now obsolete. When his classmate Chloe (Kylie Rogers) reveals her family is struggling in the transition, Adam and his family give them a place to stay, and the two teens form a friendship and romantic relationship of sorts that catches the attention of the alien species (called The Vuvv). When their relationship goes awry, Adam and his mother (Tiffany Haddish) bargain a deal with The Vuvv that threatens the balance of their family. Writer-director Cory Finley, the mastermind behind the 2017 Sundance selectionThoroughbreds, made his return to the festival with this young adult film that paints a scary and ironic picture of how our Earth would look after an alien invasion.