Sundance 2018 Adds New Films From Lynne​ ​Ramsay, Hannah Fidell, Tamara​ ​Jenkins, and More

The Sundance Film Festival has completed the announcement of its slate with today’s addition of ​eight​ ​feature​ ​films,​ ​a​ ​VR​ ​experience,​ ​the​ ​NEXT​ ​Innovator’s​ ​Award​ ​juror​, ​and​ ​hosted​ ​retrospectives, all joining the 2018 fest’s lineup today. Notable features that will screen at the festival include the North American premiere of Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here,” featuring Joaquin Phoenix in his Cannes-winning role, along with new films from Hannah Fidell, Tamara Jenkins, and Jonas​ ​Åkerlund. The festival will also play home to a brand-new VR experience inspired by Wes Anderson’s upcoming stop-motion feature “Isle of Dogs.”

Related Stories

Sundance Without Park City? Festival Exploring Options for 2027 and Beyond

Sundance Institute’s New Acting CEO Will Focus on ‘Long Term Sustainability’

Additionally, RuPaul​ ​will​ ​convene​ ​a​ ​retrospective​ ​of​ ​VH1’s​ ​Emmy-winning​ ​“RuPaul’s​ ​Drag​ ​Race”​ ​on​ ​the​ ​heels​ ​of​ ​its​ ​tenth​ ​season,​ ​and host​ ​a​ ​panel​ ​with​ ​executive​ ​producers​ ​and​ ​Sundance​ ​Film​ ​Festival​ ​veterans​ ​Randy​ ​Barbato​ ​and​ ​Fenton​ ​Bailey,​ ​along​ ​with Tom​ ​Campbell​ ​and​ ​Pamela​ ​Post,​ ​senior​ ​vice​ ​president​ ​of​ ​Original​ ​Programming​ ​for​ ​MTV,​ ​VH1, ​and​ ​Logo.​ ​RuPaul​ ​will​ ​also serve​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Festival’s​ ​inaugural​ ​and​ ​sole​ ​NEXT​ ​Innovator​ ​Award​ ​juror,​ ​and​ ​will​ ​present​ ​the​ ​NEXT​ ​Innovator​ ​Award​ ​to​ ​his favorite​ ​film​ ​in​ ​that​ ​category,​ ​which​ ​showcases​ ​pure,​ ​bold​ ​works​ ​distinguished​ ​by​ ​innovative,​ ​forward-thinking​ ​approaches to​ ​storytelling.

The festival will also play home to a special evening with director Todd Haynes, and a retrospective screening of Chris Eyre’s “Smoke Signals.” Additionally, Brett Haley’s “Hearts Beat Loud” has been announced as the festival’s Closing Night Film.

This year’s festival runs from January 18 – 28 in Park City, Utah. Check out the full list of newly announced additions, with all synopses provided by Sundance, below.

From the Collection

“An​ ​Evening​ ​with​ ​Todd​ ​Haynes​”​ ​​/​​ ​​In​ ​the​ ​thirty​ ​years​ ​since​ ​he​ ​burst​ ​onto​ ​the​ ​indie​ ​scene,​ ​Todd​ ​Haynes​ ​has​ ​established himself​ ​as​ ​one​ ​of​ ​most​ ​distinctive​ ​voices​ ​in​ ​American​ ​cinema.​ ​A​ ​special​ ​conversation​ ​with​ ​Haynes​ ​and​ ​longtime collaborator,​ ​producer​ ​Christine​ ​Vachon,​ ​explores​ ​Haynes’​ ​early​ ​work,​ ​including​ ​clips​ ​from​ ​notable,​ ​recently​ ​restored gems.

“Smoke​ ​Signals”​ ​​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director:​ ​Chris​ ​Eyre,​ ​Screenwriter:​ ​Sherman​ ​Alexie,​ ​Producers:​ ​Larry​ ​Estes,​ ​Scott​ ​Rosenfelt)​ ​— When​ ​Victor’s​ ​estranged​ ​father​ ​Arnold​ ​dies​ ​in​ ​Arizona,​ ​he​ ​must​ ​leave​ ​his​ ​home​ ​on​ ​an​ ​Idaho​ ​reservation​ ​to​ ​retrieve Arnold’s​ ​ashes.​ ​Victor’s​ ​friend​ ​Thomas​ ​offers​ ​to​ ​fund​ ​the​ ​trip,​ ​but​ ​only​ ​if​ ​he​ ​can​ ​accompany​ ​Victor.​ ​Together​ ​they undertake​ ​a​ ​journey​ ​filled​ ​with​ ​discovery​ ​about​ ​their​ ​personal​ ​and​ ​cultural​ ​identities.​ ​​Cast:​ ​Adam​ ​Beach,​ ​Evan​ ​Adams, Irene​ ​Bedard,​ ​Gary​ ​Farmer,​ ​Tantoo​ ​Cardinal​.

Documentary Premieres

“Akicita.:​ ​The​ ​Battle​ ​of​ ​Standing​ ​Rock​​ “​​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director:​ ​Cody​ ​Lucich,​ ​Producers:​ ​Heather​ ​Rae,​ ​Gingger​ ​Shankar, Ben-Alex​ ​Dupris)​ ​—​ ​Standing​ ​Rock,​ ​2016:​ ​the​ ​largest​ ​Native​ ​American​ ​occupation​ ​since​ ​Wounded​ ​Knee.​ ​Thousands​ ​of activists,​ ​environmentalists​ ​and​ ​militarized​ ​police​ ​descend​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Dakota​ ​Access​ ​Pipeline​ ​in​ ​a​ ​standoff​ ​between​ ​oil corporations​ ​and​ ​a​ ​new​ ​generation​ ​of​ ​Native​ ​Warriors.​ ​This​ ​chronicle​ ​captures​ ​the​ ​sweeping​ ​struggle,​ ​spirit​ ​and​ ​havoc​ ​of a​ ​People’s​ ​uprising.​ ​​World​ ​Premiere.​ ​​THE​ ​NEW​ ​CLIMATE

Midnight

“Hereditary​​” ​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director​ ​and​ ​screenwriter:​ ​Ari​ ​Aster,​ ​Producers:​ ​Kevin​ ​Frakes,​ ​Lars​ ​Knudsen,​ ​Buddy​ ​Patrick)​ ​—​ ​After their​ ​reclusive​ ​grandmother​ ​passes​ ​away,​ ​the​ ​Graham​ ​family​ ​tries​ ​to​ ​escape​ ​the​ ​dark​ ​fate​ ​they’ve​ ​inherited.​ ​​Cast:​ ​Toni Collette,​ ​Gabriel​ ​Byrne,​ ​Alex​ ​Wolff,​ ​Ann​ ​Dowd,​ ​Milly​ ​Shapiro.​ ​World​ ​Premiere

“Lords​ ​of​ ​Chaos​”​ ​​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director:​ ​Jonas​ ​Åkerlund,​ ​Screenwriters:​ ​Jonas​ ​Åkerlund,​ ​Dennis​ ​Magnusson,​ ​Producers: Kwesi​ ​Dickson,​ ​Danny​ ​Gabai,​ ​Jim​ ​Czarnecki,​ ​Erik​ ​Gordon,​ ​Jack​ ​Arbuthnott,​ ​Ko​ ​Mori)​ ​—​ ​Based​ ​on​ ​truth​ ​(and​ ​lies),​​ ​Lords of​ ​Chaos​​ ​is​ ​a​ ​dark​ ​drama​ ​about​ ​a​ ​precocious​ ​teenager,​ ​Euronymous,​ ​who​ ​wants​ ​to​ ​spread​ ​evil,​ ​chaos,​ ​and​ ​true Norwegian​ ​black​ ​metal.​ ​When​ ​Euronymous​ ​invites​ ​a​ ​mysterious​ ​loner,​ ​Varg,​ ​to​ ​join​ ​his​ ​“Black​ ​Circle,”​ ​a​ ​rivalry​ ​sparks, leading​ ​to​ ​unexpected​ ​consequences.​ ​​Cast:​ ​Rory​ ​Culkin,​ ​Emory​ ​Cohen,​ ​Sky​ ​Ferreira,​ ​Jack​ ​Kilmer,​ ​Valter​ ​Skarsgård. World​ ​Premiere

New Frontier

“Isle​ ​of​ ​Dogs​ ​Behind​ ​the​ ​Scenes​ ​(in​ ​Virtual​ ​Reality)​​” ​/​ ​(Lead​ ​Artists:​ ​A​ ​collaboration​ ​between​ ​Felix​ ​Lajeunesse​ ​&​ ​Paul Raphael​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Isle​ ​of​ ​Dogs​ ​production​ ​team)​ ​​ ​—​ ​​This​ ​virtual​ ​reality​ ​experience​ ​places​ ​the​ ​viewer​ ​inside​ ​the​ ​miniature world​ ​of​ ​Wes​ ​Anderson’s​ ​upcoming​ ​stop-motion​ ​animated​ ​film,​ ​face​ ​to​ ​face​ ​with​ ​the​ ​cast​ ​of​ ​dogs​ ​as​ ​they​ ​are​ ​interviewed on​ ​set,​ ​while​ ​the​ ​crew​ ​of​ ​the​ ​film​ ​works​ ​around​ ​you​ ​to​ ​create​ ​the​ ​animation​ ​you​ ​are​ ​seeing.​ ​​Cast:​ ​A​ ​selection​ ​of​ ​actors from​ ​the​ ​cast​ ​of​ ​Isle​ ​of​ ​Dogs.

Premieres

“The​ ​Long​ ​Dumb​ ​Road​”​​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director:​ ​Hannah​ ​Fidell,​ ​Screenwriters:​ ​Hannah​ ​Fidell,​ ​Carson​ ​Mell,​ ​Producers:​ ​Hannah Fidell,​ ​Jacqueline​ ​”JJ”​ ​Ingram,​ ​Jonathan​ ​Duffy,​ ​Kelly​ ​Williams)​ ​—​ ​Two​ ​very​ ​different​ ​men,​ ​at​ ​personal​ ​crossroads,​ ​meet serendipitously​ ​and​ ​take​ ​an​ ​unpredictable​ ​journey​ ​through​ ​the​ ​American​ ​Southwest.​ ​​ ​​Cast:​ ​Tony​ ​Revolori,​ ​Jason Mantzoukas,​ ​Taissa​ ​Farmiga,​ ​Grace​ ​Gummer,​ ​Ron​ ​Livingston,​ ​Casey​ ​Wilson.​ ​World​ ​Premiere

“Private​ ​Life​”​ ​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director​ ​and​ ​screenwriter:​ ​Tamara​ ​Jenkins,​ ​Producers:​ ​Anthony​ ​Bregman,​ ​Stefanie​ ​Azpiazu)​ ​—​ ​A couple​ ​in​ ​the​ ​throes​ ​of​ ​infertility​ ​try​ ​to​ ​maintain​ ​their​ ​marriage​ ​as​ ​they​ ​descend​ ​deeper​ ​into​ ​the​ ​weird​ ​world​ ​of​ ​assisted reproduction​ ​and​ ​domestic​ ​adoption.​ ​When​ ​their​ ​doctor​ ​suggests​ ​third-party​ ​reproduction,​ ​they​ ​bristle.​ ​But​ ​when​ ​Sadie,​ ​a recent​ ​college​ ​dropout,​ ​re-enters​ ​their​ ​life,​ ​they​ ​reconsider.​ ​​Cast:​ ​Kathryn​ ​Hahn,​ ​Paul​ ​Giamatti,​ ​Molly​ ​Shannon,​ ​John Carroll​ ​Lynch,​ ​Kayli​ ​Carter.​ ​World​ ​Premiere

Special Events

“RuPaul’s​ ​Drag​ ​Race”: ​A​ ​Retrospective​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Cultural​ ​Phenomenon​​ ​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Lead​ ​Artist:​ ​RuPaul​ ​Charles)​ ​​—​ ​​A retrospective​ ​of​ ​VH1’s​ ​Emmy-winning​ ​“RuPaul’s​ ​Drag​ ​Race”​ ​on​ ​the​ ​heels​ ​of​ ​its10th​ ​season,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​panel​ ​hosted​ ​by RuPaul​ ​with​ ​executive​ ​producers​ ​Randy​ ​Barbato​ ​and​ ​Fenton​ ​Bailey,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​Tom​ ​Campbell​ ​and​ ​Pamela​ ​Post,​ ​senior vice​ ​president​ ​of​ ​Original​ ​Programming​ ​for​ ​MTV,​ ​VH1​ ​and​ ​Logo.​ ​​Cast:​ ​RuPaul​ ​Charles,​ ​Michelle​ ​Visage,​ ​Carson​ ​Kressley, Ross​ ​Mathews.​ ​World​ ​Premiere

Spotlight

“You​ ​Were​ ​Never​ ​Really​ ​Here​”​ ​​/​ ​U.S.A.​ ​(Director​ ​and​ ​screenwriter:​ ​Lynne​ ​Ramsay,​ ​Producers:​ ​Pascal​ ​Caucheteux,​ ​Rosa Attab,​ ​James​ ​Wilson,​ ​Rebecca​ ​O’Brien,​ ​Lynne​ ​Ramsay)​ ​—​ ​A​ ​traumatized​ ​veteran,​ ​unafraid​ ​of​ ​violence,​ ​tracks​ ​down missing​ ​girls​ ​for​ ​a​ ​living.​ ​When​ ​a​ ​job​ ​spins​ ​out​ ​of​ ​control,​ ​Joe’s​ ​nightmares​ ​overtake​ ​him​ ​as​ ​a​ ​conspiracy​ ​is​ ​uncovered leading​ ​to​ ​what​ ​may​ ​be​ ​his​ ​death​ ​trip​ ​or​ ​his​ ​awakening.​ ​​Cast:​ ​Joaquin​ ​Phoenix,​ ​Alessandro​ ​Nivola,​ ​Judith​ ​Roberts, Ekaterina​ ​Samsonov,​ ​John​ ​Doman,​ ​Alex​ ​Manette.​ ​North​ ​American​ ​Premiere

“Sweet​ ​Country​”​ ​/​ ​Australia​ ​(Director​ ​and​ ​screenwriter:​ ​Warwick​ ​Thornton,​ ​Producers:​ ​David​ ​Jowsey,​ ​Greer​ ​Simpkin)​ ​—​ ​In 1920s​ ​Australia,​ ​a​ ​middle-aged​ ​Aboriginal​ ​man’s​ ​comfortable​ ​life​ ​is​ ​upended​ ​by​ ​a​ ​newcomer’s​ ​arrival.​ ​Wanted​ ​for​ ​murder in​ ​the​ ​bloody​ ​aftermath​ ​of​ ​a​ ​violent​ ​shootout,​ ​he​ ​must​ ​flee​ ​into​ ​the​ ​dangerous​ ​outback​ ​with​ ​his​ ​wife.​​ ​​Cast:​ ​Bryan​ ​Brown, Sam​ ​Neill,​ ​Hamilton​ ​Morris,​ ​Ewen​ ​Leslie,​ ​Thomas​ ​M.​ ​Wright,​ ​Matt​ ​Day.​ ​Utah​ ​Premiere

Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.