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| A scene from Sundance Film Festival. |
By John Esther
Continuing to expand on its Opening Night screening, Sundance 2011 screened five films Thursday night, plus the New Frontier program.
Aside from the New Frontier program, commencing in its new location during the afternoon, the very first film of this year’s most important independent film festival of the world was Susanne Rostock’s, Sing Your Song, which offers a look at entertainer and social activist Harry Belafonte.
The second film screened was writer-director John Michael McDonagh’s debut feature, The Guard, featuring, not supporting, Brendan Gleeson as a cop who may make for a good buddy.
Like last year, included in the Opening night program was Shorts Program 1. This year’s selections from various parts of the world consisted of Lake Bell’s Worst Enemy, Ariel Klieman’s Deeper than Yesterday, David OReilly’s The External World, Adam Yaunch’s Fight For Your Right Revisted, Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein’s The Strange Ones, and Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim’s The Terrys.
Lastly, and screening at the same time, came Dee Rees’ Pariah, the story of young butch woman named Alike (Adepero Oduye) and Project Nim, the documentary of a remarkable chimpanzee, brought to audiences by the team behind Man on Wire.
For many like me, Day One concluded with Day One Party at the Legacy Lodge at Park City Mountain Resort featuring standard SFF music, lousy catered food and good friends and fellow film fiends.
