Midnight and Premieres Highlights of 2024 Sundance Film Festival

The 40th Sundance Film Festival is taking place from January 18th to January 28th, 2024. As the first major film festival of the year, the Sundance Film Festival is known for its unique film selections and market. Many commercial films choose to debut here and fetch a good price. In addition to the highly anticipated competition films each year, the Premieres and Midnight sections are also of great importance. The Premieres section showcases a mix of independent and commercial films, while the Midnight section is a haven for horror fans.

Over the years, numerous horror/suspense/thriller films have had their grand premieres at Sundance, such as "Saw", "Get Out" and "You Won't Be Alone". The 2024 Sundance Midnight section features a total of 8 films, nearly half of which are North American productions. The lineup includes folk horror films, psychological thrillers, and stars like Nick Frost and Kristen Stewart.

The Premieres section consists of 20 films, with many directors returning to the Sundance Film Festival for the second or even multiple times. An interesting phenomenon is that documentaries make up a staggering 50% of the lineup, with 4 films falling under the biographical genre, which is usually less represented. New films starring popular actors like Sebastian Stan and Saoirse Ronan are also among the selections.

Here is a list of films from both sections and highlights of them:

Part One: Midnight

1. In A Violent Nature
Director: Chris Nash
Drama/Thriller/Horror
2024｜Canada｜94 mins

Synopsis: A ravenous zombie creature makes its way through a secluded forest and seeks revenge on everything around it.

Highlight: The director's first feature film, with all-new actors. The only released still image suggests a reference to iconic American horror cult films like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Hills Have Eyes", portraying an "immortal monster". The story bears a resemblance to the "Wrong Turn" series.

2. I Saw the TV Glow
Director: Jane Schoenbrun
Drama/Horror
2023｜USA

Synopsis: Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show - a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

Highlight: This is Jane Schoenbrun's second presence to the Midnight section of Sundance, the previous one being in 2021. The male lead is played by Justice Smith, known for his role in "Jurassic World".

3. It's What's Inside
Director: Greg Jardin
2024｜USA｜103 mins

Synopsis: When a stranger arrives with a mysterious suitcase, a pre-wedding party turns into a terrifying nightmare.

Highlight: The director's first feature film, Brittany O'Grady, known for her role in "The White Lotus" is one of the casts. It could be a standard psychological thriller horror film, with a normal party disrupted by the sudden intrusion of a stranger and the revelation of secrets and human nature.

4. Kidnapping lnc.
Director: Bruno Mourral
Comedy/Thriller
2022|Haiti France Canada

Synopsis: What appears to be a simple kidnapping mission takes a twist when two helpless kidnappers find themselves entangled in a political conspiracy.

Highlight: This is the director's second feature film, known for his style of directing dark comedies. This film is expected to be an entertaining and fun one.

5. Krazy House
Director: Steffen Haars/Flip Van der Kuil
Comedy
2024｜Holland

Synopsis: Bernie Christian, the timid patriarch who gets violent and save his family when the Russian workers in his house turn out to be criminals.

Highlight: Director's third feature film, a 90s family sitcom comedy. The film stars Nick Frost, a familiar face in thriller comedies, known for his comedic roles in the beloved British comedy “Cornatto Trilogy”.

6. Love Lies Bleeding
Director: Rose Glass
Romance/Thriller
2024｜USA UK｜104 mins

Synopsis: Gym manager Lu falls in love with Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder. However, their love ignites violence and deeply entangles them in Lu's criminal family.

Highlight: This is the director's second drama feature film, starring Kristen Stewart, who will portray the lover who protects Jackie. This film carries the biggest celebrity in this section and explores a thrilling storyline centered around a homosexual relationship, expecting to be a hit.

7. The Moogai
Director: Jon Bell
Horror
2023｜Australia

Synopsis: A young Aboriginal couple bring home their second baby. What should be a joyous time takes a sinister turn as the mother starts seeing a malevolent spirit, she is convinced is trying to take her baby.

Highlight: The director's first feature film, starring Bella (known for "Fifty Shades Darker" and "In Time"). It focuses on a horror story centered around indigenous people, likely combining elements of rituals, villages and more. It has a reminiscent feel of last year's Sundance hit film "You're Not Alone".

8. Your Monster
Director: Caroline Lindy
Comedy/Romance/Horror
2024｜USA

Synopsis: After her life falls apart, gentle actress Laura Franco unexpectedly finds her voice again. She also encounters a terrifying yet strangely captivating monster living in her closet.

Highlight: In 2020, the director filmed a 16-minute short film called "Your Monster". This feature film is her debut and is an adaptation of the original short film. Melissa Barrera, the lead actress, is known for her role in the “Scream” reboot trilogy (although due to contract issues, she won't be appearing in “Scream 7”). The male lead's eerie appearance draws inspiration from both "Beauty and the Beast" and "Wrong Turn".

Part Two: Premieres

1. The American Society of Magical Negroes
Director: Kobi Libii
Drama/Comedy/Sci-Fi
2024｜USA｜104 mins

Synopsis: A young man named Aren is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance - making white people's lives easier.

Highlight: This is the director's first feature film, and the storyline evokes comparisons to Jordan Peele's "Get Out".

2. And So, It Begins
Director: Ramona S. Diaz
Documentary
2024｜USA Philippines｜115 mins

Synopsis: Amidst the traditional pomp and circumstance of Filipino elections, a quirky people’s movement rises to defend the nation against deepening threats to truth and democracy. In a collective act of joy as a form of resistance, hope flickers against the backdrop of increasing autocracy.

Highlight: Ramona S. Diaz was nominated for the Sundance Documentary Editing Award and the Grand Jury Prize in 2017 for her film "Motherland". Her film "A Thousand Cuts" in 2020 was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

3. DEVO
Director: Chris Smith
Documentary
2024｜UK USA｜90 mins

Synopsis: This is a new wave band born out of the Kent State massacre, with their motto being "de-evolution". They skyrocketed to rock stardom with their groundbreaking 1980 hit song "Whip It", while also promoting a radical form of social commentary.

Highlight: Chris Smith has deep roots in the documentary field, having previously directed a documentary about Jim Carrey. This film focuses on the rock band.

4. A Different Man
Director: Aaron Schimberg
Thriller
2024｜USA

Synopsis: Edward undergoes a radical surgery to change his appearance for a fresh new life and beginning. Since then, he became very interested in another man: the actor who played Edward in a stage play about the former Edward.

Highlight: This is Aaron Schimberg's second feature film, produced by A24, starred Sebastian Stan ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier"), Renate Reinsve ("The Worst Person in the World"), and Adam Pearson ("Chained for Life"). It is a fresh psychological thriller.

5. Freaky Tales
Director: Anna Boden/Ryan Fleck
Drama
2024｜USA｜107 mins

Synopsis: The film consists of four interconnected stories set in Oakland, California in 1987. Some are based on true events while others are fictional, coming together as a love letter to music, film, sports, politics, people, places and memories.

Highlight: Directed, written and produced by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck ("Captain Marvel", "Half Nelson"), executive produced by Jennifer Lopez and hip-hop artist Too $hort. Produced by eOne and Macro, with Pedro Pascal starring a role.

6. Ghostlight
Director: Kelly O'Sullivan/Alex Thompson
Drama/Comedy
2024｜USA｜110 mins

Synopsis: When a construction worker accidentally joins the local theater production of "Romeo and Juliet", the drama on stage begins to mirror his own life.

Highlight: The director returns to the festival for the second consecutive year, this time in the role of director. The lead actress is Dolly de Leon, who received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in "Triangle of Sadness".

7. Girls State
Director: Jesse Moss/Amanda McBaine
Documentary
2024｜USA｜95 mins

Synopsis: Adolescent girls from all across Missouri come together for a week-long immersion in a sophisticated democratic laboratory, where they organize a Supreme Court to consider the most contentious issues of the day.

Highlight: Four years ago, Jesse Moss brought "Boys State" to Sundance and won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary. This time, he presents its sister film "Girls State".

8. Look Into My Eyes
Director: Lana Wilson
Documentary
2023｜USA

Synopsis: A group of mediums in New York City provides in-depth and intimate readings for their clients, unraveling a world of loneliness, connection and healing.

Highlight: Lana Wilson returns for the second consecutive year to the Sundance Film Festival as a documentary director.

9. Luther: Never Too Much
Director: Dawn Porter
Documentary/Music/Biography
2024｜USA｜101 mins

Synopsis: Luther Vandross' career began by working with icons such as David Bowie, Roberta Flack and Bette Midler. His undeniable talent earned him platinum records and accolades, but he struggled to break through on the R&B charts. Driven by a fierce determination, he overcame personal and professional challenges to become one of the greatest vocalists in history.

Highlight: A music biography documentary.

10. Presence
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Thriller
2024｜USA

Synopsis: A family moves into a house in the suburbs, convinced that there is something else lurking within it.

Highlight: Directed by Steven Soderbergh ("Ocean's Eleven" series, "Traffic", "Sex, Lies, and Videotape"), with a style reminiscent of "The Others", "The Conjuring" and "Hereditary".

11. Rob Peace
Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Drama/Biography
2024｜USA

Synopsis: Robert graduated from Yale University with degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. He led a dual life, balancing his academic and research pursuits while also earning a six-figure income by selling marijuana.

Highlight: The director previously won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival for "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind". This film is a biographical adaptation based on a true story.

12. Sasquath Sunset
Director: David Zellner/Nathan Zellner
Drama
2024｜USA｜89 mins

Synopsis: A year in the life of a unique family.

Highlight: The director's last visit to Sundance was in 2014. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network", "Now You See Me" series).

13. Sue Bird: In The Clutch
Director: Sarah Dowland
Documentary/Homosexual/Biography
2024｜USA｜98 mins

Synopsis: Over her 21-year career life, WNBA basketball legend Sue Bird has won five Olympic gold medals, making her the most successful scoring guard in history. Together with her fiancée, US soccer star Megan Rapinoe, she faces the next challenge: retiring from the only life she knows.

Highlight: A documentary about the current status of retired athletes' lives.

14. My Old Ass
Director: Megan Park
Comedy
2024｜USA

Synopsis: During the summer before college, the intelligent and free-spirited Elliott comes face-to-face with her older self during a mushroom trip. This encounter sparks an intriguing and heartfelt journey of self-discovery and first love.

Highlight: Megan Park's second feature film.

15. The Outrun
Director: Nora Fingscheidt
Drama
2024｜UK Germany｜118 mins

Synopsis: Adapted from Amy Liptrot's bestselling memoir, written by Liptrot and Fingscheidt, the film tells the story of Rona, who returns to the Orkney Islands in Scotland, where she grew up on a sheep farm, after leaving a rehabilitation center. There, she rediscovers the beauty of nature and the precious serenity she once knew.

Highlight: Starring Saoirse Ronan.

16. Power
Director: Yance Ford
Documentary
2024｜USA｜85 mins

Synopsis: Driven to maintain social order, policing in the United States has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, American policing embodies one word: power.

Highlight: In 2017, the director received nomination for the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary for "Strong Island".

17. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Director: Ian Bonhôte
Documentary
2024｜UK USA｜106 mins

Synopsis: Unprecedented footage and extraordinary personal images reveal how Christopher Reeve went from an unknown actor to an iconic film star as the ultimate screen superhero. After experiencing an accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, he relied on a ventilator to breathe...

Highlight: A documentary about the legendary Superman, Christopher Reeve.

18. Thelma
Director: Josh Margolin
Comedy
2023｜USA

Synopsis: After Thelma Post, 93, is scammed over the telephone by someone pretending to be her grandson, she sets out to make things right by crossing the city and overcoming difficulties.

Highlight: Starring June Squibb ("Scent of a Woman", "Nebraska").

19. Will & Harper
Director: Josh Greenbaum
Comedy/Documentary
2024｜USA｜110 mins

Synopsis: In this intimate portrayal of friendship, transition, and America, Will Ferrell and his best buddy of thirty years decide to go on a cross-country road trip to explore this new chapter in their relationship.

Highlight: It has a feeling reminiscent of "Transamerica" and "The Bucket List".

20. Winner
Director: Susanna Fogel
Biography
2023｜USA

Synopsis: Winner finds her moral compass challenged while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency. She enjoys sarcasm, firearms, vegetarianism, yoga and CrossFit enthusiasts. Ultimately, she is prosecuted for exposing Russian hackers attacking the US Department of Defense.

Highlight: Starring Emilia Jones ("CODA").