Hillary Clinton, Taylor Swift Hit Park City and More News From the 2020 Sundance Film Festival
January 26, 2020 by Nick Nadel
The 2020 Sundance Film Festival kicked off Thursday, January 23rd, and already there is more buzz in the air than snow on the ground in Park City, Utah. From revealing documentaries on Taylor Swift and Hillary Clinton to the first reviews of new films making waves at the fest, here is the latest news coming out of Sundance.
- AV Club says Bad Hair, the new horror-comedy from Dear White People writer/director Justin Simien, was the hit of opening night at Sundance.
- Indiewire‘s review of Zola, the buzzy Sundance comedy based on a viral Twitter thread, dubs director Janicza Bravo’s film a “rambunctious crowdpleaser.”
- Vulture takes a look at some things fans will learn about Taylor Swift from her documentary Miss Americana.
- Entertainment Weekly reveals that Hillary Clinton talked Bernie Sanders, impeachment and more during the debut screening for her new docu-series Hillary.
- Hollywood Reporter praised Never Rarely Sometimes Always for Eliza Hittman’s moody direction and being “an impressive showcase for talented young screen discoveries Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder.” (Listen to Zola director Janicza Bravo, Miss Americana filmmaker Lana Wilson and Eliza Hittman on the “Close Up With the Hollywood Reporter: Indie Filmmakers” podcast, recorded live at SundanceTV HQ.)
- Rolling Stone says the documentary On the Record played to standing ovations and gives voice to the women who’ve accused Russell Simmons of sexual assault.
- Variety praises Elisabeth’s Moss performance in Shirley, the new biopic about the author of The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House.
- Deadline talked to filmmaker Julie Taymor about the Sundance premiere of The Glorias, the new Gloria Steinem biopic starring Julianne Moore and Alicia Vikander as the feminist icon during various stages of her life. (Listen to Julie Taymor on the “Women Breaking Barriers” Podcast, recorded live at SundanceTV HQ.)
- Vanity Fair says Promising Young Woman, writer/director Emerald Fennell’s thriller starring Carey Mulligan, “blows away” Sundance with its provocative take on toxic masculinity.
- Vox calls Dick Johnson Is Dead, the new documentary from Cameraperson director Kristen Johnson, a “moving” examination of the death of a loved one.