MAIN Arts & Culture Movies 2008 Sundance Film Festival

Founded by Robert Redford in 1981 in the mountains of Sundance, Utah, the annual Sundance Film Festival — named after The Sundance Kid, Redford's character in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid — has since become the world's premiere indy film festival.

Big-name stars joined the Sundance scene in Park City, Utah - beginning on January 17, 2008 with a new collection of independently produced and buzzed-about films, prizes for which were announced on January 27.

Opening the Sundance Film Festival this year on January 17 was the dark comedy In Bruges starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson who portray two hit men on the run in Bruges, Belgium.

Elsewhere round the Web, check out more facts, pictures and video highlights, travel information and tips on attending the festival, along with a bit of history and trivia on Sundance winners past and present ...

2008 Sundance Film Festival - The next best thing to being there, featuring the latest news and buzz, together with 50 Web exclusives from the Short Films collection you can watch online, film schedule, competition categories, info and background on the awards, festival tips, lodging and transportation and other helpful how to's on attending and getting around ...

Yahoo! Sundance Movie Festival Coverage - With reports from news wires around the world on the latest from Sundance plus photo galleries, the full run-down on competitions, premieres, and the Sundance party scene ...

Cinematical.com - Sundance blog central, for up-to-the-minute reports on what's happening in Park City including reviews, gossip, rumors, the suspected back-room deals, filmmaking politics, star sightings, and related info on films in contention.

Sundance - A Festival Virgin's Guide - A great newbie guide for professionals and fans alike including how to attend, where to stay, suggested restaurants, related FAQ, with more tips & advice at the online message board.

Sundance Channel - The official cable channel coverage with lots of insider features, daily video reports and blogs, related resources.

IMDb - Sundance Film Festival - Brief historical overview and a list of Grand Jury prize winners dating back to 1985, when it was known as the United States Film Festival.

Sundance Film Festival - More detailed historical background on the event from Wikipedia including trivia, related controversies, resources.

2008 Sundance Film Festival Entries & * Jury Prizes

Documentary Competition

* Trouble the Water (Directors: Tia Lessin, Carl Deal) — First-person video account of a couple trapped in New Orleans and their struggle to survive post-Katrina.

An American Soldier (Director and Screenwriter: Edet Belzberg) — The travails and successes of Sergeant Clay Usie, one of America's top army recruiters.

American Teen (Director and Screenwriter: Nanette Burstein) — A slice of life in the Midwest, chronicling the lives of four Indiana high school seniors.

Bigger, Stronger, Faster (Director: Christopher Bell; Screenwriters: Christopher Bell, Alexander Buono, Tamsin Rawady) — Two brother's steroid use under the lens.

Fields of Fuel (Director and Screenwriter: Josh Tickell) — A fierce look at America's dependence on oil and its possible alternatives.

Flow: For Love of Water (Director: Irena Salina) — The causes of the world's diminishing supply of fresh drinking water.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter Thompson (Director: Alex Gibney) — The life of the late author as told through unseen home movies and unpublished manuscripts.

The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo (Director and Screenwriter: Lisa F. Jackson) — A poignant look at the lives of rape victims in remote villages in Congo war zones.

I.O.U.S.A. (Director: Patrick Creadon) — Sounding the alarm on America's financial meltdown and ways to avoid an inevitable economic disaster.

Nerakhoon (The Betrayal) (Director: Ellen Kuras; Co-Director: Thavisouk Phrasavath; Screenwriters: Ellen Kuras, Thavisouk Phrasavath) — A 20-year project that tells the harrowing and touching story of one family forced to flee Laos during the Vietnam War.

The Order of Myths (Director: Margaret Brown) — Behind the scenes look at local color and social implications of the Mardi Gras celebration in Mobile, Alabama.

Patti Smith: Dream of Life (Director and Screenwriter: Steven Sebring) — Up close and personal homage to punk rock icon Patti Smith.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (Director: Marina Zenovich; Screenwriters: Marina Zenovich, Joe Bini, P.G. Morgan) — The director's self-imposed exile from the U.S. following a very public scandal.

Secrecy (Directors: Peter Galison, Robb Moss) — A stark examination that trys to uncover the myriad ways that governments hide the whole truth.

Slingshot Hip Hop (Director: Jackie Reem Salloum) — The tumultuous lyrics and lives of Palestinian rappers.

Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep Deep North (Director: Katrina Browne; C0-Directors: Alla Kovgan, Jude Ray; Screenwriters: Katrina Browne, Alla Kovgan) — One family faces its history as the descendants of the largest slave-trading family in America.

Dramatic Competition

* Frozen River (Director and Screenwriter: Courtney Hunt) — The world of illegal immigrant smuggling in rural upstate New York. Starring Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott, Michael O'Keefe.

American Son (Director: Neil Abramson; Screenwriter: Eric Schmid) — A young Marine on a four-day leave meets a young woman, trys to connects with with old friends, and confronts his volatile home life. Starring Nick Cannon, Melonie Diaz, Matt O'Leary, Jay Hernandez, Tom Sizemore, Chi McBride.

Anywhere, U.S.A. (Director: Anthony (Chusy) Haney-Jardine; Screenwriters: Anthony (Chusy) Haney-Jardine, Jennifer Macdonald) — The American way of life told in three segments ranging from satirical to tragic. Starring Perla Haney-Jardine.

Ballast (Director and Screenwriter: Lance Hammer)— A family is shattered by a tragic act in a small Mississippi Delta town. Cast: Michael J. Smith Sr., Jim Myron Ross, Tarra Riggs, Johnny McPhail.

Choke (Director and Screenwriter: Clark Gregg)— Dark comedy based on an adaptation of the novel, Fight Club. Starring Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald.

Downloading Nancy (Director: Johan Renck; Screenwriters: Pamela Cuming, Lee Ross) — An unhappy wife searches online for someone to put her out of her misery, resulting in a sad & torturous love affair. Starring Maria Bello, Jason Patric.

Good Dick (Director and Screenwriter: Marianna Palka) — A lonely, introverted girl is wooed by an ardent young video store clerk. Starring Jason Ritter, Marianna Palka, Tom Arnold.

The Last Word (Director and Screenwriter: Geoff Haley) — Unusual comedy about a writer who makes his living composing other people's suicide notes. Starring Winona Ryder, Wes Bentley, Ray Romano.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (Director and Screenwriter: Rawson Marshall Thurber)— A college student confronts life, love, and a falling out with his gangster father. Starring Jon Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Rawson Marshall Thurber, Sienna Miller, Nick Nolte.

North Starr (Director and Screenwriter: Matthew Stanton) — A young man flees Houston after witnessing the brutal murder of his best friend. Starring Jerome Hawkins, Matthew Stanton, Chris Sullivan, Isaac Lamb, Zach Johnson, Wayne Campbell.

Phoebe in Wonderland (Director and Screenwriter: Daniel Barnz) — A little girl takes her dysfunctional family on a strange and wonderful journey. Starring Elle Fanning, Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson, Bill Pullman.

Pretty Bird (Director and Screenwriter: Paul Schneider) — Dark comedy about three entrepreneurs whose partnership totally falls apart resulting in recriminations, kidnapping and murder. Starring Billy Crudup, Paul Giamatti, Kristen Wiig, David Hornsby.

Sleep Dealer (Director: Alex Rivera; Screenwriters: Alex Rivera, David Riker) — Three strangers try to connect in a bleak futuristic world. Starring Luis Fernando Peña, Leonor Varela, Jacob Vargas.

Sugar (Directors and Screenwriters: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck) — A Dominican baseball star Miguel "Sugar" Santos is recruited to play in the U.S. minor leagues. Starring Algenis Perez Soto.

Sunshine Cleaning (Director: Christine Jeffs; Screenwriter: Megan Holley) — Two sisters open up their own business specializing in biohazard removal and crime scene clean-up. Starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn, Alan Arkin.

The Wackness (Director and Screenwriter: Jonathan Levine) — A teenage drug dealer trades pot for therapy sessions with his drug-addicted psychiatrist. Starring Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby, Mary Kate Olsen.

World Cinema Documentary Competition

* Man on Wire / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: James Marsh) — A look at the "artistic crime of the century" when Philippe Petit walked the tightrope suspended between New York's Twin Towers in 1974.

Alone In Four Walls (Allein In Vier Wanden) Germany (Director and Screenwriter: Alexandra Westmeier) — The struggles of young boys growing up in a home for delinquents in rural Russia.

The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins / New Zealand (Director and Screenwriter: Pietra Brettkelly) — Casting a jaundiced eye on an artist who obsesses over adopting two Sudanese twins.

Be Like Others / United Kingdom (Director: Tanaz Eshaghian) — In a repressive Iran, young men choose to undergo sex change surgery.

A Complete History of My Sexual Failures / United Kingdom (Director: Chris Waitt; Screenwriters: Chris Waitt and Henry Trotter) – Chris Waitt takes a real-world look at why his relationships always fail with unflinching interviews with friends, past loves and even his mother to see where he's going wrong.

Derek / United Kingdom (Director: Isaac Julien) — The life and work of the late British filmmaker Derek Jarman.

Dinner with the President / Pakistan (Directors and Screenwriters: Sabiha Sumar and Sachithanandam Sathananthan) — From the streets and Mosques on up to dinner with the president, filmmakers examine current life in their native Pakistan.

Durakovo: The Village of Fools (Durakovo: Le Village des Fous) / France (Director and Screenwriter: Nino Kirtadze) — Right wing Russian nationalism is taught to young adherents behind the walls of a castle outside Moscow.

In Prison My Whole Life / United Kingdom (Director: Marc Evans; Screenwriters: Marc Evans, William Francome) — American justice is put on trial through an examination of journalist Mumia Abu Jamal’s death row sentence. With William Francome, Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Mos Def, Smoof , Snoop Dogg, Angela Davis.

Puujee / Japan (Director and Screenwriter: Kazuya Yamada) — A Japanese photojournalist meets a young girl who tames wild horses on the Mongolian plains.

Recycle / Jordan (Director and Screenwriter: Al Massad) — Amid political turmoil a Jordanian man struggles to support his family in the hometown of Iraqi Al Qaeda leader Al-Zarqawi.

Stranded: I've Come from a Plane That Crashed on The Mountains / France (Director and Screenwriter: Gonzalo Arijon) — Survivors of the 1974 Andes plane crash in their own words. North American Premiere

Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma / Canada (Director: Patrick Reed) — The former head of Doctors Without Borders returns to Africa to confront the harsh reality of conditions there.

Up The Yangtze / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Yung Chang) — A look at a changing China as young people find employment aboard tourist cruise ships under the shadow of the Three Gorges Dam.

The Women of Brukman / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Isaac Isitan) — Poor workers take over the management of a failing clothing factory in Buenos Aires.

Yasukuni / Japan (Director and Screenwriter: Li Ying) — Controversy abounds as Japanese officials honor the legendary Yasukuni shrine, where swords used to kill Chinese soldiers were infamously forged.

World Cinema Dramatic Competition

* Ping Pongkingen (King of Ping Pong) / Sweden (Director: Jens Jonsson; Screenwriters: Jens Jonsson, Hans Gunnarson) — A troubled teen whose only claim to fame is ping pong. Starring Georgi Staykov, Ann-Sofie Normi, Frederik Nilsson, Jerry Johansson. International Premiere

Absurdistan / Germany (Director: Veit Helmer; Screenwriters: Veit Helmer, Zaza Buadze, Gordan Mihic, Ahmet Golbol) — Disgruntled village women go on a sex strike and threaten a young couple's first night of passion. Starring Maximilian Mauff, Kristyna Mlérova.

Blue Eyelids (Parpados Azules) / Mexico (Director: Ernesto Contreras; Screenwriter: Carlos Contreras) – The winner of a getaway trip-for-two desperately seeks to take someone with her and finds out she may be better going on her own. Starring Cecilia Suàrez, Enrique Arreola, Ana Ofelia Murguía, Tiaré Scanda, Luisa Huertas.

Captain Abu Raed / Jordan (Director and Screenwriter: Amin Matalqa) — An aging airport janitor weaves imaginary tales for a group of poor children who mistake him for an airline pilot. Starring Nadim Sawalha, Hussein Al-Sous, Rana Sultan

The Drummer / Hong Kong/ Taiwan/ Germany (Director and Screenwriter: Kenneth Bi) — Zen drumming is what takes a young man from street gangster to mature adult. Starring Jaycee Chan, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Josie Ho, Roy Cheung, Lee Sinje, Kenneth Tsang.

I Always Wanted to be a Gangster / France (Director and Screenwriter: Samuel Benchetrit) — Four men are lured to a life of crime only to find out they may not have what it takes. Starring Sergi López, Jean Rochefort, Alain Bashung, Anna Mouglalis.

Just Another Love Story / Denmark (Director and Screenwriter: Ole Borendal) — The life of a quiet family man is transformed when he causes a car crash that leaves a young woman with amnesia. Starring Anders W. Berthelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Charlotte Fich.

Megane (Glasses) / Japan (Director and Screenwriter: Naoko Ogigami) – A young women's life is changed forever when she discovers a weird and wonderful beach town.

Mermaid / Russia (Director and Screenwriter: Anna Melikyan) – A little girl who grows up believing she has the power to make wishes come true meets harsh reality when she travels to Moscow. Starring Masha Shalaeva, Evgeniy Ciganov, Maria Sokolova, Nastya Doncova.

Perro Come Perro (Dog Eat Dog) / Colombia (Director: Carlos Moreno; Screenwriters: Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) – Crime drama about two young hoods who bungle a job and unwittingly sign their own death warrants. Starring Marlon Moreno, Oscar Borda, Alvaro Rodríguez, Blas Jaramillo, Paulina Rivas.

Riprendimi (Good Morning Heartache) / Italy (Director: Anna Negri; Screenwriters: Anna Negri, Giovanna Mori) – A couple with a new baby break up while being the subject of a documentary. Starring Alba Rohrwacher, Marco Foschi, Valentina Lodovini, Stefano Fresi, Alessandro Averone.

Strangers / Israel (Directors and Screenwriters: Erez Tadmor, Guy Nattiv) — Amid the World Cup finals in Germany, an Israeli man and a Palestinian woman meet and fall in love. Starring Liron Levo, Lubna Azabal, Dominique Lollia, Patrick Albenque, Abdallah el Akal, Roger Dumas.

Under the Bomb / Lebanon (Director: Philippe Aractingi; Screenwriters: Philippe Aractingi,Michel Léviant) — A women convinces a taxi driver to drive her through battle torn Lebanon to look for her sister and her son. Starring Nada Abou Farhat, Georges Khabbaz, Bshara Atallah, and Rawia Elchab.

The Wave / Germany (Director: Dennis Gansel; Screenwriters: Dennis Gansel and Peter Thorwarth) — A social experiment spins out of control when a high school teacher tries to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship. Starring Juergen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt, Jennifer Ulrich, Christiane Paul. World Premiere

The Wind and the Water / Panama (Directors and Screenwriters: A collective collaboration) – In Panama City, two dramatically different encounters are experienced between an indigenous teenage boy and an alluring girl from a wealthy family.

also see -> Golden Globes | Cannes

Oscars | BAFTA Awards | Spirit Awards

Tribeca Film Festival | Venice Film Festival