2008 PROGRAM CATEGORIES
Independent Film Competition: Documentary
From explorations of cultural trends and political movements to examinations of deeply personal issues that define individual lives, documentary films offer unique opportunities to understand our world in new ways. These films represent the spectacular variety -- both thematically and stylistically -- of the best new work in American nonfiction filmmaking.
Independent Film Competition: Dramatic
American independent cinema yields some of the most exciting and highly anticipated films in the world. This category celebrates the diverse aesthetics, subjects, and perspectives that constitute the vision and creativity of American independent filmmakers.
World Cinema Competition: Documentary
The last decade has seen an explosion of interest in American documentaries. Yet American audiences enjoy few opportunities to view documentaries from beyond their own borders. The Sundance Film Festival proudly presents a selection of extraordinary documentaries from talented nonfiction storytellers around the world and invites us to glimpse the staggering scope and complexity of the human experience.
World Cinema Competition: Dramatic
These films offer audiences a window into the thematic and aesthetic concerns of artists across the globe. We present these exceptional works as a way of supporting creative dialogue among divergent cultures and honoring the independent spirit in both emerging and established filmmakers everywhere.
Shorts Programs
Shorts have the ability to transcend traditional storytelling. Fueled by artistic expression, they are free from the boundaries imposed on feature-length films.
OUT OF COMPETITION
Premieres
To showcase the diversity of contemporary cinema, the Sundance Film Festival's Premieres program offers a selection of the latest work from established directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films.
Spectrum
A tribute to the abundance of compelling new voices and the creative spirit in independent filmmaking, the Spectrum program presents out-of-competition dramatic and documentary films from both established and some of the most promising new filmmakers from the U.S. and around the world.
Park City at Midnight
Park City at Midnight films amuse, surprise, or shock the bleary-eyed viewer and offer a lively last stop on the nightly social circuit or a final dose of cinematic nourishment for the film obsessed. A treat for true cinephiles and casual filmgoers alike, this section presents and eclectic mix of horror, over-the-top comedies, surreal tales, explicit animation, and bizarre stories that defy categorization.
New Frontier
New Frontier celebrates experimentation and the convergence of film and art as an emerging hotbed for cinematic innovation. This new program highlights work that pushes the boundaries of traditional aesthetics and the narrative structures of filmmaking and presents the moving image in theatres, gallery spaces, and in other surprising ways at the Festival.