Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is torn between the life she’d planned and an intriguing older man in “An Education.” (Photo by Kerry Brown/Sony Pictures Classics)
By Lucy Spicer
There’s plenty to celebrate in October — the beauty of changing leaves, the influx of pumpkin products in grocery stores, and the excuse to don a disguise on Halloween, just to name a few. Why not continue the festivities by celebrating some momentous film birthdays? We’ve compiled a selection from our Sundance Film Festival archives to get you started.
Documentary lovers will surely want to mark the 30th anniversary of the theatrical release of Hoop Dreams, which captured audience and critical acclaim with the story of two boys’ ambitions of playing professional basketball. Horror fans get to wish a happy 20th birthday to Saw, which has since spawned a whopping 10 sequels — and counting.
Need more excuses to celebrate? Read on for more Festival films to revisit this October.
Hoop Dreams (1994) — Filmed over five years, this acclaimed documentary directed by Steve James chronicles the high school careers of William Gates and Arthur Agee, two Black Chicago teenagers who are recruited to attend the prestigious St. Joseph High School based on their impressive basketball skills. The doc follows the boys and their families as their ambitions to play for the NBA encounter obstacles both on and off the court. Hoop Dreams premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award: Documentary. The film would go on to win a Peabody Award in 1995. Check here for viewing options.
Saw (2004) — Two men (Cary Elwes and the film’s co-writer, Leigh Whannell) wake up chained to pipes in a grimy chamber with a dead body between them and no information save for some taped instructions from an anonymous criminal mastermind. Can they escape their captor’s twisted game before the clock runs out? Directed and co-written by James Wan, the Saw that spawned an ever-growing franchise of horror premiered in the Midnight section of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Check here for viewing options.
Black Gold (2006) — How much do you know about the origins of your morning coffee? In this enlightening documentary, Ethiopian coffee union manager Tadesse Meskela travels the world seeking a fair price for his workers’ high-quality coffee beans at a time when international prices were exceedingly low, greatly affecting the quality of life of the people who grow and harvest the product. Supported by Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, Black Gold was co-directed by brothers Marc and Nick Francis and premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Check here for viewing options.
An Education (2009) — As a 16-year-old in 1960s London, Jenny (Carey Mulligan) dreams of a life filled with culture and excitement while she studies to get into Oxford University. When she meets the charming — and older — David (Peter Sarsgaard), Jenny gets swept up in a glamorous lifestyle that she much prefers to her own. But David and his friends aren’t all they seem. Directed by Lone Scherfig, the film is based on journalist Lynn Barber’s memoir and was adapted for the screen by Nick Hornby. An Education won the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award and the World Cinema Dramatic Cinematography Award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and would go on to be nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars. Check here for viewing options.
The Overnighters (2014) — When hydraulic fracking and horizontal drilling revealed huge oil deposits in North Dakota, thousands of men flocked to the state in search of well-paying jobs. In the town of Williston, newcomers were met with few jobs and unattainable housing. When Lutheran pastor Jay Reinke invited hundreds of the migrants to sleep in his church, unrest stirred within the community. Directed by Jesse Moss and supported by Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Producers Program, The Overnighters premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Intuitive Filmmaking. Check here for viewing options.
