(L–R) Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) and Jax (Lily Gladstone) prepare for a powwow and search for Roki’s missing mother in “Fancy Dance,” which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
By Lucy Spicer
Summer is in the air, and an exciting variety of Sundance-supported releases are rolling into theaters and streaming services. This month, patient audiences from past Festivals can look forward to several long-awaited titles, including Fancy Dance from 2023 and Am I OK? from 2022, as well as a special 4K re-release of Run Lola Run, which screened at the Festival back in 1999.
Other Festival films reaching wider audiences include a dark-comedy-drama about the consequences of bad behavior, a touching portrait of family and community theater, a visually striking tale about adolescence and outlaws, and an action-filled adventure featuring a 93-year-old heroine. Also arriving in June are two titles that received support from Sundance Institute’s artist programs: one funny but poignant story about a 20-something with some growing up to do, and a documentary spotlighting a queer Russian artist risking her safety for what she believes.
Last but not least, the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour is officially underway, bringing a selection of seven shorts from the 2024 Festival to a city near you in the coming months! So mark your calendars; your summer schedule will fill up before you know it.
Am I OK? — Lucy (Dakota Johnson) has settled into a comfortable routine in Los Angeles. Her job may be unsatisfying and her dating life nonexistent, but she can always rely on her lifelong best friend, Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), to be fun and supportive. That is, until Jane announces that she’s been promoted at work and will be moving to London. Suddenly unmoored, Lucy is forced to look within and grapple with the notion of coming out as a lesbian in her 30s. Co-directed by Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, this ode to female friendship and self-discovery premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Streaming on Max June 6.
Late Bloomers — At 28, struggling Brooklyn musician Louise (Karen Gillan) is shocked to learn that she has broken her hip after a drunken attempt to contact her ex ends in a tumble off of a window ledge. The surprises continue when a chance meeting with Antonina (Margaret Sophie Stein) — a curmudgeonly Polish woman who speaks no English — in the recovery ward lands Louise with an unorthodox job, a tentative friendship, and wake-up call about growing up and going home. Directed by Lisa Steen, Late Bloomers was supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film and Catalyst programs. Coming to theaters June 7.
Run Lola Run — What would you do if your partner called to say you had 20 minutes to save their life? Writer-director Tom Tykwer offers a few possible scenarios for when Lola (Franka Potente) receives that frantic call from her boyfriend, Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu). The outcomes may be different, but one thing is the same in each one: Lola has to run. Tykwer’s experimental German film won the World Cinema Audience Award when it screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999, and now the iconic frenetic thriller is back on the big screen 25 years after its original U.S. release, complete with a 4K restoration. Returning to theaters June 7.
Bad Behaviour — Former child actor Lucy (Jennifer Connelly) has some toxic traits, including her codependent parenting style toward daughter Dylan (Alice Englert), who is busy trying to hone her craft as a stuntwoman. When Lucy attends a semi-silent retreat led by the enigmatic Elon (Ben Whishaw), awkward reflection exercises and the presence of a young influencer (Dasha Nekrasova) threaten to bring out the worst in her. Writer-director Englert’s feature debut premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Coming to select theaters June 14.
Ghostlight — Withdrawn construction worker Dan (Keith Kupferer) is trying to hold it together in the wake of a family tragedy, but his relationships with his wife, Sharon (Tara Mallen), and daughter, Daisy (Katherine Mallen Kupferer), remain strained. A tiny, ragtag community theater production of Romeo and Juliet proves to be an unexpected source of refuge and healing. Co-directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson cast a real-life family as the leads of their film, which opened the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Coming to select theaters June 14.
Queendom — From director Agniia Galdanova comes a documentary reminding us of the real risks that accompany art. Supported by Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, Queendom follows Gena, a subversive young performance artist whose queer identity, bold artistic expression, and open disapproval of Russia’s government put her in danger. Coming to select theaters June 14.
Fancy Dance — Jax’s (Lily Gladstone) sister, Tawi, has recently disappeared from the Seneca-Cayuga Reservation in Oklahoma, and Jax has been looking after her niece, Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson), while she steadfastly searches for the girl’s mother (with little help from the authorities). When Jax is told that custody of Roki will be granted to Jax’s father, she and her niece borrow a car and set out to find Tawi themselves in time for an upcoming powwow. Directed by Erica Tremblay in her feature debut, Fancy Dance was supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program before premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Coming to select theaters June 21; streaming on Apple TV+ June 28.
Thelma — After Thelma Post (played by June Squibb in the first lead role of her lengthy career) gets tricked into sending $10,000 to a scammer pretending to be her grandson in distress, the plucky nonagenarian embarks on an action-filled adventure to reclaim what’s hers. Co-starring Parker Posey, Richard Roundtree, Clark Gregg, and Fred Hechinger, this 2024 Sundance Film Festival premiere was inspired by a real event from writer-director Josh Margolin’s life. Coming to theaters June 21.
Young. Wild. Free. — Brandon (Algee Smith) may be a teenager, but he’s dealing with some pretty grown-up issues: He’s helping to raise his younger siblings, he’s just been let go from his job, and he’s burdened with the recent news that his family may lose their home. Escapism — whimsical and dangerous — arrives in the form of Cassidy (Sierra Capri), who lures Brandon in from the moment he sees her hold up a convenience store while wearing a bedazzled ski mask. Director and co-writer Thembi Banks’ feature debut premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Streaming on BET+ June 27.
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour is underway! Traveling to all corners of the United States and beyond in the following months, the 110-minute program features seven short films selected from the 2024 Festival, including three Festival Award–winning titles. Check here for more details, including dates and venues. See below for dates in June.
- Durham, North Carolina, June 7–20, Carolina Theatre
- Larkspur, California, June 7, Lark Theater
- Santa Barbara, California, June 7, Riviera
- Cincinnati, Ohio, June 14–23, Cincinnati World Cinema
- Akron, Ohio, June 14, Nightlight Cinema
- New York, New York, June 14–21, IFC Center
- Wilmington, Delaware, June 15–19, Theatre N
- Sacramento, California, June 22–23, Dreamland Cinema
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 23–27, Guild Cinema
