A record number of critics voted in this year’s poll, presenting some of the festival’s hottest titles.
With Sundance going virtual this year, festival organizers predicted that their program would reach more audiences than ever. IndieWire’s annual survey of Sundance critics, presented by AMC +, benefited from the unusual format. As critics tuned into the festival around the world, a record 376 accredited journalists voted in this year’s poll to determine the festival’s best films, up almost 100% from last year’s record. The volume of criticism this year illustrates how much the buzz for various films at the festival is likely to translate into critical support for a handful of films, starting with the higher profile opening night selections.
“CODA”, which pleased the audience that opened the US Dramatic Competition and won four awards at the festival, won the Best Film Award in the survey. “Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Television),” the musical documentary directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, led the category of Best Documentary in the research. The other winners of the category went to equally busy films, Shaka King receiving the award for Best Director for “Judas and the Black Messiah” and “Passing”, for Best First Film.
Nothing at Sundance generated more enthusiasm than “CODA”, as his victory here continues that dramatic journey. The film stars Emilia Jones as the teenage daughter of deaf parents (Oscar winner Marlee Matlin and Troy Kostur). Based on the 2015 French comedy-drama “La Famille Bélier”, director Sian Heder’s coming-of-age story took the concept of Sundance sensation to new heights by winning the Grand Jury award in the US dramatic competition alongside Best Director and Public award; also secured a historic $ 25 million deal with Apple for distribution. However, his win for Best Picture in the IndieWire poll was the only category he topped.
For the second consecutive year, the categories Best Film and Best Director showed a division between the two categories. (Last year, “Minari” won Best Picture, while “Dick Johnson Is Dead” filmmaker Kirsten Johnson won Best Director.) King, who came to Sundance with the dramatic comedy “Newlyweeds” in 2013, returned to the festival with a last minute addition. “Judas and the Black Messiah”, produced by Warner Bros., stars Daniel Kaluuya as the ill-fated Black Panther leader Fred Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as William O’Neal, the FBI informant who infiltrated the group. The film debuted on the penultimate night of the festival, before its release in theaters and on HBO Max on February 12, quickly becoming the last entry into this year’s Oscar season.
As for Questlove’s debut, “Summer of Soul” ended the festival without distribution, although the main streamers were involved in a fierce bidding war for rights – and on Thursday night, Searchlight and Hulu officially accepted it. The film, which chronicles the powerful performances of the 1968 Harlem Cultural Festival through newly unearthed images, won the Grand Jury award and the Audience award in the US Documentary section and – as “CODA” – was released that night opening with much enthusiasm from the critics. Wait for it to continue.
Over the weekend, “Passing” was the festival’s great story. Debuting on Saturday night, the debut of actress and director Rebecca Hall adapts Nella Larsen’s novel about her childhood mixed friends Irene (Tessa Thompson) and Clare (Ruth Negga) who get together as young adults and begin to question life one the other. Irene, who lives in Harlem, is frustrated by Clare’s decision to pretend to be white and live with a racist man. Filmed in delicate black and white and with engaging period details, the film became one of the festival’s most celebrated narrative premieres. This did not translate into festival awards, where “Passing” was excluded. However, the film secured a $ 16 million deal with Netflix at the end of the festival, suggesting that the streamer will put his prize machine to work on the film next year.
As usual, Sundance highlights went well beyond the winners in a handful of categories. In the documentary category, highlights such as “Flee” and “The Sparks Brothers” scored well among critics, while lesser-known titles like “Pleasure” and “We’re all going to the World Fair” reached the top 10 for Best Film . Check out the full list of finalists below and browse all the IndieWire coverage at Sundance 2021 here.
Best movie
1. “CODA”
2. “Judas and the Black Messiah”
3. “Mass”
4. “Passing”
5. “Escape”
6. “On the count of three”
7. “Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Television)”
8. “Pleasure”
9. TIE: “Censor” / ”Together Together”
10. “We are all going to the world fair”
Best Documentary
1. “Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Television)”
2. “Escape”
3. “The Sparks Brothers”
4. “Rita Moreno: just a girl who decided to go ahead”
5. “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street”
Best director
1. “Judas and the Black Messiah”
2. “Passing”
3. “CODA”
4. “Mass”
5. “Escape”
Best Screenplay
1. “Judas and the Black Messiah”
2. “Mass”
3. “CODA”
4. “On the count of three”
5. “Passing”
Best First Film
1. “Approved”
2. “Mass”
3. “Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Television)”
4. “On the count of three”
5. “Pleasure”
Editor’s note: The 2021 IndieWire Sundance Critics Survey is presented by AMC +. See past Sundance winners and festival favorites directly via AMC +.
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