Mindy Kaling, Emma Thompson, Annette Bening, Zac Efron, Awkwafina, Shia Labeouf among the 2019 Sunda
399 views · Published 4 December 2018 · 2:09 · Indexed 7 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · Entertainment
(29 Nov 2018) Annette Bening plays Senator Dianne Feinstein, Zac Efron takes on Ted Bundy, Awkwafina dives into a dramatic role, and Harvey Weinstein gets a documentary spotlight in films that will premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in January. The Sundance Institute revealed on Wednesday 111 feature films, culled from 4,018 submissions, set to screen at the annual festival this January in Park City, Utah. From incisive documentaries to groundbreaking dramas and edgy genre fare, films that launch at Sundance make up many of independent films populating theaters for the rest of the year, and often find their way into the Oscar conversation too, like "Get Out" and "Call Me By Your Name." This summer's comedy breakout Awkwafina of "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Ocean's 8" stars in "The Farewell." It's a dramatic turn as a Chinese-American woman who returns to China to stay with her terminally ill grandmother. "Honey Boy," written by and starring Shia LaBeouf, is also one that might surprise audiences. Lucas Hedges plays a younger version of LaBeouf in this story about a child TV star and his father. Efron is playing Ted Bundy in "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile," which takes on the infamous criminal from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend, while Lupita Nyong'o takes a surprising turn in the "midnight" movie "Little Monsters," in which she plays a kindergarten teacher who has to protect her students from zombies. Keira Knightley stars as intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun in "Official Secrets" and Mindy Kaling writes and stars in a film called "Late Night" about a late-night talk show host, played by Emma Thompson, who hires her first female staff writer. "12 Years a Slave" Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor makes his directorial debut in "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind." It's about the true story of a boy in Malwai who built a windmill that saved his village from famine. He also acts in the movie. There are films about famous figures: Harvey Weinstein, the iconic designer Halston, Toni Morrison, Stieg Larsson; Leonard Cohen, and the late actor Anton Yelchin. This year's lineup includes 45 first time filmmakers. Overall 40 percent of the films selected were directed by women, 36 percent by a filmmaker of color and 13 percent by a filmmaker who identifies as LGBTQ. The Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 24 to Feb. 3. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0ae9847f4f17188c85629a9a9c62cc57
