2016 Sundance Film Festival Predictions: Adam Smith’s Trespass Against Us

Whether its video helmers or stage directors, Sundance has been a reliable launchpad lieu for nouveau British talent — video helmer Fredrik Bond (The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman) and Rupert Goold (True Story) come to mind. Yet another directorial debut on our predictions list, there is reason to believe that this shot in 2014 crime drama might drop in early 2016. With a background in television (episodes of “Skins” and “Doctor Who”) prior to working on his directorial debut, Adam Smith directed the heavily sensorial and pulsating concert vid Don’t Think. Starring Michael Fassbender and festival fave Brendan Gleeson with a noteworthy trio of supporting players in Sean Harris (a must see in Yann Demange’s ’71), Lyndsey Marshal and Rory Kinnear, Trespass Against Us also employs the service of cinematographer Eduard Grau (Buried/Suffragette) and naturally an original score from The Chemical Brothers.

Gist: Three generations of the Cutler family live as notorious outlaws among some of the wealthiest lands in Britain. They spend their time hunting, raiding large estates and tormenting the police. In the midst of it all, Chad (Michael Fassbender) finds himself torn between respect for his father (Brendan Gleeson) and a desire for a better life for his children. The law is cracking down on his clan, and the decision might not be his to make…

Production Co./Producers: Alastair Siddons, Gail Egan and Andrea Calderwood (A Most Wanted Man).

Prediction: World Dramatic Competition makes the most sense with a Berlin showing right after but this could drop just about anytime on the 2016 festival circuit.

U.S. Distributor: A24 Films.

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