Of the seven feature films in his just under two decade filmography, Todd Solondz has landed in Park City twice with 1996’s Welcome to the Dollhouse (Grand Jury Prize Dramatic winner) and 2002’s Storytelling. In our books, Wiener-Dog is the most anticipated sequel for 2016 and perhaps the elusive Cannes Main Comp berth (Solondz has only shown in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and Directors’ Fortnight sections) will make this a Sundance longshot. Principal photography began in June with a zany cast comprised of Brie Larson, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, Julie Delpy, Greta Gerwig (see takes on the updated version of Heather Matarazzo’s Dawn character from Welcome to the Dollhouse), Zosia Mamet, Kieran Culkin, Michael James Shaw, Tracy Letts and Devin Druid (Louder Than Bombs). It’ll be fun to see where the Wiener family tree updates occur and to be expected a generous dose of discomfort and joy marinated in Americana and it’ll be equally as fun to see if this sequel shores up at the same lieu as the 20th anniversary of the original character set.
Gist: The film tells several stories featuring people who find their life inspired or changed by one particular dachshund, who seems to be spreading comfort and joy as it travels around the country.
Production Co./Producers: Annapurna’s Megan Ellison (Joy), Killer Films’ Christine Vachon (Carol). Executive producer: David Hinojosa. Co-producer: David Distenfeld.
Prediction: Premieres category or they’ll wait it out until Cannes.
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. TBD (domestic). TBD (international)
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