2018 Sundance Film Festival Predictions: Nia DaCosta’s Little Woods

Possibly belonging to a Frozen River and Sin Nombre type of harrowing universe where there are no real alternatives, Nia DaCosta‘s directorial debut will surely plunge future viewers into an anguished filled realism. The New York City based filmmaker began photography on Little Woods this past January with Tessa Thompson and Lily James toplining, and supporting perfs from James Badge Dale, Luke Kirby and Lance Reddick. Pitched as a modern western, the successfully coined Kickstarter project has had a lot of support, DaCosta was part of the Sundance Screenwriter and Director labs back in 2015, the New York Film Festival, the San Francisco Film Society and the Time Warner Foundation supported the artist.

Gist: This tells the story of two sisters, Ollie (Tessa Thompson) and Deb (Lily James), who are driven to work outside the law to better their lives. For years, Ollie has illicitly helped the struggling residents of her North Dakota oil boomtown access Canadian health care and medication. When the authorities catch on, she plans to abandon her crusade, only to be dragged in even deeper after a desperate plea for help from her sister.

Production Co./Producers: Buffalo Picture House’s Gabrielle Nadig (King Jack), Rachael Fung.

Prediction: U.S. Dramatic Comp is the most logical bet.

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. CAA (domestic). TBD (international)