2024 Sundance: A Different Man, The Outrun, Winner & Sasquatch Sunset Among Premieres

Sundance Film Festival’s Premiere section (a mix of fiction and docs) will have some biggie titles to contend with the likes of Aaron Schimberg’s A Different Man, Nora Fingscheidt’s The Outrun, Susanna Fogel’s Winner and David Zellner’s just announced this morning Sasquatch Sunset. Here are the films that landed in the section.

The American Society of Magical Negroes / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Kobi Libii,
Producers: Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman, Angel Lopez) — A young man, Aren, is recruited into a secret
society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white
people’s lives easier. Cast: Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, Rupert Friend, Nicole Byer. World Premiere. Fiction.

And So It Begins / U.S.A., Philippines (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Ramona S. Diaz) — Amidst
the traditional pomp and circumstance of Filipino elections, a quirky people’s movement rises to defend
the nation against deepening threats to truth and democracy. In a collective act of joy as a form of resistance, hope flickers against the backdrop of increasing autocracy. World Premiere. Documentary.
Available online for Public.

DEVO / U.K., U.S.A. (Director: Chris Smith, Producers: Chris Holmes, Anita Greenspan, Danny Gabai) —
Born in response to the Kent State massacre, new wave band Devo took their concept of “de-evolution”
from cult following to near–rock star status with groundbreaking 1980 hit “Whip It” while preaching an
urgent social commentary. World Premiere. Documentary.

A Different Man / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Aaron Schimberg, Producers: Christine Vachon,
Vanessa McDonnell, Gabriel Mayers) — Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to
drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses
out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost. Cast:
Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson. World Premiere. Fiction.

Freaky Tales / U.S.A. (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, Producers:
Poppy Hanks, Jelani Johnson) — In 1987 Oakland, a mysterious force guides The Town’s underdogs in
four interconnected tales: Teen punks defend their turf against Nazi skinheads, a rap duo battles for hip-hop immortality, a weary henchman gets a shot at redemption, and an NBA All-Star settles the score.
Basically another day in the Bay. Cast: Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani Kordei Hamilton, Dominique
Thorne, Ben Mendelsohn, Ji-Young Yoo. World Premiere. Fiction.

Ghostlight / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Kelly O’Sullivan, Director and Producer: Alex Thompson, Producers: Pierce Cravens, Chelsea Krant, Ian Keiser, Eddie Linker, Alex Wilson) — When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life. Cast: Keith Kupferer, Dolly de Leon, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen. World Premiere. Fiction.

Girls State / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss) — Teenage girls from
wildly different backgrounds across Missouri navigate a week-long immersive experiment in American
democracy, build a government from the ground up, and reimagine what it means to govern. World
Premiere. Documentary.

Look Into My Eyes / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Lana Wilson, Producer: Kyle Martin) — A group of
New York City psychics conduct deeply intimate readings for their clients, revealing a kaleidoscope of
loneliness, connection, and healing. World Premiere. Documentary.

Luther: Never Too Much / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter, Producers: Trish D Chetty, Ged Doherty,
Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, Leah Smith) — Luther Vandross started his career supporting David Bowie,
Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, and more. His undeniable talent earned platinum records and accolades, but
he struggled to break out beyond the R&B charts. Intensely driven, he overcame personal and
professional challenges to secure his place amongst the greatest vocalists in history. World Premiere.
Documentary.

My Old Ass / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Megan Park, Producers: Tom Ackerley, Margot Robbie,
Josey McNamara, Steven Rales) — The summer before college, bright-yet-irreverent Elliott comes face-
to-face with her older self during a mushroom trip. The encounter spurs a funny and heartfelt journey of
self-discovery and first love as Elliott prepares to leave her childhood home. Cast: Maisy Stella, Percy
Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Aubrey Plaza. World Premiere. Fiction.

The Outrun / U.K., Germany (Director and Screenwriter: Nora Fingscheidt, Screenwriter: Amy Liptrot,
Producers: Sarah Brocklehurst, Dominic Norris, Jack Lowden, Saoirse Ronan) — After living life on the
edge in London, Rona attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. She returns to the wild beauty of
Scotland’s Orkney Islands — where she grew up — hoping to heal. Adapted from the bestselling memoir
by Amy Liptrot. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, Stephen Dillane, Saskia Reeves. World Premiere.
Fiction.

Power / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Yance Ford, Producers: Sweta Vohra, Jess Devaney, Netsanet
Negussie) — Driven to maintain social order, policing in the United States has exploded in scope and
scale over hundreds of years. Now, American policing embodies one word: power. World Premiere.
Documentary.

Presence / U.S.A. (Director: Steven Soderbergh, Screenwriter: David Koepp, Producers: Julie M.
Anderson, Ken Meyer) — A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they’re not
alone. Cast: Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Julia Fox, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland. World
Premiere. Fiction.

Rob Peace / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Producers: Andrea Calderwood, Antoine
Fuqua, Kat Samick, Rebecca Hobbs, Jeffrey Soros, Alex Kurtzman) — Robert Peace grew up in an
impoverished section of Newark and later graduated from Yale with degrees in molecular biophysics and
biochemistry while on scholarship. Peace led a dual life in academia and research while also earning six
figures selling marijuana. Based on Jeff Hobbs’ bestselling biography. Cast: Jay Will, Mary J. Blige,
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Camila Cabello, Michael Kelly, Mare Winningham. World Premiere. Fiction. Available
online for Public.

Sasquatch Sunset / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: David Zellner, Director and Producer:
Nathan Zellner, Producers: Lars Knudsen, Tyler Campellone, George Rush, Jesse Eisenberg) — A year
in the life of a singular family. Cast: Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Christophe Zajac-Denek, Nathan
Zellner. World Premiere. Fiction.

Sue Bird: In The Clutch / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Sarah Dowland, Producers: Emily Singer
Chapman, Svetlana Zill) — In her 21-year professional career, WNBA basketball legend Sue Bird has
won five Olympic gold medals and become the most successful point guard to ever play the game.
Alongside her fiancée, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Sue confronts her next challenge: retiring from
the only life she’s ever known. World Premiere. Documentary.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story / U.K., U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Ian Bonhôte, Director
and Screenwriter: Peter Ettedgui, Producers: Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford) — Never-before-seen home
movies and extraordinary personal archives reveal how Christopher Reeve went from unknown actor to
iconic movie star as the ultimate screen superhero. He learned the true meaning of heroism as an activist after suffering a tragic accident that left him quadriplegic and dependent on a ventilator to breathe. World Premiere. Documentary. Salt Lake Opening Film

Thelma / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Josh Margolin, Producers: Zoë Worth, Chris Kaye, Nicholas
Weinstock, Benjamin Simpson, Karl Spoerri, Viviana Vezzani) — When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets
duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across
the city to reclaim what was taken from her. Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree,
Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.

Will & Harper / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Josh Greenbaum, Producers: Rafael Marmor, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Christopher Leggett) — When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition, and America. World Premiere. Documentary.

Winner / U.S.A., Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Susanna Fogel, Screenwriter: Kerry
Howley, Producers: Amanda Phillips, Shivani Rawat, Julie Goldstein, Scott Budnick, Ameet Shukla) —
Reality Winner is a brilliant young misfit from a Texas border town who finds her morals challenged while serving as an NSA contractor. A sarcastic, gun-lovin, vegan, yogi, and CrossFit fanatic, Reality is an unconventional whistleblower who ends up being prosecuted for exposing Russia’s hacking of the 2016 election. Cast: Emilia Jones, Connie Britton, Zach Galifianakis, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez. World Premiere. Fiction.

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