Predictions 2010 Sundance Film Festival: Araki, Soderbergh, Winterbottom

I remember during my visit at the Cannes’ 60th edition thinking to myself how Cannes is a “boys club” in relation to the count them on one hand number of female filmmakers that were invited to participate on the unique short film collection celebrating the festival. Males tend to outnumber female filmmakers in general, but at Sundance you sometimes get the sense that its an even playing field. Here’s another five predictions for the upcoming edition of Sundance.

Jack Goes Boating – You won’t find a better venue to present Philip Seymour Hoffman’s directorial debut than Sundance. Based on the off-Broadway play written by Bob Glaudini and produced by Hoffman’s Theater Company, “Boating” centers on the titular character, a stoner limo driver who embarks on such quixotic missions as cooking and swimming lessons, and his unlikely relationship with another lovable loser. Sundance Selection Forecast: 50% Chance. It all depends on whether Overture Films feel the need to promote the picture this early in the year. (ioncinema.com Preview/IMDB Link)

Kaboom – Like Soderbergh, Gregg Araki is a Sundancer for life and I wouldn’t be surprised if he brings this hybrid of a comedy, sci-fi thriller to the fest. This tells the story of Smith, an ambisexual 18-year-old college freshman who stumbles upon a monstrous conspiracy in a seemingly idyllic Southern California seaside town… Sundance Selection Forecast: 65% Chance. Title is available for pick-up. (ioncinema.com Preview/IMDB Link)

The Kids Are All Right – Lisa Cholodenko’s latest should follow the same pathway to Sundance that her previous films Laurel Canyon and High Art did. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Julianne Moore, Josh Hutcherson, Mark Ruffalo and Annette Being, this revolves around a brother and sister (Hutcherson, Wasikowska) who set out to find their same-sex parents’ sperm donor, who totally upsets their family dynamic once he enters their lives. Bening and Moore play the parents, and Ruffalo plays the donor. Sundance Selection Forecast: 80% Chance. The title should be an in-demand title for distributors.
(ioncinema.com Preview/IMDB Link)

The Killer Inside Me – With Michael Winterbottom already coming to the fest for The Shock Doctrine, I’m thinking that he might bring this film in the same suitcase. Written by Robert Weinbach and John Curran and based on Jim Thompson’s novel, the story follows a West Texas sheriff (Casey Affleck) and his downward spiral from a boring small-town cop into a ruthless, sociopathic murderer. Jessica Alba plays a prostitute. Sundance Selection Forecast: 50% Chance. Low budget pulp film is available for domestic pick-up. Look for the title to end up in Berlin as well. (ioncinema.com Preview/IMDB Link)

Life Interrupted (Untitled Spalding Gray Project) – Look for Steven Soderbergh to play with the docu format with his presentation of the late Spalding Gray’s last never-performed monologue. Look for Soderbergh to present in the first week of the fest – I’ll be heading out to direct Knockout in the same month. Sundance Selection Forecast: 80% Chance. (ioncinema.com Preview/IMDB Link)