Park City's Last Sundance Festival Celebrated Film's Power, Humanity Amid Turmoil.
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival marked a bittersweet conclusion to its Utah run, with a mix of nostalgia and new releases that underscored the enduring power of cinema to unite people amidst turmoil. The festival took place against the backdrop of a strained national mood and real-world violence, most notably the Minneapolis murder of protester and ICU nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents.
Awards aside, it was several films that served as metaphors for the festival itself, demonstrating its capacity to bring people together around shared love of movies. Director Stephanie Ahn's romantic drama "Bedford Park," which premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, showcased a scene where lead characters fiddle with the radio while stuck in New Jersey traffic, only to find solace in Bill Conti's "Rocky" theme. This moment was echoed by director Rachael J. Morrison's film about Joe Engrassia, who coped with his blindness through his relationship with the telephone.
Filmmaker Alex Gibney's documentary "Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie" highlighted the power of storytelling and the dangers of unchecked violence, while also exploring themes of identity and the darker aspects of human nature. On a more lighthearted note, Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei's film "The Friend's House Is Here," covertly filmed in Tehran during government crackdowns, told the story of two friends pushing the limits of their creative expression in a repressive environment.
Despite this year's Sundance Festival taking place against a backdrop of anxiety and uncertainty, several films demonstrated the enduring vitality of cinema. Some highlights included Beth de Araújo's award-winning drama "Josephine," which showcased complex performances from its child lead; Gregg Araki's film "I Want Your Sex," which blended campy humor with provocative themes; and Tamra Davis' documentary "The Best Summer," a nostalgia-tinged look back at the 1994 Australian indie rock festival that celebrated the Beastie Boys, Bikini Kill, Pavement, Foo Fighters, and Sonic Youth.
As Sundance moved from its longtime Utah home to Boulder next year, the festival's organizers seemed to be seeking a fresh start, rather than indulging in nostalgia for past glories. Still, despite its challenges, this year's Sundance Film Festival served as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of film and humanity, even in trying times.
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival marked a bittersweet conclusion to its Utah run, with a mix of nostalgia and new releases that underscored the enduring power of cinema to unite people amidst turmoil. The festival took place against the backdrop of a strained national mood and real-world violence, most notably the Minneapolis murder of protester and ICU nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents.
Awards aside, it was several films that served as metaphors for the festival itself, demonstrating its capacity to bring people together around shared love of movies. Director Stephanie Ahn's romantic drama "Bedford Park," which premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, showcased a scene where lead characters fiddle with the radio while stuck in New Jersey traffic, only to find solace in Bill Conti's "Rocky" theme. This moment was echoed by director Rachael J. Morrison's film about Joe Engrassia, who coped with his blindness through his relationship with the telephone.
Filmmaker Alex Gibney's documentary "Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie" highlighted the power of storytelling and the dangers of unchecked violence, while also exploring themes of identity and the darker aspects of human nature. On a more lighthearted note, Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei's film "The Friend's House Is Here," covertly filmed in Tehran during government crackdowns, told the story of two friends pushing the limits of their creative expression in a repressive environment.
Despite this year's Sundance Festival taking place against a backdrop of anxiety and uncertainty, several films demonstrated the enduring vitality of cinema. Some highlights included Beth de Araújo's award-winning drama "Josephine," which showcased complex performances from its child lead; Gregg Araki's film "I Want Your Sex," which blended campy humor with provocative themes; and Tamra Davis' documentary "The Best Summer," a nostalgia-tinged look back at the 1994 Australian indie rock festival that celebrated the Beastie Boys, Bikini Kill, Pavement, Foo Fighters, and Sonic Youth.
As Sundance moved from its longtime Utah home to Boulder next year, the festival's organizers seemed to be seeking a fresh start, rather than indulging in nostalgia for past glories. Still, despite its challenges, this year's Sundance Film Festival served as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of film and humanity, even in trying times.
. I mean, films like "Bedford Park" and "The Friend's House Is Here" that showed people finding solace in each other and in art, even when things seemed darkest... that just gave me chills 
. And the way they wove together stories of love, loss, and resilience was so powerful 
.
. It's like cinema has this incredible ability to transcend all that stuff and just connect us with each other on a deeper level 
. And let's be real, who doesn't need more of that right now? 
But you know what? It still feels like Sundance to me - it's still about the movies, the people who make them, and the connections we can find through film 
what I love about sundance is that it reminds us of the power of storytelling to bring people together and inspire change 
can't wait for next year's festival in boulder! 
, Sundance 2026 was all about findin' hope in weird times, you know? I mean, with all the stuff goin' on in the world, it's easy to feel like we're just stuck in traffic forever 
. But these movies showed us that even when life gets tough, art can be a real lifesaver 
- it was like they were remindin' us that even in the darkest times, we've still got our rockstars to sing us back to life 
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to watch a movie about a dude copin' with blindness through his phone skills 
? It was all about findin' light in the darkness, you feel me? 
. The mix of nostalgic films and new releases was a great way to showcase the resilience of cinema as a unifying force 
. Meanwhile, Alex Gibney's documentary on Salman Rushdie served as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked violence and the importance of storytelling in the face of adversity 
. All in all, I think Sundance demonstrated that even in uncertain times, film can be a powerful catalyst for empathy and understanding 
. And I'm obsessed with the film "The Friend's House Is Here", it's like my heart is still there with those two friends who risked everything to express themselves in a super repressive environment 
. Anyway, I'm glad Sundance is still about celebrating life and love through films, even when things are tough 
. Like Alex Gibney's doc on Salman Rushdie? That was super thought-provoking, but it's not exactly a feel-good fest 
. Like "The Friend's House Is Here"? That's like, my ultimate mood for the rest of 2026 
. And can we talk about Beth de Araújo's drama "Josephine" though? Those child performances were on point 
. But what I think Sundance was trying to say this year is that even in tough times, movies have a way of bringing us together and making us feel less alone 
. I mean, it's not easy with all the craziness going on in the world right now, but cinema just has this magic power to make us forget our differences and just feel something real for a while 
! I loved how they tackled tough topics like violence and identity, but also found ways to make us laugh and cry and feel all the feels 
like the fact that icu nurses are getting attacked by federal agents and people are dying because of it 
meanwhile they're celebrating films with happy endings and romantic drama's 
. like "The Friend's House Is Here" - can you imagine filming in Tehran during those government crackdowns? 
and then there was Alex Gibney's doc on Salman Rushdie... it's crazy how powerful storytelling can be, right? 
. but I also loved Tamra Davis' doc on that old Aussie indie rock festival... like whoa, the Beastie Boys were still relevant back in '94 
. I just wish Sundance wasn't moving to Boulder next year... I kinda liked Utah