David D'Arcy

Directors Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev tell the story behind "Porcelain War," an entry in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.Under roaring fighter jets and missile strikes, Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey choose to stay behind and fight, contending with the soldiers they have become. Defiantly finding beauty amid destruction, they show that although it’s easy to make people afraid, it’s hard to destroy their passion for living.

The impressionistic essay film “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” refracts the plot against Patrice Lumumba through a kaleidoscopic lens. Cutting between historical footage of the UN General Assembly and home movies shot in liberation-era Congo, weaving in a diverse set of perspectives, and setting the pace to a non-stop rhythm of bebop, rumba and classic jazz, director Johan Grimonprez evokes the euphoria of post-colonial possibility and the heartbreak of the dashed hopes and violent reprisals that would ensue.

Directors Jesse Moss and Tony Gerber detail their film "War Game," in which a bipartisan group of U.S. defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations participate in an unscripted role-play exercise in which they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the U.S. military, in the wake of a contested presidential election.

Director Carla Gutierrez offers an intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo in her film "Frida." Told through her own words for the very first time — drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays, and print interviews — and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork.

Industry executives John Sloss, Bob Berney, and Richard Lorber discuss the state of the film industry and the future of festivals such as Sundance.Sloss is the CEO of Cinetic Media. Berney is the CEO of Picturehouse. Lorber is the CEO of Kino Lorber, Inc.