The 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival had a program of 52 short films selected from over 12,000 submissions.
“The Masterpiece” won the Short Film Grand Jury Prize. The film follows Leo and Diana, a wealthy couple, who meet two scrap dealers at a recycling center. Diana invites the scrap dealers to her mansion for more junk, but the immigrants might be the ones with something she wants. Judges said though the film is less than 20 minutes, it kept them on the edge of their seats and left them thinking about its commentary long after it had ended.
“Say Hi After You Die” won the U.S. fiction award. It’s about a grieving woman who believes her deceased best friend has come back to visit her as a port-a-potty. Judges said the film took them on an unexpected journey of grief.
“The Stag” won the international fiction award. In it, a middle-aged man at a deer farm is asked to cut off a stag’s antlers in front of his two kids. The film held the judges' attention from the opening shot and they said it was a deeply moving story.
“Bob’s Funeral” won the nonfiction award. Director and producer Jack Dunphy snuck a camera into his estranged grandfather’s funeral in search of the root of generational trauma. Judges said the vulnerability of the family in the film makes the audience feel like they’re a part of the emotional journey.
“Bug Diner” won the animation award. A dissatisfied marriage, a secret crush, and workplace fantasies come to a head in a diner run by a mole in this short film. Judges said the film had the “magical effect of making you walk around all day with a smile on your face.”
“The Looming” and “Makoto Nagahisa” both won awards for directing. In “The Looming,” a virtual home assistant speaker picks up a strange noise in a man’s house and he realizes it might not be a symptom of dementia. Judges said the film left them deeply moved and “served as a haunting reminder to not send your parents’ calls to voicemail.” “Makoto Nagahisa” follows a girl who is half-crab as she finds love and companionship. Judges said the film was a delight that showed the “utter joy” found in friendships based on love and acceptance.
The Sundance Film Festival ends Jan. 28.
