Ava DuVernay, Larry Wilmore, Peter Bogdanovich and more to take part in Sundance Next Fest
The tag line for this year’s Sundance Next Festival is “movies, music and mischief collide,” speaking to the reliably unpredictable juxtapositions of the event.
On Thursday festival organizers released more of what’s to come this year at the Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles from Aug. 10-13, with conversations, comedians and world premieres of music videos. The weekend begins with a 25th-anniversary screening of “Reservoir Dogs” and a ceremony honoring director Quentin Tarantino.
The festival has seen its formatting tweaked a bit from year to year, but one ongoing feature has been conversations between filmmakers and other creative figures, a mix of kindred spirits and influences.
“Each year, we always like to work with the filmmakers to brainstorm ideas,” said Charlie Sextro, senior programmer with the Sundance Film Festival. “I want them to be excited, because you just kind of feel it. And they’re all super excited about the screenings, but now the conversations just encourage them even more and makes the day more special for them.”
This year, filmmaker Ava DuVernay will join Justin Chon after a screening of “Gook.” Chon is the director, writer and star of the movie, set against the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which won the Next Audience Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
Executive producer America Ferrera, director and creator Marvin Lemus, co-writer Linda Yvette Chavez and producer Aaliyah Williams will all be in conversation following the screening of the Web series “Gente-fied,” which looks at gentrification in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights.
Comedian and commentator Larry Wilmore will join directors Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles and subject Dina Buno following a screening of the documentary “Dina.” Wilmore was on the jury that awarded the film the Sundance Film Festival’s grand jury prize for U.S. documentary earlier this year.
Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich will join writer-director Alex Ross Perry for a talk following a screening of Perry’s “Golden Exits,” which stars Adam Horowitz, Emily Browning, Chloë Sevigny and Mary-Louise Parker in a serio-comic tale of two families in Brooklyn.
Three comedians will host screenings during the weekend. Kate Berlant will be at the screening of Janicza Bravo’s “Lemon” followed by a performance by Lizzo. Kate Micucci will host a screening of Marianna Palka’s “Bitch” followed by a performance by Sleigh Bells. Natasha Leggero will help close out the weekend by hosting a screening of Michelle Morgan’s “L.A. Times” followed by a performance by Electric Guest.
Programmers also announced the world premiere of three music videos to play during this year’s Next Fest. Joey Badass’ “Temptation,” directed by Nathan R. Smith, will premiere with “Gook.” M83’s “Do It, Try It,” directed by David Wilson, will play with “Dina.” Hundred Waters’ “Fingers,” directed by Allie Avital, will play with “Golden Exits.”
As for what kind of mischief audiences can expect, Sextro said, “Part of the mischief is that we’re always changing, we’re always pushing and finding unique things. So there is always surprise within the program, how can we pack a little bit more in as efficiently as possible?”
For more information on tickets and scheduling, go to www.sundance.org/next.
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