News

Feeding our curiosity for what a major transgressive adonis in future literary world might look like in the pre stench of cigarettes and booze era, I’m imagining something akin to Kill Your Darlings in term of look and feel, and a perfect drinking partner to Bent Hamer’s Factotum. Quite frankly it’s got everything you’d want in a Park City indie biopic – hence why I originally circled Bukowski as a possible 2014 Sundance selection. Little did I know that production would be tied up in legal troubles. The good news is, as of last month, whatever woes existed between right holders of “Ham on Rye” and this project have been resolved. Moving forward, we can expect to see a transformative performance from Josh Peck and peak into the man behind the method, and the madness. Shannen Doherty, Alex Kingston, Keegan Allen (see set pic above) and Tim Blake Nelson support the titular player.

On the Audio: Polish Takes the Elegiac Beat

Premiering at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival alongside Kill Your Darlings, which documented a pre-Road Kerouac, filmmaker Michael Polish adapts Big Sur, one of the author’s later works depicting a post-peak ennui that afflicted the famed Beat. As both films enjoy an overlapping theatrical release, Polish’s title is certainly the harder sell, a downbeat (forgive the pun) sprawl into a nervous breakdown that’s miles away from the vivacious Kerouac in the Krokidas film or in Walter Salles’ 2012 adaptation of On the Road. Moody, melancholic, and muted visuals of lonely sweeping landscapes accompany a film comprised entirely of dour voiceover from Jean-Marc Barr, well cast as Kerouac. But as lively and expressive as Barr’s rendition is, Polish’s dependence on the device grows tiring, even at a rather slim running time.

Based on his 1962 novel, which recounts three brief visits...

With last year's "On The Road," and the forthcoming "Kill Your Darlings," both films catch up with the Beats just as the fuse went off, showcasing the music and culture that turned them into generation shaping writers. Now, director Michael Polish takes a different approach with "Big Sur," one that promises to have a rather refreshing insight into the man who words continue to leap off the page. Starring Jean-Marc Barr, Josh Lucas, Kate Bosworth, Anthony Edwards, Radha Mitchell, Balthazar Getty and Henry Thomas, "Big Sur" is based off the Kerouac novel of the same name, and finds the writer at a crossroads, struggle with fame, his identity, drugs and his relationship with Neal Cassady's mistress. In this exclusive clip, we see him articulate his concerns about his public perception versus his private misgivings, and it's coupled with some rather lovely photography by Polish and cinematographer M. David Mullen. Big Sur" opens on November 1st.

Just figuring out my schedule this year was a chore as the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival organizers certainly didn't make it easy on us. Loaded with conflicts, I've had to make two sacrifices at this year's festival in that I won't be seeing Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom of Parkland due to scheduling conflicts and one film simply has to be chosen over another. However, as I've already seen two of the films playing at the festival in Rush and Kill Your Darlings -- reviews will be posted based on the film's first screenings in Toronto -- I was able to open up my schedule a little following my first, preliminary schedule. Earlier today I posted my new schedule, which currently includes 27 films with a few gaps here and there where other films may fit in, or I may simply be able to catch up on reviews. Either way, I...

WikiLeaks drama kicks off a huge slate of major world premieres, including August: Osage County, Twelve Years a Slave, Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom and new films for Brits such as Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes and Richard Ayoade, as well as the late James Gandolfini

• Toronto film festival: 20 tops picks in pictures

• The full Toronto film festival line-up

The Toronto film festival today offered audiences a glimpse of the future, as it unveiled a list of premieres which reads like a dry run for next year's Oscars ceremony.

Among the 13 galas and 52 special presentations revealed is The Fifth Estate, the drama based partly on the book about WikiLeaks by Guardian journalists David Leigh and Luke Harding, which will open this year's festival. The drama, directed by Bill Condon, stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange with Daniel Brühl, David Thewlis, Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney and Dan Stevens in supporting roles.

Park City, Utah – Perhaps it’s due to the success of the Sundance hit “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and its story of a girl who was forced to grow up too soon or just the fact that it’s a common theme of independent cinema but coming-of-age stories dominated this year’s Sundance Film Festival. My final diary piece (although I’ll be back with a few wrap-up features) includes the one coming-of-age flick that will be the biggest crowdpleaser and box office hit from the fest, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash’s “The Way, Way Back”. This very funny, sweet, ’80s-esque comedy was already picked up by Fox Searchlight for at least $10 million and the studio has another “Little Miss Sunshine” or “Juno” on their hands.

Written and directed by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash (Oscar winners for their work on “The Descendents” and known to many as Ben from...

By Joey Magidson

Film Contributor

***

Greetings from Park City, everyone! As I’m writing this piece, I’m in Utah attending the Sundance Film Festival. So far, it has been pretty cool (if a bit overwhelming at times), especially for a first-timer like myself. Being here inspired me to try and tie in the festival to the Oscars, as I’m prone to do with just about everything that I can. I’ve found that I’m on the lookout for what could move from this year’s festival lineup to the next awards season.

When I wrote about which film festivals influence the Oscar race a few weeks ago (found here), I mentioned how Sundance wasn’t the prime destination for awards hopefuls but still functioned as an essential launching pad. That was certainly true this year, and it will remain the case going forward.

It takes a certain...

When any filmmaker decides to chronicle a largely undocumented or unknown corner of history revolving around famous cultural figures, a question that can raise its head is: what's underneath the surface that compels the director to make the story? In the case of the “Kill Your Darlings" ("Beat Generation: First Class" would be also be an apt title), the impetus for telling this story could be to illuminate the Beats in their formative years, diving into their impulses and drive. The emotional core could be to elucidate the loves and friendships within this libertine circle and the spiritual center could be to reveal how these ordinary young men became extraordinary. But as a friendship and coming-of-age tale mixed in with a bit of a murder mystery, "Kill Your Darlings" doesn't really humanize these characters beyond half-drawn caricatures in an origin tale that wouldn't be out of place in an average super hero film.

The streets were not yet bustling with too many filmmakers, actors, buyers and wannabes that one could still easily walk up (at a huge incline) Main Street. As the banners flew and the sights were peppered with the bright red jackets of the staff- the venues put on the final touches and poised to open in the early evening.

The Eccles (a 1,270 seat theater) was to near capacity when Robert Redford kicked off the festival by giving a short, encouraging introduction to the premiere of May in the Summer, the second feature from Cherien Debis. Debis took the stage and recounted how much her eccentric family inspired and informed the writing. She emotionally talked about her mother’s influence and the innocent way she wasn’t aware what Sundance was when her first feature Amreeka was accepted in 2009. The premiere of the unfortunately under attended Twenty Feet from Stardom- was...

In 2010, a feature about Allen Ginsberg’s epic poem “Howl” written and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman premiered in competition on opening night of the Sundance Film Festival. This year, two adaptations of Beat novels will screen at the festival: “Kill Your Darlings,” based on an early William Burroughs/Jack Kerouac collaboration, will compete for the dramatic grand jury prize once it premieres Friday afternoon, and a version of Kerouac’s late-career novel “Big Sur” will show as part of the Premieres line-up Wednesday, Jan. 23. These, of course, come on the heels of Walter Salles’ and Jose Rivera’s elliptical adaptation of the book that elevated the Beats to national recognition in 1957, Kerouac’s “On the Road,” which opened in theaters at the end of 2012. Read More: The Women of 'On the Road': Fact, Fiction or Fantasy? The work of the Beats has periodically bubbled up.

After kicking off last night with Sebastian Silva's "Crystal Fairy," the Sundance Film Festival is now underway -- movie goers and critics will, in a couple of hours, start lining up for the first full day of the fest, with "Kill Your Darlings," "The Spectacular Now" and "Sound City" among the high-profile pictures of the day. As we discussed yesterday, Sundance is one of the big markets for companies to pick up films for the coming year, as almost nothing comes to the festival with a distributor already in place. Sometimes, it works out brilliantly, sometimes, not so much. But with the festival now getting underway properly, we thought we'd take a stab at highlighting the five films that we think are most likely to kick off serious bidding wars. This is all, it should be said, sight unseen, but sometimes the quality is less important than the package,...

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." – Martin Luther King, Jr.

You said it, Reverend. Greetings from the apocalypse! As we continue our trek across this wind-blasted winter landscape of mediocre cinema, it's important not to toss hope in a ditch like grandma's ashes. Jumpstart the Vw bus we found abandoned next to the exploded gas station and let's move onward into the long Mlk weekend with our head held high and noseplug firmly secured. It's how the good Doctor would have wanted it.

Friday, January 18

January is always a dumping ground for crap horror flicks, which is why this week's Survivor of Thunderdome is such a labored breath of fresh air: the Guillermo del Toro-produced frightmare "Mama." Based on a short film from 2008, it chronicles two creepy little tikes discovered living la vida feral in the woods, where they've been under the watchful eye of...

As the Sundance festival 2013 kicks off, David D'Arcy says the number of indie gems is likely to outstrip their audience

Plus Henry Barnes picks out 10 key films from the festival

This will be my 23rd Sundance. Over that time, I have watched Robert Redford's festival grow to a point where more than 12,000 films are submitted each year, and the media are everywhere – though mostly looking for Hollywood types briefly vacationing in gun-friendly, anti-abortion, Mormon Utah. The success and spillover of films has led to more indie festivals than you can count, including SXSW, Traverse City (Michael Moore's shindig on Lake Michigan), CineVegas, founded by a Sundance programmer and for a spell chaired by Dennis Hopper, even a Latter Day Saints film festival in Orem, a Mormon stronghold, which unspools simultaneously with Sundance's bacchanal.

Bona-fide hits have come out of Sundance: The Blair Witch Project (which grossed more than...

Aaaah….that crisp Park City air. Eric Lavallee, Nicholas Bell, and I Jordan Smith are returning to the Sundance Film Festival (@sundancefest) once again this year for another ten day cinematic marathon where we will surely discover a host of extraordinary new films from bright new filmmakers and veterans alike. While the city will be abuzz with must sees and fest happenings, the easiest way to keep tabs on how some of these filmmkers are living out the Park City & Salt Lake city event is via personal twitter feeds: which I’ve conveniently tracked down and listed in the click-thru pages below. Pull out your smart phones and track fest haps straight from the horses’ mouth, 140 characters at a time. And don’t forget to follow our twitter feed @ioncinema as we roam/cover #Sundance.

U.S. Dramatic Competition

Afternoon Delight

Director and screenwriter Jill Soloway – @jillwaysolo

Actors Josh Radnor – @JoshRadnor,...

As always, there will be no shortage of movies based on real life characters at Sundance. "Lovelace," "The Look Of Love," "Big Sur," "Kill Your Darlings" will be offering up cinematic tales based on true people, but perhaps the most high profile of the batch is "Jobs." Yes, it's the movie where Ashton Kutcher is playing pioneering (and late) founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. And it seems the advance word on this one right now, is mostly around Kutcher's uncanny likeness to the tech hero. "There is an eerie resemblance — he didn't have to do much to get there," co-star Josh Gad -- who plays Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak -- told USA Today. "When he showed up, it sent a ripple of shock throughout the set. Everyone was like, 'We're in the presence of Jobs. Let's go do this.' It was literally like being in the room with the creator of Apple.

The 2013 Sundance Film Festival is only days away and, as usual, it will be a welcome breath of fresh air for the industry after weeks of award season campaigning and holiday blockbusters.  On the outset, this year's slate of U.S. dramatic competition films and premieres appear friendlier than usual to mainstream audiences.  A number of the dramatic competition films have more recognizable than previous years stars such as "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" (Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck), "Afternoon Delight" (Kathryn Hahn, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch), "Austenland" (Keri Russell), "Kill Your Darlings" (Daniel Radcliffe, Michael C. Hall), "Fruitvale" (Octavia Spencer, Chad Michael...

Looking forward to a new year of movies and attempting to come up with a list of films I'm most anticipating is never a simple proposition. In compiling this year's list of fifty there were 230 film titles I looked at, some a little more seriously than others, but nonetheless, it wasn't a small list of films. As a result, not everything could make the list. Note: I have included a navigation to browse all five lists directly below as well as at the end of this post for easy navigation. Most Anticipated 2013 Navigation #1-10 | #11-20 | #21-30 | #31-40 | #41-50 Some of the films just missing the top fifty include Zal Batmanglij's The East, Spike Jonze's Her starring Joaquin Phoenix, the horror film You're Next, which first premiered in 2011 and is finally being released this year, and Devil's Knot as the story of the West Memphis Three continues, only this...

The Sundance Film Festival is just around the corner, and for fans of the Beats who didn't get their fill with Walter Salles' "On The Road," two more movies are being unveiled at Park City that will be trying to capture their spirt. A bit more high profile is "Kill Your Darlings," with an all star cast including Daniel Radcliffe, Elizabeth Olsen, Ben Foster, David Cross, Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Jason Leigh and more. But one flying under the radar is Michael Polish's "Big Sur," an adaptation of Jack Kerouac's famed book - and this trailer should bring it fresh attention. Unexpectedly beautiful, subtly stylized and powered by The Flamingos timeless "I Only Have Eyes For You," where other movies have tried pursuing the spirit and abandon of the Beats, this one seems a lot more contemplative, perhaps more intent to capture the atmosphere that inspired them.

Robert Redford, President & Founder of Sundance Institute said, “Every great film starts with an idea, and it is a testament to artists that they continually find new ideas, new stories, new points of view and new ways of sharing them, year after year. We look forward to hearing from these artists not just through their words and images onscreen but also through the larger dialogue they create with audiences at our Festival and beyond.”

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “The films, both documentary and narrative, selected for our 2013 Festival have a particular immediacy and fearlessness to them showing us that independent film is as vibrant, creative and relevant as ever. Filmmakers are telling raw, powerful stories that are sure to create new energy in audiences and communities across the globe in the months to come.”

For the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, 113 feature-length films were selected, representing 32 countries and 51 first-time filmmakers, including 27 in competition. These films were selected from 12,146 submissions (429 more than for 2012), including 4,044 feature-length films and 8,102 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 2,070 were from the U.S. and 1,974 were international. 98 feature films at the Festival will be world premieres.

In addition, the Festival presents feature-length films in the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, New Frontier, Premieres and Documentary Premieres sections. Those announcements, as well as selections for the Short Film section, are forthcoming.

On Day One, January 17, 2013, the Festival will screen one narrative film and one documentary from both the U.S. and World Cinema competitions, as well as one shorts program.

A selection of films from the 2013 Festival will also be presented at the second Sundance London film and music festival, April 25-28 at The O2.

Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Each year at this time we look forward with great anticipation and excitement to the discovery of new voices at the Sundance Film Festival. The Festival continues to reflect the spirit of innovation and creativity in independent cinema, not only in the stories themselves but also in how the films are produced and making their way to audiences.”

U.S. Dramatic Competition

The world premieres of 16 American narrative feature films.

Afternoon Delight/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jill Soloway) — In this sexy, dark comedy, a lost L.A. housewife puts her idyllic hipster life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Lowery) — The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met. Cast: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine.

Austenland/ U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Jerusha Hess, Screenwriters: Jerusha Hess, Shannon Hale) — Thirtysomething, single Jane is obsessed with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice. On a trip to an English resort, her fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman become more real than she ever imagined.Cast: Keri Russell, Jj Feild, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, Georgia King, James Callis.

C.O.G./ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kyle Patrick Alvarez) — In the first ever film adaptation of David Sedaris' work, a cocky young man travels to Oregon to work on an apple farm. Out of his element, he finds his lifestyle and notions being picked apart by everyone who crosses his path. Cast: Jonathan Groff, Denis O'Hare, Corey Stoll, Dean Stockwell, Casey Wilson, Troian Bellisario.

Concussion / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Stacie Passon) — After a blow to the head, Abby decides she can't do it anymore. Her life just can't be only about the house, the kids and the wife. She needs more: she needs to be Eleanor.Cast: Robin Weigert, Maggie Siff, Johnathan Tchaikovsky, Julie Fain Lawrence, Emily Kinney, Laila Robins.

Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Francesca Gregorini) — Emanuel, a troubled girl, becomes preoccupied with her mysterious, new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. In offering to babysit her newborn, Emanuel unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world, of which she becomes the gatekeeper. Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O'Connor, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard.

Fruitvale/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.

In a World.../ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Lake Bell) — An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed.

Kill Your Darlings/ U.S.A. (Director: John Krokidas, Screenwriters: Austin Bunn, John Krokidas) — An untold story of murder that brought together a young Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs at Columbia University in 1944, providing the spark that led to the birth of an entire generation – their Beat revolution. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHann, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall, Jack Huston, Elizabeth Olsen.

The Lifeguard / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Liz W. Garcia) — A former valedictorian quits her reporter job in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. She gets work as a lifeguard and starts a dangerous relationship with a troubled teenager. Cast: Kristen Bell, Mamie Gummer, Martin Starr, Alex Shaffer, Amy Madigan, David Lambert.

May in the Summer/ U.S.A., Qatar, Jordan (Director and screenwriter: Cherien Dabis) — A bride-to-be is forced to reevaluate her life when she reunites with her family in Jordan and finds herself confronted with the aftermath of her parents’ divorce. Cast: Cherien Dabis, Hiam Abbass, Bill Pullman, Alia Shawkat, Nadine Malouf, Alexander Siddig. Day One Film

Mother of George / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Screenwriter: Darci Picoult) — A story about a woman willing to do anything and risk everything for her marriage.Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi.

The Spectacular Now/ U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber) — Sutter is a high school senior who lives for the moment; Aimee is the introvert he attempts to "save." As their relationship deepens, the lines between right and wrong, friendship and love, and "saving" and corrupting become inextricably blurred. Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler.

Touchy Feely/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Lynn Shelton) — A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother's foundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his “healing touch.”Cast: Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Scoot McNairy, Ellen Page, Josh Pais.

Toy's House/ U.S.A. (Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Screenwriter: Chris Galletta) — Three unhappy teenage boys flee to the wilderness where they build a makeshift house and live off the land as masters of their own destiny. Or at least that’s the plan. Cast: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie.

Upstream Color/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins.

U.S. Documentary Competition

The world premieres of 16 American documentary films.

99% - The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film/ U.S.A. (Directors: Audrey Ewell, Aaron Aites, Lucian Read, Nina Kristic) — The Occupy movement erupted in September 2011, propelling economic inequality into the spotlight. In an unprecedented collaboration, filmmakers across America tell its story, digging into big picture issues as organizers, analysts, participants and critics reveal how it happened and why.

After Tiller/ U.S.A. (Directors: Martha Shane, Lana Wilson) — Since the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in 2009, only four doctors in the country provide late-term abortions. With unprecedented access, After Tiller goes inside the lives of these physicians working at the center of the storm.

American Promise / U.S.A. (Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson) — This intimate documentary follows the 12-year journey of two African-American families pursuing the promise of opportunity through the education of their sons.

Blackfish/ U.S.A. (Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite) — Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer.Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.

Blood Brother/ U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.

Citizen Koch/ U.S.A. (Directors: Carl Deal, Tia Lessin) — Wisconsin – birthplace of the Republican Party, government unions, “cheeseheads” and Paul Ryan – becomes a test market in the campaign to buy Democracy, and ground zero in the battle for the future of the Gop.

Cutie and the Boxer/ U.S.A. (Director: Zachary Heinzerling) — This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role as her overbearing husband's assistant, Noriko finds an identity of her own.

Dirty Wars/ U.S.A. (Director: Richard Rowley) — Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill chases down the truth behind America’s covert wars.

Gideon's Army / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — Gideon’s Army follows three young, committed Public Defenders who are dedicated to working for the people society would rather forget. Long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads are so common that even the most committed often give up.

God Loves Uganda/ U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — A powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to infuse African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right. The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting “sexual immorality” and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow biblical law.

The Good Life/ U.S.A. (Directors: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine) — Dr. Leslie Gordon and Dr. Scott Berns fight to save their only son from Progeria, a rare and fatal disease for which there is no treatment or cure. In less than a decade, their work has led to significant advances.

Inequality for All/ U.S.A. (Director: Jacob Kornbluth) — In this timely and entertaining documentary, noted economic-policy expert Robert Reich distills the topic of widening income inequality, and addresses the question of what effects this increasing gap has on our economy and our democracy.

Manhunt/ U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Greg Barker) — This espionage tale goes inside the CIA’s long conflict against Al Qaeda, as revealed by the remarkable women and men whose secret war against Osama bin Laden started nearly a decade before most of us even knew his name.

Narco Cultura / U.S.A. (Director: Shaul Schwarz) — An examination of Mexican drug cartels’ influence in pop culture on both sides of the border as experienced by an La narcocorrido singer dreaming of stardom and a Juarez crime scene investigator on the front line of Mexico’s Drug War.

Twenty Feet From Stardom/ U.S.A. (Director: Morgan Neville) — Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead – until now. Day One Film

Valentine Road / U.S.A. (Director: Marta Cunningham) — In 2008, eighth-grader Brandon McInerney shot classmate Larry King at point blank range. Unraveling this tragedy from point of impact, the film reveals the heartbreaking circumstances that led to the shocking crime as well as its startling aftermath.

World Cinema Dramatic Competition

Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.

Circles/ Serbia, Germany, France, Croatia, Slovenia (Director: Srdan Golubovic, Screenwriters: Srdjan Koljevic, Melina Pota Koljevic) — Five people are affected by a tragic heroic act. Twenty years later, all of them will confront the past through their own crises. Will they overcome guilt, frustration and their urge for revenge? Will they do the right thing, at all costs? Cast: Aleksandar Bercek, Leon Lucev, Nebojsa Glogovac, Hristina Popovic, Nikola Rakocevic, Vuk Kostic. World Premiere

Crystal Fairy / Chile (Director and screenwriter: Sebastián Silva) — Jamie invites a stranger to join a road trip to Chile. The woman’s free and esoteric nature clashes with Jamie’s acidic, self-absorbed personality as they head into the desert for a Mescaline-fueled psychedelic trip. Cast: Michael Cera, Gabby Hoffmann, Juan Andrés Silva, José Miguel Silva, Agustín Silva. World Premiere. Day One Film

The Future/ Chile, Germany, Italy, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Alicia Scherson) — When their parents die, Bianca starts to smoke and Tomas is still a virgin. The orphans explore the dangerous streets of adulthood until Bianca finds Maciste, a retired Mr. Universe, and enters his dark mansion in search of a future. Cast: Manuela Martelli, Rutger Hauer, Luigi Ciardo, Nicolas Vaporidis, Alessandro Giallocosta. World Premiere

Houston/ Germany (Director and screenwriter: Bastian Günther) — Clemens Trunschka is a corporate headhunter and an alcoholic. Drinking increasingly isolates him from his life and leads him away from reality. While searching for a CEO candidate in Houston, his addiction submerges him into his own darkness. Cast: Ulrich Tukur, Garret Dillahunt, Wolfram Koch, Jenny Schily, Jason Douglas, Jens Münchow. World Premiere

Jiseul / South Korea (Director and screenwriter: Muel O) — In 1948, as the Korean government ordered the Communists’ eviction to Jeju Island, the military invaded a calm and peaceful village. Townsfolk took sanctuary in a cave and debated moving to a higher mountain. Cast: Min-chul Sung, Jung-won Yang, Young-soon Oh, Soon-dong Park, Suk-bum Moon, Kyung-sub Jang. International Premiere

Lasting / Poland, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Jacek Borcuch) — An emotional love story about two Polish students who fall in love with each other while working summer jobs in Spain. An unexpected nightmare interrupts their carefree time in the heavenly landscape and throws their lives into chaos. Cast: Jakub Gierszal, Magdalena Berus, Angela Molina. World Premiere

Metro Manila / United Kingdom, Philippines (Director: Sean Ellis, Screenwriters: Sean Ellis, Frank E. Flowers) — Seeking a better life, Oscar and his family move from the poverty-stricken rice fields to the big city of Manila, where they fall victim to various inhabitants whose manipulative ways are a daily part of city survival. Cast: Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega. World Premiere

Shopping / New Zealand (Directors: Mark Albiston, Louis Sutherland, Screenwriters: Louis Sutherland, Mark Albiston) — New Zealand, 1981: Seduced by a charismatic career criminal, teenager Willie must choose where his loyalty lies – with a family of shoplifters or his own blood. Cast: Kevin Paulo, Julian Dennison, Jacek Koman, Alistair Browning. World Premiere

Soldate Jeannette/ Austria (Director: Daniel Hoesl) — Fanni has had enough of money and leaves to buy a tent. Anna has had enough of pigs and leaves a needle in the hay. Cars crash and money burns to shape their mutual journey toward a rising liberty. Cast: Johanna Orsini-Rosenberg, Christina Reichsthaler, Josef Kleindienst, Aurelia Burckhardt, Julia Schranz, Ines Rössl. World Premiere

There Will Come a Day/ Italy, France (Director: Giorgio Diritti, Screenwriters: Giorgio Diritti, Fredo Valla, Tania Pedroni) — Painful issues push Augusta, a young Italian woman, to doubt the certainties on which she has built her existence. On a small boat in the immensity of the Amazon rain forest, she faces the adventure of searching for herself. Cast: Jasmine Trinca, Anne Alvaro, Pia Engleberth. World Premiere

Wajma (An Afghan Love Story)/ Afghanistan (Director and screenwriter: Barmak Akram) — A young man in Kabul seduces a girl. When she tells him she’s pregnant, he questions having taken her virginity. Then her father arrives, and a timeless, archaic violence erupts – possibly leading to a crime, and even a sacrifice. Cast: Wajma Bahar, Mustafa Abdulsatar, Haji Gul, Breshna Bahar. World Premiere

What They Don't Talk About When They Talk About Love/ Indonesia (Director and screenwriter: Mouly Surya) — Mouly Surya’s film explores the odds of love and deception among the blind, the deaf and the unlucky sighted people at a high school for the visually impaired. Cast: Nicholas Saputra, Ayushita Nugraha, Karina Salim, Anggun Priambodo, Lupita Jennifer. World Premiere

World Cinema Documentary Competition

Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary filmmakers working today.

Fallen City / China (Director: Qi Zhao) — Fallen City spans four years to reveal how three families who survived the 2008 Sichuan earthquake to embark on a journey searching for hope, purpose, identity, and to rebuild their lives in a new China torn between tradition and modernity. North American Premiere

Fire in the Blood/ India (Director: Dylan Mohan Gray) — In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Western governments and pharmaceutical companies blocked low-cost antiretroviral drugs from reaching AIDS-stricken Africa, causing 10 million or more unnecessary deaths. An improbable group of people decided to fight back. North American Premiere

Google and the World Brain/ Spain, United Kingdom (Director: Ben Lewis) — In the most ambitious project ever conceived on the Internet, Google has been scanning the world's books for 10 years. They said the intention was to build a giant digital library, but that involved scanning millions of copyrighted works. World Premiere

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear/ Georgia, Germany (Director: Tinatin Gurchiani) — A film director casting a 15-23-year-old protagonist visits villages and cities to meet people who answer her call. She follows those who prove to be interesting enough through various dramatic and funny situations. North American Premiere

The Moo Man/ United Kingdom (Directors: Andy Heathcote, Heike Bachelier) — A year in the life of heroic farmer Steve, scene stealing Ida (queen of the herd), and a supporting cast of 55 cows. When Ida falls ill, Steve’s optimism is challenged and their whole way of life is at stake. World Premiere

Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer / Russian Federation, United Kingdom (Directors: Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Three young women face seven years in a Russian prison for a satirical performance in a Moscow cathedral. But who is really on trial: the three young artists or the society they live in? World Premiere

A River Changes Course/ Cambodia, U.S.A. (Director: Kalyanee Mam) — Three young Cambodians struggle to overcome the crushing effects of deforestation, overfishing, and overwhelming debt in this devastatingly beautiful story of a country reeling from the tragedies of war and rushing to keep pace with a rapidly expanding world. World Premiere

Salma/ United Kingdom, India (Director: Kim Longinotto) — When Salma, a young girl in South India, reached puberty, her parents locked her away. Millions of girls all over the world share the same fate. Twenty-five years later, Salma has fought her way back to the outside world. World Premiere

The Square (El Midan) / Egypt, U.S.A. (Director: Jehane Noujaim) — What does it mean to risk your life for your ideals? How far will five revolutionaries go in defending their beliefs in the fight for their nation? World Premiere

The Stuart Hall Project/ United Kingdom (Director: John Akomfrah) — Antinuclear campaigner, New Left activist and founding father of Cultural Studies, this documentary interweaves 70 years of Stuart Hall’s film, radio and television appearances, and material from his private archive to document a memorable life and construct a portrait of Britain’s foremost radical intellectual. World Premiere

The Summit / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Nick Ryan) — Twenty-four climbers converged at the last stop before summiting the most dangerous mountain on Earth. Forty-eight hours later, 11 had been killed or simply vanished. Had one, Ger McDonnell, stuck to the climbers' code, he might still be alive.International Premiere

Who is Dayani Cristal?/ United Kingdom (Director: Marc Silver) — An anonymous body in the Arizona desert sparks the beginning of a real-life human drama. The search for its identity leads us across a continent to seek out the people left behind and the meaning of a mysterious tattoo. World Premiere. Day One Film

Next <=>

Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity proves the films selected in this section will inform a “greater” next wave in American cinema.

Blue Caprice/ U.S.A. (Director: Alexandre Moors, Screenwriters: R.F.I Porto, Alexandre Moors) — An abandoned boy is lured to America and drawn into the shadow of a dangerous father figure in this film inspired by the real life events that led to the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks. Cast: Isaiah Washington, Tequan Richmond, Joey Lauren Adams, Tim Blake Nelson, Cassandra Freeman, Leo Fitzpatrick.

Computer Chess /U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — An existential comedy about the brilliant men who taught machines to play chess – back when the machines seemed clumsy and we seemed smart. Cast: Patrick Riester, Myles Paige, James Curry, Robin Schwartz, Gerald Peary, Wiley Wiggins.

Escape from Tomorrow/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Randy Moore) — A postmodern, surreal voyage into the bowels of "family" entertainment; an epic battle begins when an unemployed, middle-aged father loses his sanity during a close encounter with two teenage girls on holiday. Cast: Roy Abramsohn, Elena Schuber, Katelynn Rodriguez, Annet Mahendru, Danielle Safady, Alison Lees-Taylor.

I Used to Be Darker/ U.S.A. (Director: Matthew Porterfield, Screenwriters: Amy Belk, Matthew Porterfield) — A runaway seeks refuge with her aunt and uncle in Baltimore, only to find their marriage ending and her cousin in crisis. In the days that follow, the family struggles to let go while searching for things to sustain them. Cast: Deragh Campbell, Hannah Gross, Kim Taylor, Ned Oldham, Geoff Grace, Nick Petr.

It Felt Like Love / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Eliza Hittman) — On the outskirts of Brooklyn, a 14-year-old girl’s sexual quest takes a dangerous turn when she pursues an older guy and tests the boundaries between obsession and love.Cast: Gina Piersanti, Giovanna Salimeni, Ronen Rubinstein, Jesse Cordasco, Nick Rosen, Case Prime.

Milkshake/ U.S.A. (Director: David Andalman, Screenwriters: David Andalman, Mariko Munro) — In mid-1990's America, we follow the tragic sex life of Jolie Jolson, a wannabe thug (and great-great-grandson of legendary vaudevillian Al Jolson) in suburban DC as he strives to become something he can never be – black. Cast: Tyler Ross, Shareeka Epps, Georgia Ford, Eshan Bay, Leo Fitzpatrick, Danny Burstein.

Newlyweeds/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Shaka King) — A Brooklyn repo man and his globetrotting girlfriend forge an unlikely romance. But what should be a match made in stoner heaven turns into a love triangle gone awry in this dark coming-of-age comedy about dependency. Cast: Amari Cheatom, Trae Harris, Tone Tank, Colman Domingo, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Adrian Martinez.

Pit Stop/ U.S.A. (Director: Yen Tan, Screenwriters: Yen Tan, David Lowery) — Two working-class gay men in a small Texas town and a love that isn't quite out of reach. Cast: Bill Heck, Marcus DeAnda, Amy Seimetz, John Merriman, Alfredo Maduro, Corby Sullivan.

A Teacher/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Hannah Fidell) — A popular young teacher in a wealthy suburban Texas high school has an affair with one of her students. Her life begins to unravel as the relationship comes to an end. Cast: Lindsay Burdge, Will Brittain, Jennifer Prediger, Jonny Mars, Julie Phillips, Chris Dubeck.

This is Martin Bonner/ U.S.A.(Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) — Martin Bonner has just moved to Reno for a new job in prison rehabilitation. Starting over at age 58, he struggles to adapt until an unlikely friendship with an ex-con blossoms, helping him confront the problems he left behind. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet, Demetrius Grosse.

The Sundance Film Festival®

A program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®, the Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most ground-breaking films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Maria Full of Grace, The Cove, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious, Trouble the Water, and Napoleon Dynamite, and through its New Frontier initiative, has showcased the cinematic works of media artists including Isaac Julien, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Matthew Barney. The 2013 Sundance Film Festival® sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Hp, Acura, Sundance Channel and Chase Sapphire PreferredSM; Leadership Sponsors – Directv, Entertainment Weekly, Focus Forward, a partnership between Ge and Cinelan, Southwest Airlines, Sprint and YouTube; Sustaining Sponsors – Adobe, Canada Goose, Canon U.S.A., Inc., CÎRoc Ultra Premium Vodka, FilterForGood®, a partnership between Brita® and Nalgene®, Hilton HHonors and Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Intel Corporation, L'Oréal Paris, Recycled Paper Greetings, Stella Artois® and Time Warner Inc. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations will defray costs associated with the 10-day Festival and the nonprofit Sundance Institute's year-round programs for independent film and theatre artists. www.sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute

Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, Sundance Institute is a global, nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to nurturing artistic expression in film and theater, and to supporting intercultural dialogue between artists and audiences. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to unite, inform and inspire, regardless of geo-political, social, religious or cultural differences. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival and its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, film composers, playwrights and theatre artists, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Born into Brothels, Trouble the Water, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Amreeka, An Inconvenient Truth, Spring Awakening, Light in the Piazza and Angels in America. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

He’s a serial killer who only kills those who deserve it, a seemingly cold-hearted murderer who is still capable of the occasional good deed and an adept faker of empathy who dreams of experiencing real emotions. On the eve of another run of the second series on CBS Action (starting Friday 10pm), Michael C Hall reveals how it feels to play America’s favourite serial killer and what the future holds after the final season airs next year….

Dexter has very dark relationships with people – do you have any strategies for coping with the storylines and keeping them from seeping into your private life?

Truly the act of taking off Dexter’s clothes, putting on my clothes, getting in my car, driving home, exercising if it’s not too late. It all helps. The trickiest thing with Dexter is his sense that he’s always simulating his behaviour and...

Photos for Gangster Squad, Kill Your Darlings, The Hangover Part III and Red 2.

Posters for Parker, A Haunted House, and Escape from Planet Earth.

20th Century Fox has revealed the worldwide release dates for The Wolverine. There's also a trailer for the upcoming Blu-ray release of Willow, and a new viral website for Star Trek Into Darkness.

"'Draft Day', the football-themed drama script with Kevin Costner attached, topped the annual Black List of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays…" (full details)

"Criterion have announced their March Blu-ray titles which include Terrence Malick’s 'Badlands,' Fritz Lang's 'Ministry of Fear,' Robert Bresson's 'A Man Escaped,' the Charlie Chaplin title 'Monsieur Verdoux,' the 50's version of 'The Blob,' and Powell and Pressburger's 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'…" (full details)

"The Weinstein Company has scrapped the L.A. premiere of...

Photos for Gangster Squad, Kill Your Darlings, The Hangover Part III and Red 2.

Posters for Parker, A Haunted House, and Escape from Planet Earth.

20th Century Fox has revealed the worldwide release dates for The Wolverine. There's also a trailer for the upcoming Blu-ray release of Willow, and a new viral website for Star Trek Into Darkness.

"'Draft Day', the football-themed drama script with Kevin Costner attached, topped the annual Black List of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays…" (full details)

"Criterion have announced their March Blu-ray titles which include Terrence Malick’s 'Badlands,' Fritz Lang's 'Ministry of Fear,' Robert Bresson's 'A Man Escaped,' the Charlie Chaplin title 'Monsieur Verdoux,' the 50's version of 'The Blob,' and Powell and Pressburger's 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'…" (full details)

"The Weinstein Company has scrapped the L.A. premiere of...

After much speculation and of the many candidates, Dane DeHaan has been chosen as the heir apparent to James Franco as the next Harry Osborn in the sequel to The Amazing Spider-man. Director Marc Webb made the announcement on his Twitter.

DeHaan burst onto the scene with his turn in Chronicle, the superhero found footage film from Josh Trank, and has had roles in In Treatment, True Blood, Lincoln, and Lawless. Now he has his chance at stardom, as it’s clear that Marc Webb and company went with the “dark and edgy” side of Harry, and not the dreamy athletic route that had also been rumored. Here’s the press release:

Dane DeHaan will join the cast of the next installment of The Amazing Spider-Man™ along side Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley as Columbia Pictures prepares to begin production on the next chapter of the blockbuster franchise,...

Sony has confirmed the casting of Jamie Foxx in The Amazing Spider-Man, along with Shailene Woodley and Dane DeHaan.

The studio issued a press release after director Marc Webb announced on Twitter that he was excited to have DeHaan (above) on board as Harry Osborn, Peter Parker's friend and eventual enemy who was played by James Franco in the Sam Raimi trilogy.

Other actors considered for the role reportedly included Alden Ehrenreich and Brady Corbet along with Sam Claflin, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth and Boyd Holbrook. Redmayne is also said to be on a shortlist for the role of Star-Lord in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.

In The Amazing Spider-Man sequel, Woodley is playing Mary Jane Watson and Foxx has been cast as the villain, Electro, who gains electrical powers after he is struck by lightning.

Foxx told Entertainment Tonight: "Electro is a great character. I met with the director,...

Dane DeHaan will join the cast of the next installment of The Amazing Spider-man along side Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley as Columbia Pictures prepares to begin production on the next chapter of the blockbuster franchise, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of production for the studio.

The screenplay is by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner based on a previous draft by James Vanderbilt. The film will be directed by Marc Webb and produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.

Courtesy of Ctmg./ImageMagick. © 2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The casting of DeHaan as Harry Osborn was confirmed this morning in a tweet by Webb (@MarcW) who wrote “Meet Harry Osborn. So excited to have him on board. @danedehaan.” The new film in the Spider-Man saga is set for release in 3D on...

Earlier today, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb confirmed that Dane DeHaan is portraying Harry Osborn in the superhero sequel. Sony Pictures has issued a press release that also confirms Jamie Foxx has joined the cast as the villainous Electro. Jamie Foxx also revealed a few tidbits about the character in an interview, which you can check out below, along with the official press release.

"Electro is a great character. I met with the director, Marc Webb, I met with Andrew Garfield, and we talked. I think Electro will be an exciting character to play because he's a genius electrician-type person, and he gets the short end of the stick from the whole world, and the next thing you know he turns it on."

Dane DeHaan will join the cast of the next installment of The Amazing Spider-Man alongside Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley as...

Sundance Film Festival 2013 is becoming more and more promising seemingly with each passing day.

Last week, we heard the brilliant first line-up, which included the likes of Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Kill Your Darlings, The Spectacular Now, Touchy Feely, and Crystal Fairy.

Then came the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, and New Frontier line-ups, which included Sightseers’ Us premiere, S-vhs, and We Are What We Are.

And tonight the festival has announced its line-ups in the Premieres and Documentary Premieres category, and they are somewhat amazing.

Topping the list is Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s feature directorial debut, Don Jon’s Addiction, which is all but guaranteed to be one of the best films of next year.

Also heading to Utah will be Zal Batmanglij’s The East, starring Ellen Page, Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, and Toby Kebbell, seeing the director re-team with Marling once more following the success of Sound of My Voice.

Dane DeHaan will join the cast of the next installment of The Amazing Spider-Man™ along side Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley as Columbia Pictures prepares to begin production on the next chapter of the blockbuster franchise, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of production for the studio.

The screenplay is by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner based on a previous draft by James Vanderbilt. The film will be directed by Marc Webb and produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach.

The casting of DeHaan as Harry Osborn was confirmed this morning in a tweet by Webb (@MarcW) who wrote

“Meet Harry Osborn. So excited to have him on board @danedehaan.”

Webb said;

“Dane is an exciting and extraordinary young actor and he is a fantastic addition to our cast.”

The new film in the Spider-Man...

The role of Harry Osborn for Marc Webb’s highly anticipated sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man has officially been landed by actor Dane DeHann. The director announced the casting news earlier this morning via his Twitter account, confirming that DeHaan (Chronicle) is set to portray Peter Parker’s best friend in the upcoming sequel.

Meet Harry Osborn.@danedehaan. twitter.com/MarcW/status/2…

— Marc Webb (@MarcW) December 3, 2012

Actor Dane DeHaan later took to his own Twitter account where he posted the following brief statement, “To say I’m excited is an understatement.”

Official Press Release:

Dane DeHaan will join the cast of the next installment of The Amazing Spider-Man™ along side Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Shailene Woodley as Columbia Pictures prepares to begin production on the next chapter of the blockbuster franchise, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of production for the studio.

GeekTyrant will once again be excitedly attending the Sundance Film Festival in 2013! They've released their full line up of competition films for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary, as well as the out-of-competition Next <=> section.

It looks like there's a lot of great films for us, and anyone who is attending, to check out this year. I love going up to Sundance, it's always a great mix of different movies... some great, some good, some bad, and some that are completely awful. I'm always looking forward to seeing them though! There's kind of rush going in to watch a movie I hardly know anything about. It's a rare thing for me these days to be able to do that.

Below you'll find the full Press Release that includes all of the films that have been announced. Please look them over and let us know which ones interest...

Sixteen films are set to compete in the dramatic category at next year's Sundance Film Festival in January, with exactly half of those films directed by women - a new record for the festival which will be in its 29th year.

Approximately 113 feature-length films representing 32 countries were selected for Sundance for next year including 27 films in competition and 51 films from first-time directors. Many of the key categories were announced today.

While the Utah-based film festival only occasionally showcases films that have true mainstream crossover potential, this year sees more audience friendly fare in competition even it is still specifically targeting the art house crowd.

The fest in January this year was dominated by the rave reviews for its Grand Jury Prize winner "Beasts of the Southern Wild" which, upon moving to a more mainstream release, scored many accolades but just $13 million in worldwide box-office.

U.S. Dramatic Competition

Afternoon Delight...

If you ever managed to see Shane Carruth‘s Primer, you’re probably a very confused person. That’s to say, the 2004 time-travel flick strove to be as realistic as possible, and by realistic, we mean completely mind-boggling. Saying that, Primer remains one of the most intriguing movies of the past decade (even if we still can’t figure it out), which means that the promise of a second movie from writer/director Curruth is something to be excited about.

Though it was rumored that the poor guy couldn’t get funding sorted for a second feature, it appears he finally got it made: Upstream Color will premier at Sundance 2013, presumably to grant everybody another headache with a bizarre-sounding story about two people who become a single organism.

Sundance, of course, exists to showcase the best and brightest in indie film. Next year’s festival takes place from January 17-27 in Park City,...

2013′s Sundance Film Fest sees a mix of returnees in Cherien Dabis, Lynn Shelton, Andrew Dosunmu, Shane Carruth (see Upstream Color pic below) and James Ponsoldt, a batch of newbies, and Sundance short film to feature film graduates in David Lowery (see Ain’t Them Bodies Saints pic of Affleck and Mara above) and Jordan Vogt-Roberts as part of the U.S. Dramatic Competition. Of the 16 films from an equal split of male and female auteurs (with Gotham Award Grant winner Stacie Passon (Concussion) among them), we accurately predicted half of the listed titles below.

Afternoon Delight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jill Soloway) — In this sexy, dark comedy, a lost L.A. housewife puts her idyllic hipster life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints / U.

Every year, the festival circuit kicks off with a huge bang – Sundance.

It’s one of the biggest festivals for independent films around the world, taking over Park City, Ut every January, to bring together some of the biggest and finest names in the independent filmmaking world.

The line-up has now been announced for the Us and World Competition categories, along with Next, giving us a great first look at what we have to look forward to in January – and, looking ahead, at some of the films that will be coming to Sundance London in April 2013.

The first slew of films show incredible promise, with David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now, and Lynn Shelton’s Touchy Feely leading the Us Dramatic category with so much potential.

Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints features an all-star cast, headed up by Rooney Mara,...

The 2013 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 17-27 and today the fest unveiled their competition slates including film in the Dramatic, Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, Word Cinema Documentary and Next competitions. As always, these lineups are incredibly hard to predict, but amid this group there are a few interesting titles. The Dramatic competition includes Jill Soloway's Afternoon Delight, a dark comedy starring Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor and Jane Lynch that centers on a L.A. housewife who hires a stripper as a live-in nanny. I had not heard of David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints, but a cast that includes Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker and Keith Carradine is immediately appealing, while the plot compares itself to Terrence Malick's Badlands and Bonnie & Clyde telling a story of Bob Muldoon and Ruth Guthrie, two young outlaws who are brought down by the authorities in the hills of Texas.

The Sundance Film Festival announced the first round of its lineup today. Continuing a trend from last year, the Dramatic Competition category features plenty of Vulture-approved stars, opposed to relative unknowns. There is the beat generation drama Kill Your Darlings, featuring Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg, Ben Foster as William Burroughs, and Elizabeth Olsen as Edie Parker. Lake Bell will be offering a movie she wrote, directed, and stars in about trying to become a voice-over artist. Or how about a film starring not only Alison Brie, but also Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally? Also, Jessica Biel (Timberlake), Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Kathryn Hahn, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch, Kyle Chandler, Michael B. Jordan, Kristen Bell, Keri Russell, and so many other notables will be there. Last year, Beasts of the Southern Wild won this category. Check out the full list of entries below to see which might be the next...

Have you ever noticed how you never see Daniel Radcliffe acting in a contemporary setting unless he has a wand at the ready? With "The Woman in Black" and "Kill Your Darlings" as his only non-Potter roles thus far, the currently filming "F Word" came as a relief to Radcliffe.

MTV News' Josh Horowitz visited with Radcliffe on the set of "The F Word" to talk about his latest project and finally acting like a normal 21st century dude.

"Other than 'Potter,' I've not been [a film set] closer than the 1940s really. It's definitely nice to be doing something contemporary," he said. "I feel like I can be much more myself in this film. Not to say I'm not acting, but it's definitely a lot closer to the person I am and it's fun to be able to improvise in a modern idiom."

"The F Word" tells the story of a...

Dane DeHaan is having a great year. After appearing on TV series like In Treatment and True Blood, DeHaan starred this year in Josh Trank's Chronicle, then acted alongside Shia Labeouf and Tom Hardy in Lawless, and now he's one of the leads in director Derek Cianfrance's much buzzed about new film, The Place Beyond the Pines, which premiered to glowing reviews at this week's Toronto International Film Festival (watch two clips here). In addition, he recently wrapped on director John Krokidas' Kill Your Darlings, where he starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Elizabeth Olsen. Shortly before the premiere of the film at Tiff, I sat down with DeHaan for an extended interview. We talked about the past year, how he prepares for his roles, what it was like to work for Cianfrance and make The Place Beyond the Pines, who he plays in Kill Your Darlings and what its about,...

Throughout the month of September, Filmmaker is partnering with the online short film competition Filminute, hosting five of its nominated titles and running interviews with the director’s of these one-minute movies.

Tell us who you are (where you’re from, background, previous credits as a filmmaker)

We are Stijn Ghijsen and Tara Fallaux. Both independent photographers based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Being (sort of) new to filming we decided to team up and venture in to this media together. This resulted in the One Minute Portraits project.

Here’s a little bit about ourselves:

Tara Fallaux studied at several art schools in Amsterdam and Pittsburgh (U.S.A), focusing on film installations and photography. After her studies at Carnegie Mellon University, she moved to New York where she started her career as a photographer. Since 1999 Tara works as a freelance photographer combining personal projects for exhibitions and commissioned work.

As The Advocate turns 45 years old, they've put up a hall of fame, from Pat Rocco to Dustin Lance Black and everyone in between. It's a great, brief gay history lesson.

A new way to maim myself – a self balancing unicycle. But it would be great to pick up boys. I know I hit on the cute guy at Bridge Day two years ago on the unicycle with the puppy.

Speaker Boehner has appointed National Organization for Marriage founder and author of the anti-gay Manhattan Declaration Robert George to the Religious Freedom Commission, making him a government employee for the next two years.

Cutie (and equality advocate) Josh Hutcherson has been named Breakthrough Performer of the Year by CinemaCon. That's a bit of an understatement after The Hunger Games.

As disgusted as I am by the unsealed Nom memos that showed how they cynically manipulated entire populations of minorities as they opposed equality,...

Opening this weekend is Chris Kentis and Laura Lau's horror thriller Silent House. Based on the Uruguayan pic La Casa Muda, Silent House centers on a young woman (Elizabeth Olsen) trapped in her family’s crumbling, secluded lakeside house. The twist that makes Silent House stand out from your standard horror fare is that the movie was designed to make it look like it was shot in a single take. The story plays out in real time over 88 minutes as we follow Olsen’s character through the house. Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Julia Taylor Ross, Haley Murphy, and Adam Barnett also star. For more on the film, here's the trailer, motion poster and a TV spot. The other day I got to sit down with Elizabeth Olsen for an exclusive interview. We talked about how she prepared for the role, the challenges of being in every frame, what...

Seventies New York's motley collection of artists, musicians and film-makers come out to play in a fascinating tribute to a terminally cool scene

The no-wave underground cinema of late 70s New York gets a work-out in this admiring documentary by French-born director Céline Danhier, who can't have been out of nappies when the whole thing was going on. By all accounts, New York was a wild and scary place in the late 70s, particularly the Lower East Side and Alphabet City, where a motley collection of artists, musicians and wannabe film-makers washed up, often squatting in the same dilapidated warehouse loft. Danhier's film is an entertaining examination of a chronically self-involved group of people looking back at their terminally hip former selves: some, like Nick Zedd, still living the scene as if it were still happening. Of the faces on show, only Jim Jarmusch and Steve Buscemi managed to maintain...

Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) has reportedly been offered the role of the female lead in Spike Lee’s Oldboy remake. The part of Marie was previously turned down by Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), but could be a major role for Olsen. Having quickly risen through the ranks of most-sought-after actresses, Olsen has a number of projects lined up for 2013 but may yet have time to work Oldboy into her schedule. If Oldboy can manage to pin down someone to play the villain (Clive Owen, Colin Firth and Christian Bale have already declined the role), Lee may be able to start filming late this summer as planned. Olsen would be joining Josh Brolin (W.) in the remake of the 2003 Korean revenge film by Park Chan-Wook. Hit the jump for more. TwitchFilm has brought us word that Olsen has been offered the role of Marie,...

Now this is our kind of awards show!

Did we say "Now?" We meant "NewNowNext," the annual awards ceremony hosted by Logo that honors the many rising stars of the entertainment industry. It's a lot more, well, fun than most other awards shows, featuring tongue-in-cheek categories such as "Most Addictive Reality Star," "TV You Betta Watch" and "'Cause You're Hot."

Channing Tatum scored himself a nomination in that latter category in anticipation of his highly anticipated turn as a male stripper in this summer's "Magic Mike." Our future Superman, Henry Cavill, was also nominated for his steamy work on "The Tudors," as was Paul Patton for being the hottest Imf team member in "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (besides Simon Pegg).

Kudos also to Josh Hutcherson, who's nominated as a "Next Mega Star" for his role as Peeta Mellark in "The Hunger Games." "Games" will be well on its way...

Logo’s NewNowNext Awards don’t air until April 9 on the cable network, but EW has exclusively learned the roster of nominees for the fifth annual event, which showcases who and what are on the verge of a pop culture explosion in 2012.

Nominees range from Revenge’s Emily VanCamp and Parenthood’s Michael B. Jordan in the Next Mega Star category to Jessie J and Fun. in the Brink-of-Fame: Music Artist category to Magic Mike and Snow White & The Huntsman in the Next Must-See Movie category.

The 90-minute show will be taped in front of a live studio audience at...

[1] I suppose it's not really correct to call Anton Yelchin and Dakota Fanning up-and-comers, seeing as each of them has been in the industry for over a decade. But as they transition into increasingly grown-up roles, it still feels like we're seeing the emergence of pair of promising young actors. Elizabeth Olsen, on the other hand, is about as fresh-faced as they come. Last year's Sundance hits Silent House and Martha Marcy May Marlene were her first real roles, aside from a tiny part in her sisters' How the West Was Fun way back in 1994. The three are now in final talks to star in Very Good Girls, from another not-quite newcomer, Naomi Foner. Though Foner's been working as a writer and producer since the '70s, the upcoming project will mark her directorial debut. More details after the jump. Fanning and Olsen will play a pair of newly minted...

'I'm hoping to make this year just about film, film, film,' 'Woman in Black' star tells MTV News.

By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Daniel Radcliffe

While we are still anxiously awaiting the release of "The Woman in Black," Daniel Radcliffe's first big post-"Harry Potter" film, it's never too early to start thinking about what other projects the young superstar will be considering after "Black" opens.

When MTV News caught up with Radcliffe recently, we asked him to give us some clues as to what we might expect from him in the next year, specifically whether he'd officially signed on to a new film following the release of "Black."

"Closer and getting closer every day, but not anything confirmed yet, unfortunately," Radcliffe said of his 2012 working schedule and several film roles he's considering. "Hopefully I'll definitely have three weeks off in February and then shortly after that,...

'I'm hoping to make this year just about film, film, film,' 'Woman in Black' star tells MTV News.

By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Daniel Radcliffe

While we are still anxiously awaiting the release of "The Woman in Black," Daniel Radcliffe's first big post-"Harry Potter" film, it's never too early to start thinking about what other projects the young superstar will be considering after "Black" opens.

When MTV News caught up with Radcliffe recently, we asked him to give us some clues as to what we might expect from him in the next year, specifically whether he'd officially signed on to a new film following the release of "Black."

"Closer and getting closer every day, but not anything confirmed yet, unfortunately," Radcliffe said of his 2012 working schedule and several film roles he's considering. "Hopefully I'll definitely have three weeks off in February and then shortly after that,...

'Martha Marcy May Marlene' actress is getting ready to star opposite Radcliffe in the thriller 'Kill Your Darlings.'

By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Cillian Murphy and Elizabeth Olsen

Photo: MTV News

Park City, Utah — Daniel Radcliffe is no longer just the Boy Who Lived — at this stage, he's the Man Who Flourished.

Indeed, Radcliffe has kept his post-"Potter" career very interesting, what with a turn as a horror lead in next month's "Woman in Black," a lengthy run on Broadway in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and even a hosting stint on "Saturday Night Live" earlier this year.

He's set to keep his fans guessing even further with his next confirmed movie, "Kill Your Darlings," which tells the tale of how Beat Generation icons Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr first met — and how that meeting eventually led to murder.

'Martha Marcy May Marlene' actress is getting ready to star opposite Radcliffe in the thriller 'Kill Your Darlings.'

By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Cillian Murphy and Elizabeth Olsen

Photo: MTV News

Park City, Utah — Daniel Radcliffe is no longer just the Boy Who Lived — at this stage, he's the Man Who Flourished.

Indeed, Radcliffe has kept his post-"Potter" career very interesting, what with a turn as a horror lead in next month's "Woman in Black," a lengthy run on Broadway in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and even a hosting stint on "Saturday Night Live" earlier this year.

He's set to keep his fans guessing even further with his next confirmed movie, "Kill Your Darlings," which tells the tale of how Beat Generation icons Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr first met — and how that meeting eventually led to murder.