Sundance 2019 begins this Thursday, January 24, and will be screening plenty of buzzy women-driven and women made films. As always, Women and Hollywood has put together some of the festival highlights for anyone heading to Park City, Utah who needs a break from the male-dominated awards chatter. (Please keep in mind that this list is far from exhaustive. There are many more films by and about women to see at Sundance.)

Comedies “Troop Zero” and “Late Night” will make their world premieres at the fest. The former, from directing duo Bert & Bertie, centers on a misfit who organizes a motley crew called the Birdie Scouts in order to be included in NASA’s Golden Record. “Late Night” stars Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling as a late-night host and her first female writer, respectively. Nisha Ganatra directed from Kaling’s script. And, yes, we wish Thompson and Kaling had their own real late-night series, too.

On the more dramatic side are “Hala” and “Selah and the Spades.” From Minhal Baig, “Hala” sees the titular character, a Pakistani-American Muslim teen, trying to figure out who she is while wrestling with a heartbreaking family secret. Tayarisha Poe’s “Selah and the Spades” follows the leader of a boarding school’s most powerful clique as her position is threatened.

Sundance 2019’s documentaries cover topics such as China’s one-child policy, the Sicilian mob, and the career of a legendary writer. Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang’s “One Child Nation” chronicles the history of China’s one child per family rule against the backdrop of Wang becoming a mother herself. “Shooting the Mafia,” directed by Kim Longinotto, is the portrait of Letizia Battaglia, a photographer whose work documented the Cosa Nostra’s crimes. And “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” explores the “Beloved” author’s life, work, and influence on American culture. The doc features interviews with Morrison, Angela Davis, and Oprah Winfrey, among others.

Sundance runs through February 3. Be sure to check out our interviews with women directors screening films at the fest, which we’ll begin publishing this week.

Here are some of our most anticipated films of Sundance 2019. Synopses are courtesy of the festival.

“Clemency” – Written and Directed by Chinonye Chukwu

“Clemency”: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

What it’s about: Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard). As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.

Why we’re excited: Writer-director Chinonye Chukwu has never shied away from complex, seldom-talked-about interpersonal dynamics: her previous films have explored public humiliation and the struggle for sexual power, among other uncomfortable subjects. And “Clemency,” her second feature, looks like it will also turn an unflinching eye on a situation most people would prefer to ignore. In this case it’s a longtime warden who looks at the death row prisoner she will kill as a human being — and is forced to reflect on her career and life as a result. “Clemency” promises to delve into the many ways prison destroys lives and features a female lead who is complicated, contradictory, and complicit.

“One Child Nation” (Documentary) – Directed by Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang

What it’s about: After becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China’s one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.

Why we’re excited: Nanfu Wang’s first two docs, award winners “Hooligan Sparrow” and “I Am Another You,” told the stories of an activist in China protesting a sexual abuse crime and an American drifter traveling across the U.S., respectively. Her third feature, “One Child Nation,” sees the Chinese filmmaker, who now lives in New York City, returning to China to consider the consequences of the country’s controversial one-child policy. Fascinating as the subject matter is, we’d be less enthusiastic about this title if it were made by an American-born directors, who may very well exoticize China and oversimplify the issue at hand, but with Wang and indie, Beijing-based filmmaker Jialing Zhang behind the camera, we’re looking forward to “One Child Nation.”

“Selah and the Spades” – Written and Directed by Tayarisha Poe

“Selah and the Spades”

What it’s about: Five factions run the underground life of the prestigious Haldwell boarding school. At the head of the most powerful faction – The Spades – sits Selah Summers. By turns charming and callous, she chooses whom to keep close and whom to cut loose, walking the fine line between being feared and loved.

Why we’re excited: Teen cliques can be terrifying — there’s a reason “Mean Girls” and “Heathers” continue to resonate even though they’re nearly 15 and 30 years old, respectively. As universal as the horrors of high school are, they tend to be very white on-screen. So “Selah and the Spades” will offer a new, welcome take on the trope of the Queen Bee. Selah Summers (Lovie Simone, “Greenleaf”) rules her school. Sometimes her peers like her, sometimes they don’t, but they always respect her power. Selah is also black and presides over a diverse student body. “Selah and the Spades” reminds us that all representation is important. People of color should have as much of a chance to play heroes, villains, and everything in between as much as their white counterparts. Selah might be a mean girl, but she’s a great character.

“Blinded by the Light” – Directed by Gurinder Chadha; Written by Gurinder Chadha, Sarfraz Manzoor, and Paul Mayeda Berges

“Blinded by the Light”: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

What it’s about: In 1987 during the austere days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Why we’re excited: Like her 2002 feature “Bend It Like Beckham,” Gurinder Chadha’s “Blinded by the Light” centers on a young character whose love of a Western pastime conflicts with their immigrant parents’ expectations. In “Bend It,” that pastime was soccer; in “Blinded by the Light,” it’s Bruce Springsteen music. “Human connections around family, hope, and a desire to do something more than is expected of you are universal,” Chadha told us, “this film shows how music and writing transcend race and religion.” She is sure to bring her trademark wit, warmth, and love for all her characters to “Blinded by the Light.”

“Official Secrets” – Written by Sara Bernstein, Gregory Bernstein, and Gavin Hood

What it’s about: The true story of British Intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun, who prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion leaked a top-secret NSA memo exposing a joint US-UK illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council. The memo proposed blackmailing member states into voting for war.

Why we’re excited: Keira Knightley, a mainstay of costume dramas and literary adaptations, gets to flex some different dramatic muscles in “Official Secrets.” She portrays Katharine Gun, the intelligence officer who exposed a blackmailing plot involving the invasion of Iraq — i.e. a woman torn between her professional duty, her devotion to her country, and her own sense of right and wrong. “Official Secrets” looks like it will be equal parts political thriller, spy saga, and character study, and an extremely resonant one at that.

“Late Night” – Directed by Nisha Ganatra; Written by Mindy Kaling

What it’s about: Legendary late-night talk show host’s world is turned upside down when she hires her only female staff writer. Originally intended to smooth over diversity concerns, her decision has unexpectedly hilarious consequences as the two women separated by culture and generation are united by their love of a biting punchline.

Why we’re excited: We were sold on “Late Night” as soon as we heard about Emma Thompson being cast as a late-night talk show host. If only the show existed in real life. The premise of “Late Night” is timely — Female host! Diversity concerns! — and we’re betting Thompson and “Mindy Project” star and creator Mindy Kaling have great comedic chemistry. “Late Night” marks Kaling’s feature screenwriting debut and her biggest film role to date. Best known for her work on the small screen, the “Office” alumna’s film credits last year included high profile pics “Ocean’s 8” and “A Wrinkle in Time.” Still, “Late Night” feels like something of an arrival for Kaling, and a major step in the evolution of her career. “Mindy and I share a lot in common of our experiences in Hollywood and she captured them in a funny and poignant way,” director Nisha Ganatra told us. With years of experience as a comedy writer behind her, Kaling is sure to have plenty to say about all of the hilarity — and ugliness — that goes on behind the scenes.

“Troop Zero” – Directed by Bert & Bertie; Written by Lucy Alibar

“Troop Zero”

What it’s about: In rural 1977 Georgia, a misfit girl dreams of life in outer space. When a national competition offers her a chance at her dream, to be recorded on NASA’s Golden Record, she recruits a makeshift troupe of Birdie Scouts, forging friendships that last a lifetime and beyond.

Why we’re excited: “Troop Zero” reunites “The Help” co-stars and powerhouses Viola Davis and Allison Janney and tells the story of a nine-year-old girl determined to travel to space and make contact with aliens. The comedy sounds equal parts weird and delightful, and we’re here for it. The movie also sends a powerful message. Directors Bert & Bertie told us that they want “Troop Zero’s” audience to realize that “however different you feel, there is a place — and people — for you in this universe. We want people, young and old, to know that it’s okay to let your freak flag fly and to celebrate your weird-ass self,” they explained.

“Hala” – Written and Directed by Minhal Baig

“Hala”

What it’s about: Muslim teenager Hala copes with the unraveling of her family as she comes into her own.

Why we’re excited: We can’t wait to see what Geraldine Viswanathan, the breakout star of last year’s “Blockers,” does as “Hala’s” titular character. According to writer-director Minhal Baig, Hala is a layered, complex young woman in the midst of internal and familial crises. “She is wrestling with her identity as a Pakistani-American and a Muslim, the cultural and generational gap between herself and her mother, and recognizing that her father may not be the person she thought,” Baig told us in a soon-to-be-published interview. It’s a more dramatic turn than “Blockers'” Kayla, an independent, super confident athlete, but it’s sure to be just as compelling.

“Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” (Documentary)

“Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am”: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

What it’s about: This artful and intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller examines her life, her works and the powerful themes she has confronted throughout her literary career. Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics, and colleagues on an exploration of race, history, America, and the human condition.

Why we’re excited: The Nobel Prize-winner of “Beloved,” Toni Morrison is one of the most important and influential writers ever. As such, “The Pieces I Am” not only showcases her career and works, it also includes commentary from the writers and artists she has inspired. At a time when racism, rage, and hatred are on the rise, a documentary about Morrison and the subject matter she has explored in her writing — including slavery, trauma, and the specific role black women play in America — is essential.

“Them That Follow” – Written and Directed by Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage

“Them That Follow”: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

What it’s about: Inside a snake-handling church deep in Appalachia, a forbidden relationship forces a pastor’s daughter to confront her community’s deadly tradition.

Why we’re excited: Well, for one, this film stars Oscar frontrunner Olivia Colman. But “Them That Follow” also presents something still relatively rare for movies: religion. Not only does the film center on a fundamentalist church and its congregation, Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage’s feature allows gives its main character, a pastor’s daughter, the depth to be both devoted to her faith and skeptical of it. Spirituality is usually either-or on-screen: characters are zealots or they’re atheists. We’re looking forward to “Them That Follow” because it embraces the nuance that, for so many, is part and parcel with religion.

“Shooting the Mafia” (Documentary) – Directed by Kim Longinotto

What it’s about: Sicilian Letizia Battaglia began a lifelong battle with the Mafia when she first pointed her camera at a brutally slain victim. Documenting the Cosa Nostra’s barbaric rule, she bore unflinching witness to their crimes. Her photographs, art, and bravery helped to bring an end to a shocking reign of slaughter.

Why we’re excited: Kim Longinotto’s most recent documentary, 2015’s “Dreamcatcher,” is a moving portrait of a former drug addict and sex worker who has made it her life’s mission to offer rehab and counseling to girls and women on the streets and in the prisons of Chicago. The British filmmaker is known for telling stories about disenfranchised women around the world. Her latest, a David and Goliath story, is set in Italy and centers on Letizia Battaglia, an award-winning photographer who used her art to take down the Mafia. With incredibly high stakes and the odds stacked against her, Battaglia refused to turn a blind eye to the violence in Sicily, and we’re betting her story is as engrossing as it is inspirational.

“Sonja – The White Swan” – Directed by Anne Sewitsky; Written by Mette Marit Bølstad and Andreas Markusson

“Sonja – The White Swan”: Courtesy of Sundance Institute/Jose Haro

What it’s about: The true story of one of the world’s greatest athletes and the inventor of modern figure skating, who took Hollywood by storm in the 1930s, sacrificing everything to stay in the spotlight.

Why we’re excited: Director Anne Sewitsky and star Ine Marie Wilmann previously teamed up for 2015’s “Homesick,” an affecting story about a dancer longing for family and acceptance who enters into a sexual relationship with her half-brother. We were impressed by how Sewitsky handled the subject matter, deftly avoiding a sensationalistic depiction of incest. “Sonja – The White Swan” also tells the story of an athlete and “a family tragedy between a brother and sister,” Sewitsky told us. She added, “I found it interesting to see how Sonja Henie challenged the classical way of viewing women of her time. She didn’t play by any rules.” “The White Swan” sounds like a fascinating portrait of a complicated woman.

“Advocate” (Documentary) – Directed by Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaïche

“Advocate”

What it’s about: Lea Tsemel defends Palestinians: from feminists to fundamentalists, from non-violent demonstrators to armed militants. As a Jewish-Israeli lawyer who has represented political prisoners for nearly 50 years, Tsemel, in her tireless quest for justice, pushes the praxis of a human rights defender to its limits.

Why we’re excited: When you’re depressed about the state of the increasingly-tribalistic world, this doc will give you hope. Lea Tsemel is a Jewish-Israeli human rights lawyer who takes on Palestinian political prisoners as clients. Her background doesn’t prevent her to empathizing with her clients, and the opposite is probably also true. Tsemel’s work won’t change the overall relations with Israel and Palestine, but it is a reminder that people, when they want to, are capable of compassion and understanding. That’s a sentiment we could all stand to remember right now.