Sundance has gifted us all with a holiday present. The film festival has unveiled its 2021 lineup and 47 percent of the overall feature slate is directed or co-directed by women. Even better, women comprise at least half of the directors in each of the four main competition categories: U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, and World Cinema Documentary. Once again, it seems that Sundance is serious about making its fest gender-balanced and is taking the necessary steps to get there.
Across the fest’s full slate, half of the projects are directed by at least one woman, per a press release. Fifty-one percent are helmed by people of color, 15 percent by folks who identify LGBTQ+, and four percent by non-binary individuals. Among the features, 43 percent are directed by BIPOC filmmakers, eight percent by LGBTQ+ folks, and three percent by non-binary individuals.
“This Festival is a singular response to a singular year – both in design and curation – and we are excited about the new dimensions of possibility it will reveal. But at its core is something that speaks to our most enduring values,” said fest director Tabitha Jackson. “For thousands of years humans have gathered to tell stories and make meaning. In this pandemic year we gather to celebrate a constellation of artists with unique perspectives that express this current moment and who together are saying, ‘We exist. This is who we are. And this is what we see.'”
Fifty percent of the U.S. Dramatic Competition identify as women, and 40 percent as BIPOC. Opening the section is Siân Heder’s “CODA,” the story of Ruby, the only hearing person in a deaf family. Also screening is Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut, “Passing,” which stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga as sisters, one of whom lives as Black and the other as white. Nikole Beckwith’s “Together Together,” which sees a single man bonding with the surrogate he hires, will also premiere in U.S. Dramatic.
Sixty-four percent of the U.S. Documentary Competition directors are women, 73 percent are BIPOC, and nine percent are LGBTQ+. Titles include Mariem Pérez Riera’s portrait of EGOT winner Rita Moreno, “Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It,” and Isabel Bethencourt and Parker Hill’s examination of teen girhood, “Cusp.”
Women represent 50 percent of the directors of both the World Dramatic Competition and the World Documentary Competition. The former’s offerings include Blerta Basholli’s “Hive,” which sees a woman defying her patriarchal small town and opening a store to provide for her family after her husband goes missing. Ninja Thyberg’s “Pleasure,” centering on a 20-year-old Swedish woman who pursues a porn career in Los Angeles, will screen as well.
Among the World Doc titles are Jessica Beshir’s exploration of Harar, Ethiopia, and its ties to the khat leaf, “Faya Dayi,” and Sally Aitken’s “Playing with Sharks,” the story of diver, shark fanatic, cinematographer, and conservationist Valerie Taylor.
Sundance will take place January 28-February 3 online and in person via Satellite Screens (public health permitting). Head over to the fest’s website to see the full 2021 slate.
