sundance film festival | Highbrow Magazine

Sundance 2026 Offered a Mixed Bag, but Powerful ‘American Doctor’ Documentary Triumphs

By Ben Friedman

The final film I saw was, by far, the standout of the festival. Sundance has built a reputation for launching powerful documentaries, and this year Poh Is Teng’s American Doctor proved triumphant. The film follows three American doctors who enter Gaza and find themselves caught between medicine and politics as they confront media narratives that minimize the genocide carried out by Israeli forces.

The Best Movies From the 2024 Sundance Film Festival

By Ben Friedman

In Love Me, a buoy played by Kristen Stewart falls in love with a satellite portrayed by Steven Yeun. That’s not a metaphor; it's actually what happens. Confused? Don’t worry, that is the point. Love Me explores the metaphysical power capable of penetrating logistical reason: love.

Sundance 2023 Delivers an Aura of Studio Excitement and Powerful Films

By Ben Friedman

Now following the success of CODA, the 2023 Sundance Film Festival became the topic of far greater anticipation. Given that Apple paid 25 million dollars for the rights to release CODA on its streaming service, film studios responded by bringing deep pockets to this year’s festival. Many of the festival’s popular entries such as Flora and Son and Fair Play sold as high as $20 million to Apple and Netflix, respectively.