By Annie Lyons
Love is in the air in Utah — that is, if the 2024 Sundance Film Festival lineup has anything to say about it. Whether it’s the nervous butterflies of first love or a relationship reaching literal new heights, a treasure trove of selections at the 2024 Festival reflect on love in all its messy, beautiful, and complicated glory.
Check out the list below to discover more stirring stories about love premiering at the 2024 Festival, nearly all of which are available online for Festivalgoers to enjoy from the comfort of home. Single Film Tickets are available here.
SHORT FILMS
Pasture Prime (Short Film Program 2) — Deep within the heart of Texas, widow Shirley Ford falls for a younger man in a tale from two-time shorts alum Diffan Sina Norman. Available in person and online as part of Short Film Program 2.
Salone Love (Short Film Program 3) — Filmmaker Tajana Tokyo crafts an imaginative tapestry of advice and opinions about love she receives at a family wedding in Sierra Leone. Available in person and online as part of Short Film Program 3.
Didn’t Think I’d See You Here (Short Film Program 4) — Rory might have a haunted shower. When he meets a love interest at a party, he finds some answers in this comedic queer ghost story by writer-director Dylan Guerra. Available in person and online as part of Short Film Program 4.
Grace (Short Film Program 5) — In this 1950s Southern period piece from filmmaker Natalie Jasmine Harris, 16-year-old Grace grapples with her growing romantic feelings for her best friend, Louise, as she prepares for her baptism. Available in person and online as part of Short Film Program 5.
Voice Ever (Short Film Program 5) — Filmmakers Céline Perreard and Pauline Archange imagine a new dating app called Voice Ever that lets users pick dates based on their voices. Four individuals connect on the platform, giving way to vulnerability. Available in person and online as part of Short Film Program 5.
FEATURES
Girls Will Be Girls (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) — Writer-director Shuchi Talati makes her directorial debut with a beautifully nuanced and intimate exploration of a 16-year-old girl’s rebellious sexual awakening. Set in the 1990s in a conservative Himalayan boarding school, Girls Will Be Girls centers on Mira (Preeti Panigrahi), a teenager discovering first love, and her mother, Anila (Kani Kusruti), who never experienced that same awakening. As Mira’s romance empowers her with confidence, their mother-daughter relationship takes a tumultuous turn. Available in person and online.
Layla (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) — In their feature debut, writer-director Amrou Al-Kadhi constructs a joyfully queer story about transformational first love, self-acceptance, and the power of drag. At a demoralizing corporate Pride event, struggling Arab drag queen Layla (Bilal Hasna) finds a spark with Max (Louis Greatorex), which soon flourishes into a romance. As Layla falls in love for the first time, they must navigate how the new relationship tests their identity. Available in person and online.
Love Machina (U.S. Documentary Competition) — What does a romance that truly transcends space and time look like? In a quest to find out, futurists Martine and Bina Rothblatt commission an advanced humanoid AI so that they can transfer Bina’s consciousness from a human to a robot named Bina48. Documentary filmmaker Peter Sillen accompanies the determined couple on their journey, inviting audiences into a dreamlike love story that explores the intersections of AI, curiosity, and humanity. Available in person and online.
Skywalkers: A Love Story (U.S. Documentary Competition) — Daredevil couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus have a passion for climbing the tallest buildings they can find — sans safety harnesses. When the COVID-19 pandemic affects their careers, they resolve to scale the world’s last super skyscraper for a daring stunt. Filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist frames their literally breathtaking mission with the urgency of a heist film, while also exploring how the potentially fatal endeavor propels their relationship. Brace yourself for vertigo. Available in person and online.
Tendaberry (NEXT) — One New York City autumn, 23-year-old Dakota (Kota Johan) falls in love. But after her boyfriend returns to Ukraine to care for his father and subsequently gets caught up in the war, Dakota is left reeling, grappling with a profound absence and struggling with how to survive in the city’s margins. With an entrancing blend of styles, first-time feature director Haley Elizabeth Anderson paints a lyrical portrait of Dakota and the place she can’t help but love. Available in person and online.
Your Monster (Midnight) — Filmmaker Caroline Lindy conjures up a different type of fairy tale in her playful, genre-defying debut feature. Adapted from her short of the same name, Your Monster follows Laura (Melissa Barrera), a soft-spoken actor recovering from a recent surgery whose life gets further upended when she meets a dangerously charming monster (Tommy Dewey) living in her closet. As the pair contend over who gets to keep the home, Laura reckons with her darker side that she keeps tucked away. Available in person.
