Sundance 2026: The Last Dance
Attending the Sundance Film Festival in its final year in Park City has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I am passionate about independent cinema and getting the chance to be at one of the premier festivals that celebrates exactly that felt truly special. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who supported me along the way and helped make this dream a reality.
Now, let’s dive into my 7 favorite films I had the chance to watch at Sundance. I saw around 21 films in total, but these 7 are the ones that really stayed with me.
Burn | Makoto Naghisa
103 mins | Drama | Japan
Fires ignite sparks that purify and burn
Inspired by the real experiences of street children, the film follows kids who band together just to survive a world that’s been nothing but cruel to them. Each carries a past shaped by some sort of trauma and the weight of that history lingers on every heavy moment. Director Makoto Nahisa leans into surreal imagery to express emotions and realities that are overwhelming for reality.
Shared traumatic experiences create a sense of belonging. It’s a fragile refuge that begins to crack as betrayal and despair seep in. It’s a heartbreaking fight to reclaim control in a world that never offered much to begin with.
The Weight | Padriac McKinely
112 mins | Drama | USA
How far are you willing to go, for those you love?
Set in a post–Great Depression world, this is about a man who will do anything to get back to his daughter. And Ethan Hawke is incredible. He carries the film with restraint letting his actions do the talking. It’s a story about survival, devotion, and how far you’re willing to go for the people you love. A prison thriller set behind endless trees and streams.
Every shot feels intentional and makes every image impactful. The sound design pulls you into this world completely from the first scene. Distorted anamorphic lens shots give the film a nice worn texture. Days turn into night and add to the exhaustion you feel on screen. The church scene showing the vulnerability and uncertainty of Ethan Hawkes father figure. If you like Shawshank Redemption or Sorcerer this one will be right up your alley.
Levitating | Wregas Bhanuteja
119 mins | Drama, Coming of Age | Indonesia
This is one of those rare films that feels truly singular
Levitating explores resistance to systems of power but also the act of stepping into your own sense of self. In a town where pleasure equals being possessed by spiritual beings, Bayu aspires to be the shaman of a trance party so he can fundraise enough money to prevent an impending eviction. It’s a film that centers on the freedom to express yourself and the power of collective action.
Music and dance are central to the story and shape a thus spiritual coming-of-age. Every movement becomes a form of expression and release. The choreography is precise and intentional. There’s a deep resonance within the film that centers community and culture. One of the more powerful films I’ve seen at Sundance.
When A Witness Recants | Dawn Porter
112 mins | Documentary, Animation | USA
Truth delayed, but not erased
When a Witness Recants was the first film I watched at Sundance and it immediately set the tone for the rest of the festival. So many of the films I saw this year wrestled with reconciliation, forgiveness, and reclaiming power when everything feels stacked against you. This one hits all of that head-on.
The documentary centers on the murder of a young boy in the hallway of a Baltimore middle school and the aftermath that followed. Three innocent teenagers were convicted and sentenced to life in prison, only for the truth to come out 36 years later: their convictions were built on false testimony. The film carefully unpacks how the case was handled, the pressure placed on young witnesses, and the ripple effects felt by the community and the men who lost decades of their lives.
What makes When a Witness Recants so devastating is its restraint. Dawn Porter doesn’t force emotion or manipulate the audience but allows the story to reveal itself in its own time. The film sits with the uncomfortable realities of the justice system and the human cost of its failures. It’s a story that needs to be heard because by the end of this film I was left in tears and filled with anger. The truth here speaks for itself and the ways in which people cope with that truth is on display for all to see.
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! | Josef Kubota Wladyka
102 mins | Comedy, Drama, Romance | Japan, USA
Grief can be funny
Sooo I was expecting something light and charming but this film surprised me by how honestly it approaches grief and loss. It’s funny in an awkward, disarming way.
Ballroom dancing sits at the heart of the story and it’s the perfect metaphor. It’s an intimate art form built on trust, timing, and vulnerability. These are things that are hard to return to after loss.
This more focused on that uncomfortable in-between space: when grief still lingers, but desire, laughter, and possibility to start over reappear. It’s a story about learning how to move again (emotionally and physically) and deciding whether you’re ready to trust someone enough to follow their lead.
Wicker | Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fletcher
105 mins | Fantasy, Comedy, Romance | UK & USA
A freaky folktale
Olivia Coleman plays a fisherwoman who commissions herself a husband while being an outcast in her village. This newfound wicker husband played by Alexander Skarsgard causes a stir amongst the village. He’s the envy of all in the village that causes insecurity in all people. It’s a love that challenges all preconceived notions of what love is.
It’s a romantic comedy that plays on the insecurities we see in relationships and what it truly means to love one another. I laughed a lot and could see tears being shed in the crowd.
Once Upon A Time In Harlem | William Greaves, David Greaves
100 mins | Documentary | United States
History comes to life
William Greaves is one of the most daring and under appreciated documentary filmmakers. He captures something really rare: a 1972 gathering of some of the most important figures connected to the Harlem Renaissance. Writers, artists, thinkers and brilliant Black creative minds coming together to reflect on a period that reshaped American art and culture.
The Harlem Renaissance is often remembered as a golden age and it should be celebrated. But this film understands that history is never simple. Through candid conversations and unguarded moments, the documentary breathes life into a movement we usually only encounter through textbooks. These are stories, tensions, and memories that might have otherwise been lost.
There’s a power in watching these artists reckon with their legacy in real time. All that was gained, what was left behind and what still resonates and lingers. The film is beautifully crafted, full of contradiction, care, and reflection.
That’s my list of 7 films that defined my Sundance experience.
All 7 movies had different genres and different voices, but each one carried the same sense of intention and urgency that makes independent film so powerful.
Sundance’s final year in Park City felt like the end of an era, but experiencing these stories in that setting made it even more meaningful. I can’t wait to see how others engage with these films when they are picked up and released.
