Sundance at the Speed Cinema | by Dean Otto

Curator of Film

The Speed Cinema partnered with the 2021 Sundance Film Festival to serve as one of nearly 30 satellite screening venues as COVID-19 prevented the festival occurring in-person at Park City.

From January 28 through February 1, the Speed presented 13 world premieres of Sundance films. To ensure maximum social distancing and to accommodate more audience members, the Grand Hall was turned into a screening space with a DCP projection system that would have otherwise been used in Park City in addition to simultaneous screenings in the Speed Cinema. Overall, 494 people attended screenings.

From the 13 films screened, four won major prizes at Sundance. Hive directed by Blerta Basholli won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic. Sabaya directed by Hogir Hirori won the Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary. Homeroom directed by Peter Nicks won the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award.

Jockey directed by Clint Bentley won of the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting: Clifton Collins, Jr.

Speed Cinema also initiated opportunities for discussions of the film. The Speed hosted director Amalia Ulman for the world premiere of her film La Planeta and she conducted her online world premiere Q&A from the Speed. There was a pre-recorded discussion with Jockey director Clint Bentley, lead actor Clifton Collins, Jr, actor Moises

Arias, and producer and Co-screenwriter Greg Kwedar presented at the screening. The Speed collaborated with FilmNorth in Saint Paul, MN to produce the online panel Amplifying the Message: Social Impact Campaigns for Documentary Films moderated by Eugene Hernandez, Deputy Executive Director of Film at Lincoln Center and Director of the New York Film Festival with Dori Begley, Executive Vice-President, Magnolia Pictures; Melinda Arons, Senior VicePresident for Social Impact, Participant Media; and Peter Nicks, director of Homeroom. The Speed also organized the online panel Looking at the Past to

Inspire the Future, a community leader discussion about Judas and the Black Messiah featuring politician Charles Booker; Councilwoman Keisha Dorsey; artist and activist Shauntrice Martin; and UofL professor Dr. Brandon McCormack moderated by Nicole Hayden, Founder and President of Friends of Nicole 50/50 Mentoring Collaborative Inc.

The ambitious program would not have been possible without the support of Sundance Institute with Acura, Sundance TV, Chase Sapphire and Adobe with local support from Rabbit Hole Distillery, Gill & August Holland, Jeff & Susan Calle, and Unbridled Films.