written by Radhika Seth, Vogue
It’s the end of an era for the Sundance Film Festival. After the beloved showcase’s upcoming 2026 edition—scheduled to run from January 22 to February 1—it will be leaving Park City, Utah, its home since its inception over three decades ago, and relocating to Boulder, Colorado. It’s also the first time the festival will take place without its founder, Robert Redford, nearby; the Hollywood legend died at the age of 89 last September. As a result, a flurry of screenings will revisit and honor classic Sundance films from years past (Little Miss Sunshine, Saw, Half Nelson), with special events and talks also reflecting on the festival’s impressive legacy.
But Sundance is looking forward, too: its latest line-up is as dizzyingly eclectic and buzzy as always, with star-studded absurdist comedies, boundary-pushing erotic thrillers, thoughtful dramas, and potential awards contenders for 2027. Here are the 12 films you need to have on your radar.
The Weight
Fresh off his awards-tipped turn in Blue Moon, Ethan Hawke takes center stage in another weighty period piece: in ’30s Oregon, he is a grizzled widower toiling away at a brutal work camp under the supervision of a cruel warden (Russell Crowe). When the latter tempts the former with an early release—which would allow him to reunite with his long-lost daughter—in return for smuggling gold through the wilderness, he sets off on a perilous mission with a crew of fellow convicts. Directed by Padraic McKinley, a long-time editor making his big-screen debut behind the camera, it’s an atmospheric and richly detailed Depression-era crime saga, complete with enchanting landscapes, pulse-racing set pieces, and the bubbling threat of mutiny.
