The Sundance Film Festival, a haven for independent filmmaking and documentaries, took place from Thursday, January 18th, to Sunday, January 28th. This annual event is located in Park City and Salt Lake City in Utah, where thousands of filmmakers and actors come together to watch the new films.

The festival executives disclosed that there will be 110 feature-length films from 29 different countries, as well as 100 world premiering feature films. It features competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films, including both feature films and short films. Celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds, Kerry Washington, Ben Affleck, Jay Z, Taylor Swift, and a multitude of others attended the Festival last year.

There is much anticipation for many of the films that that will be and have been premiering at Sundance due to their incredible stories, well known actors, and brilliant directors.

Here are some of the most awaited films that will be appearing at the festival:

Reed Morano’s film, I Think We’re Alone Now, entails a story of a post apocalyptic romance. Morano is most commonly known for her executive positions for piloting the first episodes of the Oscar Winning television series, “A Handmaid’s Tale.” The film is said to be “somewhere in the intersection of survival tale, relationship drama, and Black Mirror episode”

Yardie, directed by Idris Elba, will also be shown at the festival. This drama is based on Victor Headley’s cult novel on behalf of Denis Dread. The story captures the life of a young Jamaican man who gets caught up in a life of gang violence, where he ends up hunting down his brother’s assassin in the streets of London. This will be Idris Elba’s debut as a director, as he is already a well experienced actor and DJ.

Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart take on the roles of Lizzie Borden and housemaid Bridget in the upcoming film, Lizzie, directed by Craig William Macneill. The film is based on the hearsaying story of the Borden family, where Lizzie, the daughter, brutally murders her parents with an axe. Characters Lizzie Borden and her family’s live-in maid, Bridget, start as friends but their relationship evolves into something else as the story progresses.

This year, the Sundance festival is also displaying something else: the rise of the “MeToo” campaign. The Salt Lake Tribune discloses that, “The rise of #MeToo, ignited by accusations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men, has given many films about women and led by women added resonance just as they arrive this week at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Thirty-eight percent of the selected movies were directed by women.”  The festival will provide another platform for this movement, which has gained national attention from its publicity at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Junior Shayne Pollock shared her thoughts on this year’s festival: “I think it is great how the Sundance festival is showing the rise of the MeToo campaign, especially after all these recent incidents.”  

The Sundance Film Festival is a popular venue where Hollywood stars come together to see the new and best films in their field. It gives them a chance to see their colleagues’ work together, and they get to celebrate their accomplishments. This year’s special addition makes the festival even more of hit.