The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Sundance festival kicks off with Taylor Swift, ‘Crip Camp’
Plenty of change is in the air at the Sundance Film Festival, where some 118 feature films were set to premiere over 10 days beginning Thursday.
Streaming companies are now among the most likely companies to scoop up buzzed-about breakthroughs. The marquee event of opening day will belong to a Netflix film: the feverishly anticipated Taylor Swift documentary “Miss Americana.” And for the first time in decades, the annual ski town festival in Park City, Utah, is kicking off without a few opening words from its founder, Robert Redford.
Sundance is forgoing its traditional opening day press conference where Redford, the festival’s ever-sunny face, has presided since the 1980s. Last year, Redford made only a brief cameo at the press conference and said he would be stepping back. “We’re at a point where I can move on to a different place,” Redford said then.
One documentary that may break out was set to premiere Thursday. “Crip Camp,” directed by Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham, begins with the story of a ramshackle summer camp for disabled teenagers in New York’s Catskills. But it expands to trace the history of the disability rights movement, illustrating how much of its spirit began at that camp. The film is the latest from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground.
John Cooper, the festival’s director, is also stepping down to transition into an emeritus director role. In his last Sundance festival as director, Cooper said he was thrilled to line up a good opening day slate of premieres. “It’s a very exciting and inviting opening day,” said Cooper. “It sets the tone for what people are going to do for the next 10 days.”
“Crip Camp,” too, is a Netflix film. In an interview, Cooper was unambiguous about the impact of streaming companies on independent film. Last year, Amazon made several high-priced acquisitions at Sundance (”Late Night,” “The Report”) that had modest runs in theaters. This year, even more are coming. Disney Plus has films at the festival. And WarnerMedia, ahead of the launch of HBO Max, will host a downtown lodge.