January 29, 2021

The second wave of virtual film festivals got underway with last night’s premiere of Sundance 2021. Several TFCA members are in Park City virtually this year thanks to the forced closures of COVID-19. However, this means more accessibility and homegrown comforts as members toasted opening night from their living rooms. Day 1 of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival featured a handful of films that drew strong reactions. Opening night films included Siân Heder’s Coda, a crowd-pleasing coming-of-age film about a young girl growing up with deaf parents. Also netting strong notices were the docs–always a standout at Sundance–including Nanfu Wang’s interrogation of the Chinese government’s mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, In the Same Breath, and Questlove’s rock doc Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).

Here’s a rundown of Day 1 Sundance reactions from TFCA members.

CODA (U.S. Dramatic Competition)

-Our members didn’t seem quite as ecstatic as other Twitterers did, but still found this indie ditty a charmer.

CODA: No surprises but strong hooks in Siân Heder's sweetly musical #Sundance2021 opener about devotion vs. ambition. Teen Ruby (Emilia Jones, aces), the sole hearing member of New England fishing family, wants to take her singing muse to college. Her kin raise a din. #Sundance pic.twitter.com/E7ia2E5EFK

— Peter Howell (@peterhowellfilm) January 29, 2021

CODA: Child of Deaf Adults wants to be a singer. Conventional warming of hearts ensues. Certain moments would’ve/may still someday kill in packed theatre. At home, it’s passably charming (maybe less so once you realize it’s remake of French film, La Famille Bélier). #Sundance2021

— Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) January 29, 2021

In the Same Breath (Premieres)

-Some minor disagreements from the POV team, but Nanfu Wang might be happy to know that Pat is the one writing the review.

IN THE SAME BREATH – Uneven yet insightful HBO doc on life in China after the emergence of #COVID and how life in the U.S. has been shaped by sacrifice and suspicion. Rare footage and strong message about how the political forces of both nations have shaped the response #sundance pic.twitter.com/3BqEMLzKDz

— Jason Gorber is virtually at #sundance2021 (@filmfest_ca) January 29, 2021

IN THE SAME BREATH is another strong doc from Nanfu Wang. Verité footage from Wuhan as compelling as 76 DAYS, but she takes the study a step further to tackle authoritarianism & questions of what comes after COVID. Interviews w/ frontline workers very emotional! 😷 #Sundance2021

— Pat Mullen (@cinemablogrpher) January 29, 2021

Summer of Soul (U.S. Documentary Competition)

-The breakout opening night director is…Questlove? Every good festival has at least one music doc and this one turned Sundance up to 11.

Immediately joins pantheon of concert docs – FESTIVAL, DON'T LOOK BACK, WATTSTAX, and, yes, WOODSTOCK, but unlike all those others stands up to erasure unlike any of those. Literally a forgotten treasure, literally resuscitates a lost moment like few other films have ever done.

— Jason Gorber is virtually at #sundance2021 (@filmfest_ca) January 29, 2021

Kudos to team at @RadicalMedia, kudos to @questlove for this ultimate crate dig, and for love of all that was on that stage, get SOMEBODY to do a complete release of every damn note played on that stage (vinyl, please), and get every moment of those shows saved for posterity.

— Jason Gorber is virtually at #sundance2021 (@filmfest_ca) January 29, 2021

SUMMER OF SOUL: Black kids got down in Harlem while white kids got back to the Woodstock garden in summer '69, but few remember. Questlove recovers doc footage to right this wrong; his directing debut electrifies with Sly Stone, Stevie, Nina Simone & more. #Sundance #Sundance2021 pic.twitter.com/qQ2z8W2lOp

— Peter Howell (@peterhowellfilm) January 29, 2021

Flee (World Cinema Documentary Competition)

-Originally selected for Cannes, Flee is a harrowing account of a young gay man’s escape from Afghanistan, told with unique animation to capture his search for asylum and acceptance.

FLEE holds up the bar set by ani-docs like WALTZ WITH BASHIR. Riveting portrait of a family's escape from Aghanistan, in which the subject has safe space to share memories of feeling hot for JCVD. Most impressive are the poetic interpretations of what goes unsaid. #Sundance2021

— Pat Mullen (@cinemablogrpher) January 29, 2021

Censor (Midnight)

-The Midnight Madness crowd might not be crying “long live the new flesh!” over this ooey-gooey B-movie. But opening night always needs at least one film that polarizes the crowd.

CENSOR: Tried badly to love this. Couldn't. One day, there'll be a great horror film set against backdrop of Video Nasty era. Today is not that day. (I guess VIDEODROME accomplished this 38 years ago.) Someone also has dog-eared copy of Marisha Pessl's NIGHT FILM. #Sundance2021

— Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) January 29, 2021

Stay tuned to the TFCA on Twitter for more reactions from Sundance!