Red Carpet Premieres Photos From Day 1

The Sundance Film Festival 2025, beloved by independent film enthusiasts, opens the film festival circuit with thought-provoking panels, and red-carpet premieres. Despite the cancellation of other awards season events, the film festival has decided to proceed as planned in the wake of the devastating fires that have ravaged Los Angeles, causing the destruction of 15,798 structures and resulting in 28 fatalities. The extent to which the recent fires will impact the festival, renowned for its vibrant social scene and bustling calendar of events, remains to be seen.

This year’s lineup boasts diversity across various categories, featuring 57 short films and 88 feature films representing 33 countries and territories. The 2025 program is composed of 36 of 87 (41%) feature film directors who are first-time feature filmmakers. Sundance Institute supported ten of the feature films and projects selected in development through direct granting or residency labs.

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Among the buzzworthy titles premiering are Atropia, Brides; Bunnylovr; By Design; Didn’t Die; If I Had Legs I’d Kick You; It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Pee-wee as Himself; Peter Hujar’s Day; Opus;  Rebuilding, and Jimpa.

Day 1 of the festival kicked off with Thursday’s opening-night film, Twinless, a comedy written and directed by James Sweeney in his debut Sundance feature film. Sweeney also stars alongside Dylan O’Brien which follows two young men who meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance. The film also features Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, and Chris Perfetti.

Following that the cast and crew of By Design, including Mamoudou Athie, Samantha Mathis, director Amanda Kramer, Robin Tunney, Juliette Lewis, and Alisa Torres, attended the premiere at the Library Center Theatre.

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Earlier, Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, and Aud Mason-Hyde graced the red carpet for Jimpa, directed by Sophie Hyde, recipient of the World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic for “52 Tuesdays” at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. In this poignant drama, Hannah (Colman) takes her non-binary child, Frances (Mason-Hyde), to Amsterdam to visit their gay grandfather, Jim (Lithgow). While Frances discovers the joys of queer life in the vibrant city, Hannah is forced to confront her past.

Other premiers today are Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore; April; SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius); DJ Ahmet; LUZ; The Ugly Stepsister, and Touch Me.

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The 16 jurors granting awards honoring excellence in cinematic and artistic achievement at the Festival include Kaniehtiio Horn, Vinnie Malhotra, Celine Song, Sam and Andy Zuchero, Kevin Macdonald, Wanuri Kahiu, Nicholas Ma, Arian Moayed, Daniel Kaluuya, Elijah Wood, Nia Imara, Michael Almereyda, Dr. Monica Lopez, Maggie Mackay, Marcia Smith, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Daniela Alatorre, Ava Cahen, Steven Bognar, Kibwe Tavares, and Laura Kim.

SALLY, directed by Cristina C, screening in the Premieres category was selected as the 2025 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize winner, an annual juried award granted to an artist with the most outstanding depiction of science and technology in a feature-length film.

The 2025  Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 23–February 2, 2025, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with the jury and audience awards to be presented on January 24 at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley.

Whether you’re a seasoned film fanatic or curious to discover new talent, check back for daily updates from the festival.