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When Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” was released back in 1993, the HIV/AIDS epidemic was still taking lives, marriage equality in the U.S. was decades away, and queer representation in media remained limited. It was, certainly, a different time. Considering the progress made since — while not forgetting the fight to protect it from perpetual attacks — Andrew Ahn’s consistently amusing and winningly sincere reimagining of the classic for a 2025 audience finds the LGBTQ community in a dramatically improved place. For starters, the characters in this new iteration can legally marry and become parents if they wish, which means conflict has to operate differently. The pressure of societal norms hasn’t entirely disappeared, but the interpersonal squabbles of the quartet here (rather than the trio in Lee’s film) take precedence.

After a second unsuccessful IVF treatment, Seattle lesbian couple Lee (Lily Gladstone) and Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) hit...

When Ang Lee’s “The Wedding Banquet” was released back in 1993, the AIDS epidemic was still taking lives, marriage equality in the U.S. was decades away and queer representation in media remained limited, even if strides had been made. It was certainly a different time. Considering the progress obtained since — while not forgetting the perpetual fight to protect LGBT community from incessant attacks — Andrew Ahn’s consistently amusing and winningly sincere reimagining of the classic for a 2025 audience finds the queer community in a dramatically improved place.

For starters, the characters in this new iteration can legally marry and become parents if they wish, which means conflict has to operate differently. The pressure of societal norms hasn’t entirely disappeared, but the interpersonal squabbles of the quartet here (rather than the trio in Lee’s film) take precedence.

After a second unsuccessful IVF treatment, Seattle lesbian couple Angela (Kelly Marie Tran...

Three weeks of prep is not long for a feature film, but that is the amount of time Erica Tremblay’s “Fancy Dance” had before shooting. The film follows a Native woman named Jax (Lily Gladstone) who must balance caring for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) with trying to find her missing sister/Roki’s mother Tawi (Hauli Sioux Gray) and surviving the meddling influences that might tear the family apart. It takes place on the fragile edges of Late Stage Capitalism, gas stations and creek beds, Walmart parking lots and staged houses for lease. No one in the film, frankly, has the time to shop for clothes.

Nonetheless, costume designer Amy Higdon needed to craft looks that tell us what’s important to these characters and who they’re trying to be to each other. And she needed to do it fast. The costume team had only two chances...

Searchlight Pitures has won a fierce bidding war for one of the buzziest Sundance crowd-pleasers. The Disney-owned distributor has closed a worldwide rights deal for the well-reviewed and well-received “Theater Camp,” with distribution rights going for around 8 million, according to an insider with knowledge of the deal.

The feature adaptation of Nick Lieberman’s 2020 short film of the same name will receive a theatrical release. It premiered in the dramatic competition on Saturday afternoon at the Eccles Theater in Park City and received a standing ovation.

The mockumentary stars comedic ensemble Gordon, Ben Platt (“Pitch Perfect”), Noah Galvin (“Booksmart”), Jimmy Tatro (“American Vandal”), Patti Harrison (“Together Together”), and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”). Penned by Galvin, Gordon, Lieberman and Platt, and based on their short film, the film was produced by Will Ferrell, Galvin, Gordon, Lieberman, Platt, Erik Feig, Samie Kim Falvey, Julia Hammer, Ryan Heller, Maria Zuckerman, and Jessica Elbaum.

Update: Searchlight has confirmed Deadline’s deal scoop on Theater Camp. Release is below, with another big Sundance deal in the books.

Exclusive: Searchlight Pictures is in final talks to acquire Theater Camp out of the Sundance Film Festival, in a worldwide deal that will land in the 8 million range, with a theatrical release guarantee.

Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, the film stars Gordon and Ben Platt as longtime best friends who return to an upstate run down theater camp that is imperiled when its founder lapses into a coma due to an unfortunate strobe-light incident. Her son takes over, and he tries to stave off foreclosure even though he initially has little interest in greasepaint and the boards.

The project grew out of Booksmart, another Gloria Sanchez production. Elbaum & Ferrell produced with PictureStart’s Erik Feig (who financed), Samie Kim Falvey, Julia Hammer, Ryan Heller, Maria Zuckerman,...

In case it’s not glaringly obvious at this point, representation matters. In front of the camera, but behind it as well — perhaps even more so. Take, for instance, Andrew Ahn’s latest film, “Driveways.” The film stars Hong Chau as a single mother tasked with packing up her hoarder sister’s house after her death. Meanwhile, her shy son Cody (Lucas Jaye) comes out of his shell through a friendship with an older neighbor, played by the late, great Brian Dennehy in one of his final film roles.

The film is not explicitly about Asian American identity, at least not in the way Ahn’s career-launching debut film, “Spa Night,” was — deliberately and devastatingly. But the story, of two outsiders thrust into a community by circumstances outside of their control and the various characters who either welcome or discomfort them, is subtly deepened and enriched by the fact that they are Asian American.

As the definition of an independent film has shifted with the ever-expanding budget divide in American filmmaking — particularly Hollywood cutting back on its mid-range projects — when it comes time for awards season, it’s often only the highest profile of “indie films” that get recognized. While we do our best to recognize the films that often get unfortunately, a new awards has launched that honors the best of truly independent American cinema, featuring films all under a $1 million budget.

Aptly titled the American Independent Film Awards (aka AIFAs), they were voted on by international film festival programmers, U.S. based film festival programmers, and North American film critics (including yours truly.) “First and foremost, we would like to thank all film producers and distribution companies who helped us identify qualifying films and outline the categories. We’d also like to thank the international and American based film festival programmers, and...