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The 26th edition of the Slamdance Film Festival has set its slate for the films in the Narrative and Documentary Feature Film Competition programs as well as the lineup for their Breakouts section. The fest will take place in Park City, Utah January 24-30, 2020.

As the fest “by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” this year’s Slamdance will feature 16 premieres, including 10 world premieres with films from United States, Belarus, Canada Germany, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, and South Africa. The films in competition are feature-length directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1 million and without Us distribution. Films in both categories are also eligible for the Audience Award and Spirit of Slamdance Award.

“Slamdance is above all a place of discovery,” said Slamdance Co-founder and President Peter Baxter. “Every year filmmakers break out of the festival because the industry at large recognizes the need for new voices. With a record breaking 8,231 submissions this year,...

The Slamdance Film Festival unveiled its 2020 lineup of microbudget films Monday that will premiere at the Sundance alternative, among of which include projects about Chernobyl, a brainwashing camp, drag queens and a taxidermist looking for Bigfoot.

All films in competition during its weeklong celebration in Park City from Jan. 24-30 have no U.S. distribution and a budget of under $1 million. Films from 10 countries will participate: U.S., Belarus, Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, and South Africa.

“Slamdance is above all a place of discovery,” said Slamdance Co-founder and President Peter Baxter. “Every year filmmakers break out of the festival because the industry at large recognizes the need for new voices. With a record breaking 8,231 submissions this year, our artist-led organization brings a lineup full of wonderful risk taking and unique storytelling. That’s the spirit of Slamdance 2020.”

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Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled its 26th anniversary narrative and documentary feature film competition programs, as well as the lineup for its new breakouts section.

The narrative lineup includes director Heather Young’s drama “Murmur.” The movie, which won the Fipresci Discovery Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival, stars Shan MacDonald as an older woman who, while performing community service at an animal shelter, begins compulsively adopting pets to ease her loneliness.

The festival, launched in 1995 as an alternative to Sundance, has included showings of such notable titles as Oren Peli’s “Paranormal Activity.” The fest, which takes place at the Treasure Mountain Inn in Park City, Utah, from Jan. 24 to Jan. 30, will screen 23 movies including 10 world premieres, five North American premieres, and one U.S. premiere.

Slamdance alumni include Joe and Anthony Russo, Christopher Nolan, Marc Forster, Jared Hess, Lena Dunham, Benh Zeitlin, Seth Gordon, and Lynn Shelton.

Selectors considered record 8,231 submissions.

New work from Uruguay, Japan and South Africa are among the 20-strong Slamdance Film Festival feature film competition line-up unveiled on Monday (December 2) alongside the second Breakouts selection.

The 26th edition of the Park City, Utah, festival runs from January 24-30 and across all sections includes 16 premieres, including 10 world, 5 North American, and one Us berths. All competition films are feature-length directorial debuts with budgets under $1m and without Us distribution. All are eligible for the Audience Award and Spirit of Slamdance Award, the latter of which is voted upon by filmmakers at the festival.

“Slamdance is...

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has added ten new titles, including eight international premieres, to the list of movies competing in the First Feature Competition. Topping off the list of already announced titles – including Matías Ganz’s A Dog’s Death, Park Hee-kwon’s Dust and Ashes, Jure Pavlović’s Mater, Looted by Rene Pannevis, Lorni - The Flaneur by Wanphrang Diengdoh, Saul at Night by Cory Santilli as well as The Names of the Flowers by Bahman Tavoosi and Bernardo Barreto’s The Seeker – the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has completed the selection of its First Feature Competition section. It’s one that, as Cineuropa finds out, embodies the festival’s mission to “discover emerging creative voices from all over the world, offering them a first launchpad and help to gain international recognition” – as well as a €5,000 grant, to be shared by the director and producer of the title named Best.

Includes the world premiere of ‘Isaac’ from Lithuanian director Jurgis Matulevičius.

Estonia’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 15-Dec 1) has finalized its First Feature Competition, adding 10 films to the eight previously announced titles.

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These include the world premiere of Isaac, from Lithuanian director Jurgis Matulevičius, which centres on a political activist who is haunted by the guilt of killing a Jew in the Lietukis garage massacre of 1941. The cast includes Severija Janušauskaitė, from Russian comedy Star and German TV drama Babylon Berlin. Producers are Lithuania’s Film Jam and Poland‘s Takfilm.

It’s...

Estonian festival also unveils first feature selection.

Estonia’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 15-Dec 1) has announced the first eight films for its official selection, the festival’s main competition strand.

These include the European premiere of Wayne Wang’s Coming Home Again and the world premieres of Liu Shu’s Lost Lotus and Tom Sullivan’s Monster.

The titles will compete for the Grand Prix for best film, which includes a grant of €10,000 shared by the director and producer, among other prizes for director, script, actor, actress, cinematographer and music.

Coming Home Again screened at Toronto and Busan...