Sundance Institute has announced the program for its first-ever NEXT Weekend festival, which includes 10 feature films, 10 short films and related programming.
The festival runs from Aug. 8-11 at the Sundance Sunset Cinema and additional venues throughout Los Angeles. Tickets ranging from $12-15 are on sale now for Sundance Institute members and will be made available to the public on Thursday.
NEXT Weekend kicks off with an outdoor screening of Chris Smith's cult documentary "American Movie" and Mark Borchardt's "Coven" on Aug. 8 at Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Smith will introduce the double bill, which is being co-presented by Acura.
Films that premiered at Sundance that will screen at NEXT Weekend include Alexandre Moors' thriller "Blue Caprice," Zachary Heinzerling's documentary "Cutie and the Boxer," Eliza Hittman's coming-of-age drama "It Felt Like Love," Shaka King's comedy "Newlyweeds," Hannah Fidell's drama "A Teacher" and Chad Hartigan's movie "This Is Martin Bonner."
Meanwhile, Lotfy Nathan's documentary "12 O'Clock Boys" and Sam Fleischner's "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors" will make their Los Angeles premieres, while Chadd Harbold's "How to Be a Man" and Madeleine Olnek's "The Foxy Merkins" will make their world premieres.
In addition to Smith, Gregg Araki and Allison Anders are among the filmmakers, cast and crew expected to attend the festival and discuss their work.
“In creating NEXT Weekend we were looking to shed our parkas and boldly celebrate this ‘other side’ of Hollywood – the far edge of independent filmmaking," said John Cooper, director of the Sundance Film Festival.
