Sundance 2013: Diverse Gems from Independent Cinema

Charlie Countryman

2013 • 108 min • Box office $11K

Action, Comedy, Drama

An American man develops a strong romantic connection with a Romanian cellist who is grieving the recent loss of her father. However, her father's history of violence poses a potential threat to the man's own safety.

6.4

6.3

17+

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Metro Manila

2013 • 120 min

Crime, Thriller, Drama

Seeking a better life in Manila, Oscar Ramirez and his family move from the Banaue rice terraces in the northern Philippines. In the bustling city, where danger seems to hide around every corner, Oscar gets a fortunate opportunity with a…

7.2

7.6

Blue Caprice

2013 • 93 min

Crime, Drama, Thriller

This movie tells the story of the Beltway sniper attacks. It is based on the real events that occurred.

5.7

5.9

17+

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American Promise

2013 • 135 min

In 1999, Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson documented their five-year-old son Idris and his friend Seun as they began kindergarten at the Dalton School, a private institution actively working to diversify its student population. The filmmakers followed both boys for…

6.7

7.1

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Computer Chess

2013 • 91 min

Comedy

The American Computer Chess Convention brings together fans to compete. Programs face off against each other and human players in a tournament with a $7500 prize for the winner.

6.0

6.2

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Cutie and the Boxer

2013 • 81 min

Documentary

This honest New York story follows the turbulent 40-year marriage of Ushio Shinohara, a renowned boxing painter, and his wife, Noriko. Seeking independence from her husband's controlling presence, Noriko begins to discover who she is as an individual.

6.9

7.2

17+

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Dirty Wars

2013 • 87 min

Documentary, Drama, Crime

Journalist Jeremy Scahill begins investigating the secret expansion of American covert wars. His reporting reveals the US government's response to international terrorism appears to disregard established laws.

7.0

7.4

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Gideon's Army

2013 • 96 min

This film follows three young public defenders who are deeply committed to representing those society often ignores. They face grueling hours, low salaries, and overwhelming caseloads, challenges that frequently push even the most dedicated to their breaking point.

7.1

7.7

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Escape from Tomorrow

2013 • 90 min • Budget $650K • Box office $171K

Horror, Fantasy, Comedy

In a world filled with artificial castles and talking animals, an epic conflict erupts when a jobless father's perception of reality is tested by an unexpected meeting with two young women on vacation.

4.8

5.1

Inequality for All

2013 • 88 min

Documentary

This film adapts Robert Reich's 2010 book, *Aftershock*, to explore the growing income inequality in the United States. Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich aims to highlight the country’s expanding economic divide. Having advocated for this issue for years, making…

7.5

8.0

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Afternoon Delight

2013 • 95 min

Comedy, Drama

Rachel, a sharp and likable stay-at-home mother, feels stifled by the demands of her son's preschool, a disappointing sex life, and a stalled career. Seeking excitement in her marriage, she takes her husband to an LA strip club. There, she…

5.7

17+

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+20

Blood Brother

2013 • 92 min

Rocky Braat, a jaded American tourist, travels to India. A chance encounter with a group of children living with HIV/AIDS changes his plans, and he chooses to stay. He soon discovers a world of unexpected challenges and profound connection.

7.0

8.2

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Stoker

2013 • 99 min • Budget $12M • Box office $12M

Drama, Horror, Thriller

Following the death of her father in a traffic accident, India's estranged uncle Charlie moves in with her and her mother, Evelyn, who struggles with emotional instability. India soon grows suspicious of Charlie's charming nature and hidden intentions. However, instead…

6.6

6.7

17+

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Fruitvale Station

2013 • 82 min • Budget $900K • Box office $17M

Drama

In Oakland, California, young African-American Oscar Grant navigates relationships with family, friends, and rivals, as well as encounters with strangers, leading up to the fateful moments on a train platform at Fruitvale Station in the early hours of New Year's…

7.4

7.5

17+

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Ain't Them Bodies Saints

2013 • 96 min • Budget $4M • Box office $1M

Crime, Drama, Romance

Bob Muldoon and Ruth Guthrie, a passionate young outlaw couple on a long crime spree, are caught by lawmen following a gunfight in the Texas hills. Ruth injures a local officer, but Bob takes responsibility. Four years later, Bob escapes…

6.1

6.4

17+

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Upstream Color

2013 • 96 min • Budget $100K • Box office $444K

Drama, Science Fiction

A man and a woman find themselves connected to the long life cycle of a being that doesn't age. As they navigate this strange existence, their sense of self begins to dissolve, and they try to piece together the remnants…

6.3

6.5

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The Gatekeepers

2012 • 101 min • Box office $2M

Documentary, History, War

In a revealing set of interviews, six former heads of Israel's Shin Bet – the country's intelligence and security agency – discuss their involvement in decades of counterterrorism efforts. They address the controversial tactics employed and grapple with the question…

6.9

7.6

13+

This Is Martin Bonner

2013 • 83 min

Martin Bonner relocates to Nevada from the East Coast, leaving behind his family and a career he spent over twenty years building. He takes a new job as a volunteer coordinator for a non-profit assisting prisoners re-entering society. It's his…

5.0

6.5

17+

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In a World...

2013 • 93 min • Budget $1M • Box office $2M

Comedy

A struggling vocal coach is encouraged by her father, a renowned voice-over artist for movie trailers, to chase her own dreams of voice-over stardom. Navigating family issues, sexism, and her father's expectations, she strives to make a significant impact on…

6.3

6.6

17+

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Very Good Girls

2013 • 91 min

Drama

Two New York City friends make a promise to lose their virginity during their first summer after graduating high school. Their friendship is challenged when they both develop feelings for the same street artist.

5.8

5.9

17+

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Mud

2013 • 130 min • Budget $10M • Box office $32M

Drama

Two teenage boys discover a fugitive hiding on an island in the Mississippi River. They assist him in reuniting with his partner and escaping a vengeful family and their armed group.

7.1

7.3

13+

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No poster

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear

2013 • 101 min

A filmmaker in Georgia launches a project by advertising for young people to appear in her film. The auditionees share their personal challenges and aspirations directly to the camera. Their honest interviews blend naturally with short, cinematic glimpses of everyday…

6.8

8.1

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Lasting

2013 • 89 min

Lasting is an emotional love story about Michał and Karina, two Polish students who meet and fall in love while working summer jobs in Spain. Their idyllic time together is shattered when a sudden tragedy disrupts their carefree lives and…

4.8

5.1

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Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer

2013 • 90 min • Budget $25K

Music, Documentary

Following a disputed election in the winter of 2011, Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency of Russia. This sparked widespread protests across the country, with hundreds of thousands challenging his authority. A group of young, radical-feminist punk rockers, known as…

6.7

7.0

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A River Changes Course

2013 • 83 min

Kalyanee Mam makes her directorial debut with this film, drawing on her experience as cinematographer on the Oscar-winning documentary *Inside Job*. The movie examines the consequences of rapid development in Cambodia, focusing on the impact on both people and the…

7.0

7.6

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Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1

2012 • 160 min • Budget $1M • Box office $4M

Action, Thriller, Crime

In 1970s India, Sardar Khan dedicates himself to avenging his father's death, which occurred many years prior at the hands of a specific individual.

7.1

8.2

Breathe In

2013 • 98 min • Box office $89K

Drama

A foreign exchange student's arrival in a small town in upstate New York disrupts the established relationships within her host family, profoundly changing their lives.

5.9

6.3

17+

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The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete

2013 • 108 min

Drama

A coming-of-age story about two young men navigating the challenges of summer after their mothers are removed by the authorities, leaving them to care for themselves.

7.1

7.5

17+

Stream on

+12

The Way Way Back

2013 • 103 min • Budget $4M • Box office $23M

Comedy, Drama

Fourteen-year-old Duncan spends his summer vacation with his mother, her controlling boyfriend, and his new stepsister. Struggling to fit in, Duncan forms an unlikely friendship with Owen, the manager of the Water Wizz water park.

7.1

7.4

13+

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No

2012 • 118 min • Box office $2M

Drama, History

In 1988, facing international pressure, Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is compelled to hold a vote on whether he can stay in power for another eight years. Opposition leaders recruit a young, ambitious advertising executive named René Saavedra to lead their…

7.2

7.4

17+

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Jiseul

2013 • 108 min

On a South Korean island, residents rise up against excessive police force. The protests are quickly branded as communist, leading to a military crackdown.

7.4

6.7

The Square

2013 • 88 min

Documentary, Drama, History

*The Square* examines the daily struggles of Egyptians striving to establish a new democracy. The film centers on Cairo's Tahrir Square, following several young activists who believe the fight for democracy truly began after Hosni Mubarak's ouster. Driven by their…

7.6

8.0

The Look of Love

2013 • 105 min

Comedy, Drama

Paul Raymond created a vast empire encompassing pornography, entertainment, and property, becoming Britain's wealthiest man. However, his daughter, Debbie, is tragically affected by his drug use.

5.6

6.0

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The Summit

2013 • 95 min • Budget $1M • Box office $243K

Adventure, Documentary, Drama

"The Summit," a 2012 documentary by Nick Ryan, recounts the devastating 2008 K2 disaster. The film blends documentary footage with dramatized recreations to depict the events that unfolded as eleven climbers perished in a short period on their ascent and…

6.8

17+

Stream on

+10

Sweetwater

2013 • 96 min • Budget $7M

Western, Thriller

The late 1800s in New Mexico Territory see a dangerous entanglement develop between a zealous religious leader, a disreputable Sheriff, and a woman with a past. Their lives become intertwined in a volatile and potentially deadly situation.

6.1

6.2

17+

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Who Is Dayani Cristal?

2013 • 80 min

The discovery of an unidentified body in the Arizona desert sets off a compelling story of human connection. The investigation to uncover the deceased's identity takes the characters on a journey across the country, searching for those left behind and…

6.5

7.0

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Jobs

2013 • 129 min • Budget $12M • Box office $42M

Drama, History

This is the story of Steve Jobs, charting his rise from dropping out of college to becoming one of the most celebrated and influential creative entrepreneurs of the 20th century.

6.1

6.0

13+

Stream on

+13

Circles

2013 • 100 min • Budget $2M

War, Drama

"Circles" tells the true story of a Serbian soldier who endangered himself to save a Muslim civilian during the Bosnian War in 1993. Twelve years later, the impact of his courageous act continues to resonate. The film explores the lasting…

7.1

7.7

—

Don Jon

2013 • 90 min • Budget $3M

Romance, Comedy, Drama

A man from New Jersey deeply devoted to his family, friends, and faith begins to struggle with unrealistic expectations stemming from pornography. He then strives to find genuine happiness and intimacy with a woman who may be his soulmate.

6.0

6.5

17+

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The Spectacular Now

2013 • 95 min • Budget $2M • Box office $6M

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Sutter, a social butterfly, unexpectedly encounters the reserved Aimee after waking up on someone's lawn. As Sutter navigates personal challenges and Aimee considers her post-graduation plans, an unforeseen romance develops between them.

6.7

7.0

17+

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The East

2013 • 116 min • Budget $6M • Box office $2M

Drama, Thriller

A skilled agent for a top-tier private intelligence company has her loyalties challenged when she's assigned to go undercover within a radical anarchist collective. This group is notorious for carrying out clandestine attacks against powerful corporations.

6.6

6.8

13+

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A.C.O.D.

2013 • 88 min • Box office $175K

Comedy

A grown man is still affected by his parents' divorce, which began 15 years ago. He learns he was unknowingly part of a study about children of divorce and is asked to participate in a follow-up years later. This new…

5.5

5.7

17+

Stream on

Sightseers

2012 • 88 min • Box office $61K

Comedy, Crime, Romance

Chris wants to share his life with his girlfriend Tina, planning a caravan holiday. However, unforeseen circumstances quickly disrupt their plans, leading to a disastrous turn in their dream trip.

6.3

6.5

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Adore

2013 • 100 min • Budget $16M • Box office $1M

Drama

Lil and Roz have been best friends since childhood, growing up as neighbors in a peaceful beach town. Now adults, their sons share a close friendship mirroring the bond between their mothers. One summer, unresolved feelings among the four of…

6.1

6.2

17+

Stream on

Stories We Tell

2012 • 109 min

Documentary

Sarah Polley, a Canadian actress and filmmaker, explores hidden aspects of her mother's past. She interviews family and friends, but their accounts differ depending on their connection to the events. This creates a series of unanswered questions, as memory is…

7.1

7.5

13+

Stream on

Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus

2013 • 99 min • Box office $223K

Comedy, Adventure, Drama

Jamie, a rude and inconsiderate American in his twenties, is traveling through Chile and consistently stirs up trouble. He and his friends are planning a road trip north to try a powerful hallucinogenic made from the San Pedro cactus. After…

6.0

5.9

Stream on

+10

Fill the Void

2012 • 90 min • Box office $1M

Drama

Eighteen-year-old Shira, the youngest of the Mendelman family, is set to marry a suitable young man and is thrilled by the prospect. However, her wedding plans are disrupted when her twenty-eight-year-old sister, Esther, dies in childbirth. The family is devastated,…

6.4

6.7

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Lovelace

2013 • 92 min • Budget $10M • Box office $1M

Drama

This is the story of Linda Lovelace, detailing her experiences of exploitation and abuse within the adult film industry. She is subjected to mistreatment orchestrated by her controlling husband, but ultimately fights to regain control of her own life.

6.0

6.2

17+

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Big Sur

2013 • 100 min

Big Sur is a film based on Jack Kerouac's memoir of the same name.

4.6

5.7

17+

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An Afghan Love Story

2013 • 86 min

Snow falls on Kabul as friendly waiter Mustafa and a young student named Wajma begin a secret romance. Their relationship is filled with joy and passion, but they are constantly aware of the strict social rules they are defying. When…

6.3

7.2

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Before Midnight

2013 • 109 min • Budget $3M • Box office $11M

Romance, Drama

Nine years after meeting on a train in Vienna, Jesse and Celine, a French-American couple, now live in Paris with their twin daughters. They spend a summer in Greece at the invitation of a colleague of Jesse's. As the vacation…

7.5

7.9

17+

Stream on

Prince Avalanche

2013 • 94 min • Budget $725K

Comedy, Drama

In the summer of 1988, two highway workers escape their city lives for a remote job. The isolated setting triggers conflict between the men, and forces them to confront their relationships with the women they left behind.

6.1

6.3

17+

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