[Sundance ’21] The shorts we are looking forward to most at the Sundance Film Festival

The Sundance Film Festival has so many things for film fans. Along with feature films, there are also documentaries alongside panels and talks. One of the most fun parts of the fest are the short films. Though Sundance is doing things a little different this year, this has not stopped them from rolling out an impressive slate of short films. Here are the ones we are looking forward to the most.

Doublespeak

As more women come forward to reveal accounts of sexual harassment in the workplace, more films are being made to address the issue. Doublespeak addresses a different side of the issue. It seems to deal solely with the aftermath of coming forward. This is important to talk about since this is what prevents some from saying anything.

The Field Trip

A still from The Field Trip by Meghan O’Hara, Mike Attie and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Mike Attie.

Placing children in unusual circumstances can lead to interesting results. The Field Trip is about a group of fifth graders trying to learn what it takes to survive in the modern American workplace. Considering this is difficult for most adults, it should make for a fun short. Sure to be a commentary on our country, it also has elements of a dark comedy, even if it is unintentional. 

Flex

Calle Bolund appears Flex by Josefin Malmen and David Strindberg, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Working out has always occupied a weird place in society. People know it is important to take care of their bodies, but they are also quick to make fun of those who take it too seriously. People joke about those who never work out and mock those who spend a lot of time doing it. Flex is a comedy that explores the sometimes fine line between self loving and self loathing.

In the Air Tonight

A still from In the Air Tonight by Andrew Norman Wilson, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Andrew Norman Wilson.

‘In the Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins is one of the most recognizable songs of all time. It has been ascribed different meanings by the many people who have heard it. One of the most common meanings is about a man who could have saved someone from drowning but chose not to. An insider give their take on the song’s meaning.

The Rifleman

A still from The Rifleman by Sierra Pettengill, an official selection of the Shorts Program at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by UNT Special Collections, NBC5/KXAS and Canal & The Gallery 2020.

The National Rifle Association has long been a source of controversy. It has been in the news lately due to its recent bankruptcy filing. Told entirely through archival footage, this short film follows Harlon Carter, who is considered “the father of the modern NRA”. It also traces the NRA’s links to United States Border Patrol and of course, gun culture.

The Sundance Film Festival is online January 28- February 3. Tickets can be purchased here.