With awards season now in full swing, it can only mean one thing: next year’s contenders are gearing up for their first big screenings at Sundance. The iconic festival returns from January 22 through February 1, offering both in-person and virtual experiences for its final year in Park City, Utah. Audiences can explore and enjoy 90 feature-length films representing 28 countries and territories. Badges/Passes are on sale now, and single-film tickets will be available starting January 14.
“The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be a truly pivotal and memorable moment as we celebrate artists and their visionary works, honor our Sundance Institute founder, Robert Redford, and his transformative vision, and show our gratitude to Utah by commemorating our collective journey,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO.
I’ll be attending virtually again this year, as I have the past few times. While the virtual lineup doesn’t always include the biggest premieres, it’s actually been a great way for me to dig into films that might otherwise fly under the radar. Because of that, my most anticipated picks tend to be the ones that are easy to access — not just for folks on the ground in Park City, but for those of us catching the festival from the comfort of our living rooms.
Some titles I personally can’t wait for are:
Nuisance Bear
First off, I would like to personally start a change.org petition to have this doc renamed to Asshole Bear!
Take that Cocaine Bear!
This doc sounds like a charming 90 minutes of hijinks, since it depicts a particularly mischievous polar bear and the community forced to navigate around him in Manitoba — affectionately known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”. Available Online and In Person
Chasing Summer
I love a good comedic romp and this film follows Jamie (Iliza Shlesinger) who after losing her job and boyfriend retreats to her small Texas hometown. Sounds almost like the setup for a Hallmark film, but given director Josephine Decker’s past films (2018’s Madeline’s Madeline and 2020’s Shirley) and its acclaimed comedian — writer-star — Iliza Shlesinger I am expecting something funnier, more empowering and razor sharp. Available Online and In Person
The Huntress (La Cazadora)
This film -”Inspired by true events.” sounds like the kind of revenge film I can get behind. Transpiring in the border city of Juárez, Mexico, The Huntress (La Cazadora) follows Luz (Adriana Paz), a woman who is pushed to extremes by an oppressive culture of violence, intimidation, and silence. Available Online and In Person
Buddy
Now this one is not available virtually, but I had to shout it out. I loved Casper Kelly’s segment in V/H/S Halloween “Fun Size” so much, along with this premise I had to put it on my list. Buddy follows a girl and her friends who must escape a kid’s television show. With a blurb and a still(above) like that, count me in. In Person ONLY
Joybubbles
As someone who loves technology, this doc immediately grabbed me. It tells the story of Joe Engressia—also known as Joybubbles—one of the original “phone phreaks.” Born blind in an era when long-distance calls were prohibitively expensive, Engressia discovered a way to connect with the world by literally hacking the system, whistling a precise tone that unlocked the phone network and the world around him. Available Online and In Person
Ghost in the Machine
Billed as a “mind-expanding investigative essay documentary,” this film promises to dig past the buzzwords to uncover the true driving force behind the global AI boom—a high-stakes pursuit of power with sweeping philosophical, cultural, and political consequences. Available Online and In Person
Saccharine
Another in person only that grabbed me thanks to it’s over the top premise – Director Natalie Erika James offers up a film about a medical student, who is terrorized by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight loss craze: eating human ashes. In Person ONLY
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
I love Shall We Dance and Ha-Chan promises yet another love story in world of Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene. Yes please! Available Online and In Person
Night Nurse
Director Georgia Bernstein’s debut follows a starry-eyed nurse who becomes entangled with a mysterious patient as a series of perverse scam calls begins to shake up an idyllic retirement community.Available Online and In Person
