We're excited announce that several films by TEC alums and teachers made it into Sundance Film Festival's 2019 lineup!
Halston | Editor Elia Gasull Balada (TEC Alum/Teacher)
Halston tells the story of a complicated man—in both his craft and his business decisions—from the mouths of those who knew the man best. Frédéric Tcheng, a great documentarian of fashion luminaries like Valentino, Diana Vreeland, and Raf Simons, takes an unconventional approach to the bio-doc by creating a narrative (starring Tavi Gevinson, a fashion icon of a different generation) through which to frame the story of this enigmatic designer, which allows Tcheng to delve deeper into this comprehensive exploration of the designer’s rise, fall, and enduring influence.
Hail Satan | Editor Amy Foote (TEC Alum/Teacher)
Brandishing their sharply honed cinematic swords, director Penny Lane and producer Gabriel Sedgwick strike a cunning balance between cheeky, brazen entertainment and defiantly serious storytelling in this wickedly topical documentary that bares its horns to speak truth to power.
The Mountain | Editor Michael Taylor (TEC Alum)
Alverson, known for his grim, hypnotic body of work, has crafted another cryptic odyssey through the backroads of America. Pushing his peculiar vision to new heights of design, sound, and story, he captures another standout performance from Tye Sheridan while mixing things up with new players like Jeff Goldblum, Denis Lavant, and Udo Kier.
The Farewell | Editor Michael Taylor (TEC Alum)
A heartfelt celebration of both the way we perform family and the way we live it, The Farewell masterfully interweaves a gently humorous depiction of the good lie in action with a thoughtful exploration of how our cultural heritage does and does not travel with us when we leave our homes. Writer/director Lulu Wang imbues The Farewell with warmth and knowing wit, while the uniformly excellent ensemble cast (anchored by a breakout performance by Awkwafina) invites us to share this extended clan’s joy and sorrow—and to feel, for the length of this remarkable film, like a part of their family.
Selah and The Spades | Editor Kate Abernathy (TEC Alum)
In her feature debut, writer/director Tayarisha Poe immerses us in a heightened depiction of teenage politics. This searing character study encapsulates just how intoxicating power can be for a teenage girl who acutely feels the threat of being denied it. Exciting newcomer Lovie Simone’s performance beautifully embodies both Selah’s publicly impeccable command and the internal fears and uncertainty that drive it.
Suicide by Sunlight | Editor Marina Katz (TEC Alum)
Valentina, a day-walking black vampire protected from the sun by her melanin, is forced to restrain her bloodlust to regain custody of her estranged daughters.
The Wolf Hour | First Assistant Editor Katrina Pastore (TEC Alum)
With Hitchcockian tautness, writer-director Alistair Banks Griffin flawlessly captures the style and texture of the 1970s and the interior unraveling of a woman who, like her city, is teetering on a knife-edge. Naomi Watts’s astonishing performance is that of an antihero racked with paralyzing anxiety. In this eerily resonant allegory for our times, she is, like all of us, weighing her actions in a world on the brink of collapse.