10 Premieres and NEXT Films to See at Sundance Film Festival 2026
The festival is from January 22 to February 1.
For almost five decades, the Sundance Film Festival has fostered hundreds of filmmakers, storytellers, and media artists every year. This year, they’re back again in Salt Lake City to feature dramatic and documentary features, short films, episodic content, daily filmmaker conversations, panel discussions, and events. This year, we chose ten premieres and NEXT films that we’re looking forward to at this year’s festivals. These films include first-time showings and independent films that transcend any budget, genre, or concept. Check out our picks below.
Antiheroine
Courtney Love shares her story as a singer, songwriter, actor, and lover. Tickets here.
THE DISCIPLE
Director Joanna Natasegara tells the story of the Wu-Tang Clan, their album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, and Dutch-Moroccan rapper and producer Cilvaringz. Tickets here.
Frank & Louis
Life-serving prisoner Frank is assigned to work a prison job caring for a fellow inmate, Louis, who has Alzheimer’s. Tickets here.
If I Go Will They Miss Me
12-year-old Lil Ant yearns to find a role model as he struggles to connect with his family. A group of boys who drift cars changes Lil Ant’s perspective on relationships. Tickets here.
Jane Elliott Against the World
A rural Iowa teacher becomes an educational icon as she spends her entire life and career speaking on racism, history, power, and more. Tickets here.
Jaripeo
Rural rodeos in Michoacán unveil hypermasculinity and hidden queer self-expression, desire, and belonging beyond traditions. Tickets here.
Once Upon A Time In Harlem
The late filmmaker William Greaves and his son co-directed a film that relives a 1972 party of Harlem Renaissance icons. Tickets here.
TheyDream
Puerto Rican director William David Caballero navigates through his family’s love and losses by using animation to bring his family back to life. Tickets here.
Troublemaker
Recordings of Nelson Mandela recount the struggle against apartheid as he wrote his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. Tickets here.
When A Witness Recants
Director Dawn Porter and author Ta-Nehisi Coates examine the case of Baltimore teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of a murder. Tickets here.
