London calling: Everything we know about Sundance London 2018

Featuring UK premieres of some of the most highly anticipated independent movies of the year, the UK offshoot of Robert Redford’s Utah based film festival will be kicking off for an extended weekend of cinema. Taking place across four days from May 31st until June 3rd at Picturehouse Central on Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of London’s West End Sundance London is open to the general public and Picturehouse members.

Of course, we know that what you’re really interested in knowing is the line-up and schedule for this year’s spectacular festival and so you should . Having picked the cream of the crop from the January programme in Utah, the Sundance London line-up is an absolutely doozy you won’t want to miss out on. That includes yet another surprise screening (after the success of the surprise screening of Patti Cake$ in 2017) where the movie will ultimately remain a mystery until the opening credits roll.

Here’s the rest of the movies, events, and special presentations you won’t want to miss at this year’s festival.

Main features

Hereditary

Friday June 1st (6:30pm), Saturday June 2nd (9pm)

The European premiere of Ari Aster’s critically acclaimed horror will likely be drawing fans of the genre in their droves. Starring Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) and Gabriel Byrne (The Usual Suspects), the film follows an unravelling family haunted by increasingly terrifying revelations about their ancestry.

First Reformed

Friday June 1st (6:30pm), Friday June 1st (6:45pm), Saturday June 2nd (5:30pm)

Starring Ethan Hawke (Training Day) and Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls), Paul Schrader’s intriguing thriller has received rave reviews across the board for its tense depiction of a priest grappling with mounting despair.

Generation Wealth

Saturday June 2nd (8:15pm), Saturday June 2nd (8:30pm), Saturday June 3rd (11:45am)

Sundance London will be hosting the UK premiere of Lauren Greenfield’s (The Queen of Versailles) acclaimed investigation of the human costs of late stage capitalism and the corruption of the American Dream.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Saturday June 2nd (6:30pm), Saturday 2nd June (6:45pm), Saturday June 3rd (2pm)

Featuring a bold young cast including Chloë Grace Moretz (Let Me In), Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty), and Sasha Lane (American Honey), Desiree Akhavan’s 90’s set movie follows a teenage girl forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative parents. The film won the US’ Grand Jury Prize for Drama in January when it debuted at Sundance making this UK premiere a must-see experience.

Leave No Trace

Saturday June 3rd (7pm), Saturday June 3rd (7:25pm)

Debra Granik’s drama follows a father (Ben Foster) and his thirteen year old daughter (Thomasin Mckenzie) as they’re pushed out of their idyllic existence in a vast urban park and endure an increasingly erratic journey in a search for some kind of home.

Half the Picture

Friday June 1st (6:45pm), Saturday June 3rd (5:40pm)

Featuring a number of notable industry women including Ava DuVernay (A Wrinkle in Time), Jamie Babbit (But I’m a Cheerleader), and Jill Soloway (Transparent), the international premiere of Amy Adrion’s timely documentary explores female filmmakers in Hollywood. The documentary investigates the dismal number of female directors in the industry, using the current EEOC investigation into discriminatory hiring practices as a framework to talk a variety of women about their careers, struggles, and hopes for the future.

Eighth Grade

Saturday June 2nd (7:45pm), Saturday June 2nd (8pm), Saturday June 3rd (4:30pm)

One of the most buzzed about movies of 2018 comes courtesy of Bo Burnham and his tender and witty portrait of a teenager trying to make it through the final week of her disastrous eighth grade year before high school. UK premiere.

An Evening with Beverly Buff Linn

Saturday June 2nd (10pm), Saturday June 2nd (10:15pm), Saturday June 3rd (5:30pm)

Boasting a cast including Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West), Jemaine Clement (What We Do in the Shadows), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), and Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine), Jim Hosking’s irreverent comedy sees a young woman realizing her unsatisfying marriage is about to get a whole lot worse when a mysterious man from her past comes to town to perform a one night only show.

The Tale

Thursday May 31st (7pm), Thursday May 31st (7:15pm), Saturday June 2nd (3:40pm)

Jennifer Fox’s drama caused shockwaves when it premiered at Sundance in January and has continued to divide critics for its controversial scenes. Starring Laura Dern (Enlightened) as a woman forced to re-examine her first sexual relationship, the movie explores the nature of memory and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. UK premiere. An investigation into one woman’s memory as she is forced to re-examine her first sexual relationship and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.

Skate Kitchen

Saturday June 2nd (5pm), Saturday June 3rd (2:45pm)

Starring Jaden Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness), Rachelle Vinberg (The One), and Ardelia Lovelace (That One Day), Crystal Moselle’s compelling teen drama centers around a lonely suburban teenager who discovers freedom and friendship when she meets a group of girl skateboarders.

Never Goin’ Back

Friday June 1st (10pm), Saturday June 3rd (12pm), Saturday June 3rd (12:15pm)

The international premiere of Augustine Frizzell’s rambunctious dramedt follows two high school dropouts enduring a series of bad luck as the universe appears to be conspiring against their plans to chill out on the beach for a whole week.

Yardie

Friday June 1st (9:30pm), Sunday June 3rd (5pm)

Based on Victor Headley’s novel and directed by Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Yardie follows a young boy trying to escape his dark past after witnessing his brother’s assassination as a child. Starring Aml Ameen (Kidulthood), Stephen Graham (This Is England), and Shantol Jackson, the movie is Elba’s first film as a director.

Special events

The Big Culture Shift: What’s Next

Friday June 1st (4:30pm)

Featuring panelists Amy Adrion, Jordan McGarry, and Eva Yates this talk with see representatives of the UK’s major film funders discussing what needs to be done to make the industry more representative of society.

Art of the Real – The Intersection between Documentary and Fiction

Saturday June 3rd (3:20pm)

Jennifer Fox, Lauren Greenfield, and Crystal Moselle will discuss their various works being screened at the festival while examining how boundaries can be blurred between fictional filmmakers and documentaries.

Triple Threat – Three Major Filmmakers In Conversation

Saturday June 2nd (4pm)

Fox will also be talking at this event alongside Debra Granik and Desiree Akhavan to provide an insightful discussion about their respective careers and filmmaking processes.

Make ‘Em Laugh Comedy Film Masterclass

Sunday June 3rd (2pm)

Comedian and filmmaker Bo Burnham will be sharing his advice on how to make fresh and unique comedy while divulging insight about what inspires him, his creative process, and cracking the tough nut of making a room laugh.

Short Film Program

Friday June 1st (2:45pm)
The 91 minute theatrical program will showcase seven short films selected from January’s festival. And is widely respected for being the premier showreel for short films and a critical launch pad for modern independent filmmakers.