The movies at Sundance Film FestivalThe final appearance in Park City, Utah, was perfectly aligned with the event's theme, honoring independent film through well-known actors in demanding roles, unusual portrayals of youth, and engaging documentaries.
We'll need to check if any of this year's selections meet the standard ofSundance's greatest hits, films such as "Get Out," "Clerks" and the best picture winner "CODA." However, the 2026 festival was dominated by "Josephine," a family drama that received two significant awards, the U.S. dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. dramatic audience award, and features Channing Tatum's finest performance to date.
As we await Sundance's move to Coloradoin 2027, these are the top 10 films we viewed at this year's festival, listed in order:
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10. 'Public Access'
In the 1970s, the chaotic New York public TV channels were akin to the internet before the internet existed, making public access popular long before "Wayne's World." David Shadrack Smith's captivating documentary explores how the shows' unstructured format captured the attention of audiences (and even brought in notable personalities like Debbie Harry), leading to free-speech debates while also establishing a significant cultural center for the gay community.
9. 'Carousel'
Separated physician Noah (Chris Pine) has not encountered his childhood love Rebecca (Jenny Slate) for many years after she left for Washington, DC. Upon her return to their Ohio hometown and taking on the role of debate coach for Noah's daughter, they choose to rekindle their relationship. However, the time they've been apart and family challenges pose difficulties, leading to the resurgence of past issues for this charming couple in a well-crafted romantic film exploring love and reunion.
8. 'Bedford Park'
A romantic drama that received a special jury award for best first feature, centers on physical therapist Audrey (Moon Choi) returning to her hometown to assist her mother's recovery following a car accident. She forms an unexpected friendship with Eli (Son Sukku), the mall security guard responsible for the accident. With his vehicle out of commission, Audrey begins driving him to work and school, leading to a growing bond between them as Audrey confronts her troubled past and Eli deals with his questionable history.
7. 'Hot Water'
A gonzo road-trip dramedy features Lubna Azabal as a Lebanese college lecturer who embarks on a journey with her hockey-obsessed teenage son (Daniel Zolghadri) from Indiana to California to stay with her ex after the boy is expelled from school. Mother and son reconnect in a way they haven't for some time as she tackles a family matter back home, and the unconventional pair encounter a range of bizarre events, including a particularly foul-smelling hitchhiker and a nudist community.
6. 'Extra Geography'
A witty high school comedy follows Minna (Galaxie Clear) and Flic (Marni Duggan), outstanding students and inseparable friends at a girls' boarding school in Britain. To become more experienced, the two choose to attempt a romantic relationship.and to try out for a performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." However, their friendship faces significant challenges when they both compete for the attention of their geography teacher (Alice Englert) and end up with very different parts in the play.
5. 'Broken English'
This heartfelt homage to Marianne Faithfull offers a response to dull rock documentaries and lackluster music biopics. Tilda Swinton and George MacKay portray members of a fictional Ministry of Not Forgetting who trace Faithfull's six-decade-long career and demonstrate that the singer and actress was far more than just Mick Jagger's girlfriend. Primarily shot beforeher death last year, the film allows Faithfull to reflect on her high-profile life and perform one final song with Nick Cave.
4. 'Run Amok'
Meg (Alyssa Marvin) experienced the tragic loss of her art teacher mother during a severe school shooting. A decade later, with support from her lacrosse-playing cousin, Penny (Sophia Torres), Meg is committed to staging a high school musical that recreates those critical six minutes. As she delves into the project, she gains new viewpoints − including the perspective of the shooter, which causes concern for music teacher Mr. Shelby (Patrick Wilson) − in this reflective teen dramedy.
3. 'The Incomer'
Domhnall Gleeson features in the surreal comedy as Daniel, a shy government employee who travels to a secluded Scottish island to inform the solitary residents that they must relocate. The devoted Isla (Gayle Rankin) and her childlike brother Sandy (Grant O'Rourke) have lived there their whole lives and are unwilling to depart easily. As this foolish trio spend time together, both emotions and perspectives shift in an entertainingly silly storyline that delves into family, imagination, and traditional tales.
2. 'Rock Springs'
A unique horror film that blends bizarre family dynamics with a sorrowful historical narrative. After the passing of her husband, Emily (Kelly Marie Tran) relocates her young daughter and Chinese mother-in-law to a coal mining town in Wyoming. Both the mother and child must confront a sinister force surrounding them while dealing with personal ghosts in a location tainted by racism and a violent massacre.
1. 'Josephine'
A compelling family drama explores a parent's deepest fear and the loss of childhood innocence. An 8-year-old girl (Mason Reeves) and her father (Channing Tatum) are at a park for a soccer game when she sees a young woman being assaulted. Following this, the child displays troubling behavior and asks difficult questions, leaving both parents (Gemma Chan) unsure how to support her when she is required to give testimony in a court trial. Reeves delivers an emotionally powerful performance, Tatum showcases his peak acting ability, and Philip Ettinger excels as the attacker, who takes on a ghostly presence in the child's mind.
This piece was first published on USA TODAY:The top 10 films we watched at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, listed in order
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