The Katch team was on the ground at the 40th Anniversary of the iconic Sundance Film Festival. The fest featured eclectic and fantastic narrative and non-narrative features that bonded beyond their storytelling differences. Of course, Katch was there to sort through the significant trends that were found. While the traits that aligned ranged from musical scores to brooding characters, one area in particular stood out.
In a bevy of ways, the stories this year focused on the power of relationships. Whether through family, friends, romance, or one’s self, unity in companionship was a relevant and captivating component.
Blood runs deep. A story of family was frequently present, from cousins in A Real Pain, mothers and daughters in Suncoast and Girls Will Be Girls, a grandma in Thelma, to siblings and a father in A New Kind of Wilderness. Specifically, the parent-child dynamic was focused on in Suncoast, A New Kind of Wilderness, Girls Will Be Girls, and Good One, further exemplifying the familial hold that this year’s slate had.
When it came to love and friendships, these were also blooming. Skywalkers: A Love Story and Between the Temples highlighted unique flourishings between couples, while Thelma and Suncoast had unexpected acquaintances that were impactful.
Another element that arrived with frequency was the Story of Self-Discovery.
From youth to adulthood, it is present within A Real Pain, Suncoast and Between the Temples, Agent of Happiness, Kneecap, and even Skywalkers: A Love Story, as various, individual stories all connect as each looks to find their path.
From dramas to wondrous documentaries, relationships were a routinely revisited theme at this year’s fest, showing during this holiday of togetherness that connection always trends.
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