Four Australian productions have been selected to premiere at the prestigious 2025 Sundance Film Festival: two drama features, Sophie Hyde’s Jimpa and Michael Shanks’ Together, and the documentary series Never Get Busted! created by David Anthony Ngo and Erin Williams-Weir, as well as short film Stranger, Brother from writer-director Annelise Hickey.
Both Jimpa and Never Get Busted! originated in South Australia, while horror relationship drama Together was shot in Melbourne’s Docklands. All three productions feature strong international connections in their stories, cast and financing.
Held in Utah early each year, the Sundance Film Festival is a high profile outing for many Australian productions and has a history of launching Australian works into the US market including the phenomenally successful debut from Danny and Michael Philippou, Talk to Me in 2023, Scott Hicks’ Shine in 1996 and The Babadook in 2014. A history of Australian titles at Sundance is available via the Screen Australia website here.
Jimpa from SA’s Closer Productions, directed by Sophie Hyde and starring Olivia Colman, John Lithgow and Aud Mason-Hyde, was shot in Adelaide and Amsterdam earlier this year. It will have its world premiere in the Sundance Premiere section and marks Hyde’s fourth Sundance outing following Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022), Animals (2019) and her feature debut 52 Tuesdays (2014) for which she was awarded Best Director, World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
ScreenHub: Animals director Sophie Hyde on character, rehearsal and bestie power
Jimpa was written by Matthew Cormack and Sophie Hyde (co-creators of 52 Tuesdays), produced by Liam Heyen (Mad Ones Films), Sophie Hyde, Bryan Mason and Marleen Slot with co-producer Cyna Strachan. It was supported by both the SAFC and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF).
Jimpa tells of Hannah (Olivia Colman) who takes her nonbinary teenager, Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde), to Amsterdam to visit their gay grandfather, Jim (John Lithgow) – lovingly known as Jimpa. But Frances’ desire to stay abroad with Jimpa for a year means Hanna is forced to reconsider her beliefs about parenting and finally confront old stories about the past.
The film also stars Daniel Henshall, Kate Box, Eamon Farren, Cody Fern, Tilda Cobham Hervey, Deborah Kennedy, Zoë Love Smith, Romana Vrede, Jean Jannsens, Frank Sanders and Bryn Chapman Parish.
Sophie Hyde said: ‘I’m thrilled to be returning to Sundance and I can’t wait to show the work of our talented creative team including Olivia, John, Aud and all of our beautiful ensemble cast.’
*Australian writer-director Michael Shanks’ Together will have its world premiere in the Midnight section. An Australian production, it was filmed at Melbourne’s Docklands Studio and stars real-life partners Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a not-so-young couple who move out to the country and have a supernatural encounter. The film also stars Damon Herriman and was produced by Princess Pictures along with Picturestart, Tango and 1.21.
South Australian documentary Never Get Busted! from Projector Films will premiere as one of only three titles selected for the Sundance Episodic section. It follows Barry Cooper, a highly decorated Texas narcotics officer – until he turned on the police force by busting crooked cops and teaching drug users how to hide their stash.
Short film Stranger, Brother has also been selected and will make its world premiere in the International Shorts Section. From writer/director Annelise Hickey and producers Tessa Mansfield-Hung and Josie Baynes, the film stars Tiaki Teremoana, Samson Uili, Charly Thorn and Patrick Livesey. It follows self-absorbed and lonely millennial Adam, who wakes one morning to find his estranged half-brother on his doorstep. Adam must then face the family he’s been running away from.
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival will run from 23 January – 2 February 2025. The full program can be found here.
*This article has been updated to correct an error stating that Michael Shanks was Canadian and Together was an Australia-US co-production. Short film Stranger Brother has also been added.
