The 2022 Sundance Film Festival is well under way, and so far my experience has been beyond amazing. There’s so many great movies to watch, and so little time!  

My goal for today was to watch three full-length features, one of them an Israeli documentary called TANTURA, about the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the depopulation of Palestine. However, some personal business forced me to delay my watching session, and unfortunately I was only able to fit two premiere movies into the schedule.

So, without further ado, here’s my recap of Day 2 at Sundance. 

Camilla Souza and Cícero Lucas appear in MARS ONE (Marte Um) by Gabriel Martins, an official selection of the World Cinema: Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute/photo by Leonardo Feliciano.

MARTE UM (Director: Gabriel Martins)

A beautiful and quiet Brazilian production, with a heartfelt story that hit very close to home for me. It focuses on a Black working-class family, the Martins, and their challenges, dreams and hopes for the future.

The director and screenwriter, Gabriel Martins, does a fantastic job introducing each member of the family and gently guides us through their day-to-day lives. Rejane Faria, Carlos Francisco, Camilla Damião and Cícero Lucas give subtle but very powerful performances throughout the movie. 

MARTE UM also approaches themes such as economic inequality, LGBTQ+ love, mental health and generational trauma with grace and distinction. This movie is a gem and I hope more people will be talking about it as the year goes by.

Regina Hall appears in MASTER by Mariama Diallo, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

MASTER (Director: Mariama Diallo)

A satisfying horror movie with a very strong and poignant cinematographic point-of-view. The director and screenwriter, Mariama Diallo, knew what she wanted to accomplish with this particular story and how to heighten the conversations around racism, slavery, religion and mental health.

Regina Hall and Zoe Renee give solid performances as Gail Bishop, the first Black master at the fictional and predominantly white Ancaster University, and Jasmine Moore, bright first-year student and one of the only people of color on the campus.

It is unfortunate that the story feels incomplete, however it was so intense and visually interesting that I could not stop watching it. It is definitely worth everyone’s time.