“My Father’s Dragon”
Nora Twomey of Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, who led features “The Secret of Kells” and “The Breadwinner,” is set to direct again with “My Father’s Dragon,” based on the children’s novel by Ruth Stiles Gannett. As the story goes, a little boy named Elmer Elevator searches for a captive dragon on Wild Island and finds much more than he could ever have anticipated. Considering Cartoon Saloon has produced some of the most innovative, beautiful animated films ever made, it’s safe to say you should get excited.
Release date: TBD via Netflix.
“Nanny”
Another Sundance contender, “Nanny” marks Nikyatu Jusu’s feature debut. The film follows an undocumented Senegalese immigrant named Aisha, played by Anna Diop (“Legends of Tomorrow,” “Us”), who struggles against a supernatural force as she works to bring her son to the States. Michelle Monaghan (“The Path”) and Morgan Spector (“A Vigilante”) play the wealthy Manhattanites who employ Aisha to raise their child. The Sundance program describes “Nanny” as belonging to “a singular genre all its own, with horrors specifically drawn from Aisha’s life and legacy.”
Release date: Premieres in January at Sundance, then TBD.
“Neptune Frost”
Husband and wife duo Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams made waves at Cannes 2021 with “Neptune Frost,” a musical science fiction film about “an intersex African hacker, a coltan miner and the virtual marvel born as a result of their union.” Williams, a renowned poet who first appeared at Sundance as a performer in the Grand Jury Prize-winning “Slam,” wrote the screenplay, and Cheryl Isheja, Elvis Ngabo, and rapper Kaya Free star. In an unprecedented move, Uzeyman also acts as the film’s cinematographer and co-art director. Our own Mark Asch, who saw the film at the New York Film Festival, said that “‘Neptune Frost’ bridges the gap between drum circle and rave.”
Release date: Premieres in January at Sundance, then TBD via Kino Lorber.
“The Nightingale”
Not to be confused with Jennifer Kent’s film of the same name, the prolific actor and director Mélanie Laurent may debut her second English-language film this year following last year’s French release, “The Mad Women’s Ball.” I say “may” because Sony has pushed and pushed and pushed this film on their schedule, and nixed its December 23 release date last year. Still, “The Nightingale,” an adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s bestselling novel of the same name, is an exciting enough prospect to make this list. This film not only brings Laurent’s skills to a wider audience thanks to Sony’s deal with Netflix, it also stars Elle and Dakota Fanning as sisters struggling to resist the German occupation of France during World War II.
Release date: Awards season-ish via Sony/Netflix, if the stars align.
“Night’s End”
If you’re into experimental, often queer horror, Jennifer Reeder is your gal. Her 2019 feature “Knives and Skin” competed at Berlin and she just contributed a short to “V/H/S 94,” but my queen has not stopped grinding. Her third feature, “Night’s End,” is set to debut this year. According to IMDB, it is “a Chicago ghost story about isolation,” and the cast includes Michael Shannon (“Knives Out”), Kate Arrington (“Knives and Skin”), Theo Germaine (“The Politician”), and Felonious Munk (“For Life”) – but the IMDB page is all that seems to be out right now, so it’s anybody’s guess. If the Illinois production company Crow Island Films’ Twitter is to be believed, the film was well underway last fall, and Shudder may be involved. Perhaps we’ll see this one at SXSW or Fantastic Fest before a streaming release.
Release date: TBD, perhaps via Shudder.
“Not Okay”
Quinn Shephard is an unsung queen of the indie world. Not only has she killed in supporting roles in films like “Sweet Sweet Lonely Girl” and “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” the 26-year-old directed, wrote, produced, edited and starred in her stunning directorial feature debut, “Blame,” at the ripe age of 22. Now Shephard is gearing up for her second feature, “Not Okay,” with the inimitable Zoey Deutch in the lead. Synopsis is as follows: “A misguided young woman, desperate for friends and fame, fakes a trip to Paris to update her social media presence. A terrifying incident takes place in the real world which becomes a part of the imaginary trip and offers all she wanted.” Other cast members include Dylan O’Brien (“All Too Well: The Short Film”), Nadia Alexander (“Blame”), and Sarah Yarkin (“Happy Death Day 2 U”).
Release date: TBD via Hulu.
“Palm Trees and Power Lines”
Jamie Dack’s short film “Palm Trees and Power Lines,” about a teenage girl who is betrayed by the older man she falls for, debuted at Cannes 2018. Now, she’s made it into a feature with newcomer Lily McInerny in the lead role and Jonathan Tucker (“Westworld”) opposite. The film will debut this month at Sundance. The festival describes it as “an evocative depiction of the vulnerabilities of adolescence that feels utterly relatable at every step — even as Lea and Tom’s association is revealed as something altogether darker than an ill-advised, impetuous romance.”
Release date: Premieres in January at Sundance, then TBD.
“Persuasion”
Not to be confused with the other “Persuasion,” starring Sarah Snook, that was recently scrapped, this Jane Austen adaptation has Dakota Johnson in the lead role of Anne Elliot and is backed by Netflix. National Theatre vet Carrie Cracknell will make her feature directorial debut, adapting a script by Ron Bass and Alice Victoria Winslow. The cast also includes Henry Goulding, Suki Waterhouse, and Richard E. Grant. With that kind of star power, it’s impossible not to keep an eye out for this one. Perhaps circa awards season?
Release date: TBD via Netflix.
“Phoenix Rising”
After coming out about her abusive relationship with ex Marilyn Manson last February, Evan Rachel Wood’s experience with domestic violence and feminist activism is the subject of a two-part documentary by Amy Berg (“West of Memphis”). The first part of the project, called “Phoenix Rising,” will debut at Sundance this month. The name is likely a callback to Wood’s support of the Phoenix Act, which helped expand the statute of limitations for domestic violence in the state of California. Wood’s star power is undeniable – you’ve likely seen her in “Westworld” or “True Blood,” if not “Across the Universe” or “Kajillionaire” – but it will be interesting to see this deeply personal side of her, and to learn more about domestic violence and the justice system. Plus, if anyone is up for the task, it’s Berg.
Release date: Premieres in January at Sundance, then TBD.
“Red, White and Water”
I know I’ve put this one on my lists before, but I promise Lila Neugebauer’s “Red, White and Water” is coming out this year. The Jennifer Lawrence-led story of a soldier adjusting to life back home after suffering a traumatic brain injury started shooting all the way back in 2019, but it’s finally in post-production. Bryan Tyree Henry, Samira Wiley, and Linda Emond also star, and A24 is already signed on to distribute. There has been a lot of buzz around this film in part because it marks the feature debut of Neugebauer, a renowned New York theater director, who recently flexed her muscles directing TV episodes of “Room 104,” “Maid,” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”
Release date: TBD via A24.