Over the last 35 years, The Sundance Film Festival has had an enormous impact on both the independent filmmaking landscape and the structure of Hollywood – providing a platform for writers, directors, and actors without the need to navigate the studio system. On 25th-27th April Sundance London returns to the O2 to bring the best independent film making to one of the top cultural hubs in the world. To celebrate FilmJuice looks at seven of the most notable filmmakers who made their mainstream debut at Sundance.
Christopher Nolan- Memento (2001)
Now known for his captivating re-envisioning of the batman franchise, Christopher Nolan first caught the attention of critics with his mind-bending thriller Memento. Debuting at Sundance in 2001, Memento tells the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce), a man driven by the relentless desire to avenge his wife’s brutal murder. Told through a reverse-linear viewpoint, Memento challenges the viewer’s perceptions of memory, and builds to a mind-bending conclusion. The film marked the debut of one of the most influential filmmakers of the 21st Century, and has been chosen as one of three ‘From the Collection’ of Sundance classics to be screened this year at Sundance London.
Darren Aronofsky- Pi (1998)
Director of the Oscar nominated Black Swan and the current blockbuster Noah, Aronofsky debuted his first feature film at the 1998 festival. While the film had little box office success, it highlighted Aronofsky’s talent and turned him into one of the most in-demand directors in Hollywood.
Joel and Ethan Coen- Blood Simple (1985)
With 13 Oscar nominations and four wins, the Coen brothers are perhaps the most critically acclaimed directors on this list. With Blood Simple, the brothers delivered their now iconic mix of existential comedy and film noir for the first – later refined in films such as Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and True Grit. The Coen brothers are the original Sundance success story, and helped put the festival on the map.
David O. Russell- Spanking the Monkey (1994)
David O. Russell burst onto the Sundance scene with his incestuous coming of age story, Spanking the Monkey. The film went on to win the audience award for best picture, and catapulted Russell’s career as a writer-director. With three best director nominees in the past four years—The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle—Russell is one of the most successful directors to ever come out of the festival.
Steven Soderberg- Sex, Lies, & Videotape (1989)
The poster child for the nineties’ independent film revolution, Sex, Lies, & Videotape was one of the catalysts that helped morph Sundance into the top independent film festival in the world. At its peak, the film won the Palme d’Or for best picture at Cannes and was nominated for Best Screen play at the Academy Awards, turning Soderberg into a household name in the process.
Wes Anderson- Bottle Rocket (short 1993)
Perhaps the spokesman of hipster culture and independent filmmaking, Wes Anderson was first noticed for the short Bottle Rocket that he entered in the 1993 festival. The short was a hit, and he was able to finance a full-length feature film by the same name. Since then, Anderson has captivated his faithful audience with a series of recent hits including Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Quentin Tarantino- Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Tarantino’s path to stardom is perhaps the most peculiar of any director on this list. As a high school dropout, Tarantino worked for several years as a movie store clerk. Although he had no formal film training, his script for Reservoir Dogs was so unique that he was able to enlist the help of Harvey Keitel and independently produce the film. While it came in second for the Grand Jury prize at the time, it’s widely considered the most influential Sundance film of all time. Alongside Memento and Winter’s Bone, it too will be screened as part of Sundance’s ‘From the Collection’ back catalogue.
Sundance London returns to The O2, 25-27 April. More information: http://www.sundance-london.com/