Sundance Daily: A Special Edition of the Wide Shot
Welcome to a special Sundance Daily edition of the Wide Shot, a newsletter about the business of entertainment. As we conclude our Sundance dispatches, we reflect on the exciting events that took place in Park City, Utah. With a high of 36 degrees on a notably sunny day, the atmosphere was perfect for deal-making and movie-watching.
We’ve been hearing rumors about distributors circling both Olivia Wilde’s “The Invite” and the provocative “Josephine,” the latter of which is gaining critical acclaim at the festival. Our team has had the opportunity to speak with a range of fascinating stars and directors, including Ethan Hawke, Salman Rushdie, Billie Jean King, and Brittney Griner, among others. You can check out our videos here as we make them live.
What We’re Watching Today
One of the standout films we’ve seen is “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass,” directed by David Wain. The movie stars Zoey Deutch as a Kansas hairdresser who travels to Los Angeles to sleep with her idol, Jon Hamm, after her fiancé cheats on her with his “hall pass.” With a talented cast, including John Slattery and Ken Marino, this film is a giddy lampoon of “The Wizard of Oz” that promises to leave audiences laughing.
Miles Gutierrez-Riley, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Zoey Deutch, and Ben Wang in the movie “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass.” (Sundance Institute)
Another Standout Film: “Chasing Summer”
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger writes and stars in “Chasing Summer,” directed by Josephine Decker. The movie follows Jamie, a woman who returns to her parents’ house in a small Texas town after losing her job and boyfriend. As she navigates her past and present, Jamie enjoys an affair with a much-younger man and possibly rekindles an old flame. With Shlesinger’s bawdy humor and Decker’s explorations of female interiority, this film is a surprisingly good match.
Iliza Shlesinger stars in the movie “Chasing Summer.” (Eric Branco / Summer 2001 LLC / Sundance Institute)
