10 Films to Stream at Home During the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

By Natalia Keogan  |  January 23, 2025 | 1:15pm
Movies Lists Sundance Film Festival
10 Films to Stream at Home During the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
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As the discourse over 2024 “best of” lists finally starts to simmer down–you can check out Paste‘s 50 best of 2024 now–it’s time to gear up for Sundance’s 2025 edition, which will undoubtedly premiere films that we’ll have fun arguing about just 11 short months from now. So continues the cycle of rabid cinephilia.

Although the festival featured a completely streamable slate in some recent years past, it’s clear that its focus has shifted back to prioritizing in-person attendance. Nevertheless, all titles in this year’s competition sections (i.e. NEXT, U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic and World Cinema Documentary) will be available for the public to view via an online ticket purchase to Sundance’s streaming platform between January 29 and February 2. Granted, some films in other categories are also available to stream, as the filmmaker ultimately decides if they’re game to opt-in for an online audience. As in previous years, the cost of a ticket has again increased—now $35 compared to last year’s $25—but this is still drastically more accessible than venturing to chilly Utah for the sole purpose of filmgoing. As ever, the screeners cater to the movie superfans among us.

Owing to the privilege of pre-festival screenings and screeners (as well as some trusted word of mouth from other critics), below is a list of recommended Sundance ‘25 titles to stream from the comfort of home; snowy conditions around the country also means that one can essentially DIY the Park City experience, save for the altitude sickness.

Note: This list originally contained director Kahlil Joseph’s anticipated multimedia film BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions, competing in the Sundance NEXT section, until the film was suddenly and shockingly withdrawn by its own studio, Participant this week.

Bunnylovr

The feature debut from writer-director Katarina Zhu is among one of the fest’s buzziest titles this year, likely due to the involvement of producer-performer Rachel Sennott. Zhu stars as Rebecca, a cam girl who rekindles a connection to her father (Perry Yung) after she learns of his terminal illness. As she grapples with the familial baggage old and new, she also cautiously navigates an e-suiter (Austin Amelio) and seeks the support of her best friend (Sennott, in a characteristically crass, comedic role). With the critical dissection of Anora’s depiction of sex work still fresh, it’ll be interesting to see how Zhu’s film measures up in comparison.

By Design

Amanda Kramer, the delightfully avant-garde and irreverent filmmaker behind Please Baby Please and Give Me Pity!, returns to the festival with By Design. Juliette Lewis plays Camille, a woman whose life is ruled by relationships that provide no personal nourishment. Her self-centered best friends, selfishly domineering mother and non-existent love life all contribute to a seemingly incurable loneliness. During one of her dreary shopping trips with the girls, Camille becomes immediately enamored with a fastidiously-crafted chair. It’s decidedly out of her price range, but her intense devotion causes her conscious mind to ditch her vessel of flesh for one of sturdy wood. As her body lies motionless in her apartment and her soul inhabits an inanimate object, it soon becomes apparent that everyone prefers this dynamic much more—particularly Camille, who is gifted to a handsome pianist named Olivier (Mamoudou Athie).

Predators

An exploration of the culture that produced and consumed the hit television program To Catch a Predator, director David Osit’s documentary is dually fascinated and repulsed by the true crime content mill. Although this specific show eventually came off the air, the social sentiment of crime and punishment, humiliation and victimhood, continues to germinate. Even now, certain online personalities have made a name for themselves as modern-day, would-be Chris Hansens, entrapping would-be pedophiles who believe they’re meeting with an underage date. Clearly, viewers still relish in vigilantism toward sexual degenerates, making Osit’s film vital viewing for those intrigued by an analysis of the ethical backbone (or lack thereof) and legacy of this reality TV spectacle. During the process, Osit manages to point the finger at his own project, hypothesizing if this film, too, is capitalizing off of the pain and trauma of others.

Didn’t Die

As the year’s only Midnight title available to watch at home, writer-director Meera Menon’s latest film simply had to be included on this list. The filmmaker, who herself directed episodes of The Walking Dead franchise, crafts her own spin on the zombie sub-genre while also commenting on the country’s “post”-COVID landscape. Set during the aftermath of an apocalyptic outbreak of “biters,” the film follows Vinita (Kiran Deol), a podcast host who continues to create content despite a shrinking listener base of survivors. Shot in black and white and clearly riffing on Romero, Didn’t Die sells itself as a horror-comedy bolstered by incisive social critique geared toward the collective denial of an ongoing healthcare crisis.

OBEX

I quite enjoyed Strawberry Mansion, the previous feature from Albert Birney, which he co-helmed with indie heavyweight Kentucker Audley. Although that film is steeped in a sense of experimental maximalism and cluttered with enchanting props, OBEX opts for a pared-down visual approach that is still highly inventive and thoroughly engaging. Acting as sole director, Birney shares screenwriting, producing and editing duties with Pete Ohs (the filmmaker behind Jethica and the forthcoming Charli XCX feature Erupcja) to tell the story of a man named Conor Marsh (Birney) circa 1987. A homebody who makes ends meet by making early-computer portraits from photo references, Conor spends his days watching a trove of VHS tapes and lounging with his beloved dog Sandy (played by Dolores, a “very good girl,” per Birney). Everything changes when Conor receives OBEX, a brand new computer game in the mail, which slowly begins to seep into his waking life. Or is it the other way around? Either way, Conor must spring into uncharacteristic action in order to save Sandy from OBEX’s pixelated demonic villain.

Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)

It’s going to be hard for any film at this year’s Sundance to top Joel Alfonso Vargas’ incredible and assured feature debut, at least in my opinion. Featuring a cast of non-professional actors and long takes that unfold within a static frame, it feels miraculous that the film works at all, let alone that it boasts impeccable naturalism and aesthetic rigor to boot. Set in the Bronx, Vargas’ hometown, over the course of a sweltering summer, the film follows Rico (Juan Collado), a 19-year-old who sells “nutcracker” cocktails on the scorching sands of Orchard Beach. Life gets even more complicated when he gets 16-year-old Destiny (Destiny Checo) pregnant, resulting in her moving into the cramped apartment that Rico shares with his mother (Yohanna Florentino) and 17-year-old sister (Nathaly Navarro). Hardship and hilarity ensue, with both sensitivities adeptly intertwined to craft what’s arguably the most verite narrative feature I’ve ever encountered.

Seeds

Another feature debut from an already confident and competent filmmaker, Seeds was largely undertaken as a one-person effort by Brittany Shyne. Acting as the project’s single cinematographer, Shyne examines the generational legacy of Black farmers in the American South, namely Georgia and Mississippi, and the increasing difficulty for Black residents in these states to own and cultivate land. Shot in stark black and white, Shyne’s gaze is most interested in moments that may initially seem mundane, but coalesce into a striking portrait of a dwindling community.

Selena y Los Dinos

Made with the participation of the Quintanilla family, Isabel Castro’s sophomore feature crafts an intimate portrait of pop sensation Selena through their comprehensive and rich personal archive. The documentary’s title pays tribute to the family band that championed the “Queen of Tejano Music” well before she became a global sensation. In carefully digitized videos, Selena herself constantly gushes about the band—featuring her sister Suzette on drums, producer brother A.B., husband Chris on guitar and Abraham, her protective father, as de facto manager—and cites their involvement as the key to her commercial success. Those unfamiliar with the Mexican-American musician’s catalogue will gain a comprehensive primer, while longtime fans are sure to discover rare clips of interviews, performances and media appearances. In any case, the film tactfully engages with Selena’s legacy, even if the project was no doubt spurred by the approaching 30th anniversary of the singer’s death on March 31 of this year. Fans will want to make time for this tribute at Sundance 2025.

Sunfish (& Other Stories on the Green Lake)

An executive producer credit from Joanna Hogg (The Souvenir) is, admittedly, what immediately made this a personal must-watch at this year’s Sundance festival. The feature debut from writer-director Sierra Falconer revolves around several folks who live on and around the titular Green Lake and whose storylines gradually intersect. Falconer only graduated with an MFA in film directing from UCLA this past year, and the project—composed of four distinct storylines—was completed as part of her studies. The leap from recent Masters recipient to Sundance invitee alone solidifies Sunfish as something to seek out.

The Things You Kill

Writer-director Alireza Khatami follows his Cannes-premiering 2022 film Terrestrial Verses with The Things You Kill, the first film from the Iranian-American filmmaker to premiere at Sundance. His third feature similarly converges at the intersection of power and identity, this time employing a Turkish cast to interrogate the psychological pitfalls of adhering to patriarchal ideals. More specifically, the film follows a university professor who conscripts a local gardener into an act of brutal vengeance. While plot details remain vague, The Things You Kill is easily one of the most-hyped World Cinema Dramatic titles on offer at the festival’s 2025 edition.

Natalia Keogan is a freelance writer and editor with a concerted focus on independent film. Her interviews and criticism have appeared in Filmmaker Magazine, Reverse Shot, Backstage Magazine, SlashFilm, Blood Knife and Daily Grindhouse, among others. She lives in Queens, New York with her large orange cat. Find her on Twitter @nataliakeogan

 
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