The Sundance Film Festival is upon us, as stars descend upon a small mountain resort town in Utah to celebrate independent filmmaking, raise awareness of important causes and party hard on Main Street. And the 34th edition of Sundance which starts January 18 in Park City, promises to be extra-glamorous as Usher, Robert Pattinson, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Hudson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan and more A-listers plan to stop by to promote their latest projects. Us Weekly will be there to cover it all. Until then, here’s the VIP cheat sheet to all the movies, parties and installations:
The Movies!
Lizzie — based off the infamous Lizzie Borden story stars Chloë Sevigny as the famed possible-murderer and Kristen Stewart as the family’s live-in maid, who is also Borden’s lover.
Assassination Nation — stars Bella Thorne and is about the collapse of a small town that occurs when someone starts publicly posting private social media exchanges and search histories and looks to be a bloody high school horror-comedy that some are calling a modern day Heathers.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post — set in 1993 and stars Chloë Grace Moretz as a small-town Montana high school student who is sent to conversion therapy when she is caught with another girl on prom night.
Monster — based off a YA novel about an African American Harlem teenager navigating a biased justice system boasts an amazing cast featuring Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Ehle and Tim Blake Nelson.
The Parties!
TAO’s pop is the go-to after hours spot for celebs like Kristen Stewart, Dave Franco, Joe Jonas and Diplo have all stopped by in recent years, and it’s known to get a little wild. (Think models, bottles and celebs dancing on tables.) This year it’s presented by Don Julio tequila will be open from January 19–21 with DJ sets by Mel DeBarge, the Deux Twins, Vice and DJ Politik. Meanwhile new partner Tinder will activate a heated outdoor lounge so VIPs can escape from the cold.
Afterparties for movies like Wildlife with Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan will be thrown at the Chase Sapphire on Main as well as the afterparty for I Think We Are Alone Now with Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning.
Evan Peters, Blake Jenner, Barry Keoghan’s late night afterparty for American Animals will be at the Grey Goose Blue Door lounge, which will also host the party for Yardie, Idris Elba’s directorial debut staring Garrett Hedlund, Forest Whitaker with a performance by Common.
Will.i.am and The Black Eyed Peas will be at The Kia supper suite for their A Dinner for Change, Celebrating: Masters of the Sun. Kia will be hosting several dinners for the festival’s top films and Kia will also host a benefit dinner and conversation about social injustice with Rosario Dawson and Rakim.
Celebrity chefs such as Chef Luigi Fineo, Chef Shawn McClain and several others will create five-to seven-course tasting menus for ChefDance, a nightly invite-only sit-down dinner at the Memorial building in Park City benefiting The Art of Elysium as their official charity.
The Events and Lounges!
Women power! Jane Fonda, Gloria Allred, Common and Nick Offerman are set to attend and spearhead the Respect Rally, put together by organizers of last year’s Women’s March on Main, on January 20 at 10 a.m. in Park City.
Acura returns to the 2018 Sundance Film Festival for the eighth year as a presenting sponsor and continues the more recent tradition of providing luxury MDX SUVS with private drivers to talent in town promoting their films.
Stella Artois hosts their afternoon panel series again this year and the weekend lineup features Aubrey Plaza, Emile Hirsch, Jemaine Clement, Craig Robinson and director Jim Hoskins discussing An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn; For One Magical Night Only. Stella also continues to focus on women’s issues with Women in Film events Friday and Saturday by hosting premiere afterparties for films with strong female leads like psychological thriller Lizzie Friday night and Colette starring Keira Knightly on Saturday night.
IMDBPro Studio & Celebrity Lounge will play host to several of the festivals top films including Paul Rudd’s flick The Catcher was a Spy
Lyft will be sponsoring the festival and even giving away free rides to the nation Women’s Rally being held in Park City
Aisha Tyler and Issa Rae will be co-hosting the 2nd annual “Power Women’s Cocktail Party” put on by Autograph Collection hotels at The Retreat inside Hotel Park City
Snack time! Those covering Sundance rarely find time to sit down for an actual meal, so Sapphire On Location Food Truck is partnering with Top Chef Season 10 winner, Kristen Kish, who will be making her own twists on doughnuts for festival goers.
What about football? Even sports have a home at Sundance: the DIRECTV Lodge presented by AT&T will feature huge screens to watch the playoff games and also a spiked hot chocolate station and beer, of course.
