The “Next” section at Sundance is reserved for films that push boundaries, and 2022 offered a standout that redefined the sci-fi genre on a micro-budget.
“After Yang” Kogonada’s After Yang is a quiet, meditative sci-fi film that fits perfectly alongside the festival’s themes of connection and loss. Colin Farrell plays a father whose daughter’s AI companion, Yang, malfunctions. Trying to repair him, the father discovers Yang’s memory bank, offering a window into the robot’s inner life.
It is a film about memory. What does it mean to remember? Can an AI have a meaningful life? The aesthetic is clean and minimalist, contrasting with the messy emotions of the characters. It is a slow burn, a film that asks the audience to sit with the sadness of loss. It shares DNA with Brian and Charles in its treatment of robots not as threats, but as beings capable of love and loss.
“Palm Trees and Power Lines” In the “Next” or Independent Film categories, Jamie Dack’s Palm Trees and Power Lines provided a disturbing look at grooming. This film is the darker side of the age-gap conversation. It follows a teenage girl, Lea (Lily McInerny), who falls for an older man, Tom (Jonathan Tucker).
Unlike the agency displayed by Nancy in Leo Grande, Lea is a victim. The film is subtle, showing how Tom isolates her from her friends and family. It is a difficult watch because it refuses to sensationalize the abuse. It presents it as it often happens in reality—quietly, confusingly, leaving the victim unsure of what is happening until it is too late.
Part VII: The Thematic Through-Line – Connection in Isolation
Looking back at the lineup of Sundance 2022, a distinct pattern emerges. Whether it was the high-concept horror of Fresh, the touching romance of Leo Grande, or the quirky comedy of Brian and Charles, the overwhelming theme was human connection in the face of barriers.
In Leo Grande, the barrier is shame and age. Nancy must break through her internalized societal conditioning to find intimacy. In Brian and Charles, the barrier is social awkwardness and geography. Brian lives in a remote valley, and he must build a machine to bridge the gap of his loneliness. In Navalny, the barrier is a totalitarian regime; connection is found in the collective desire for freedom. In After Yang, the barrier is the boundary between biological and artificial life.
Why did this theme resonate so strongly in 2022? It is impossible to ignore the context. The festival was held during the height of the Omicron wave. Audiences were watching these films alone, in their homes, on laptops. The very act of watching a film about people desperately trying to connect felt like a lifeline.
The “age-gap romances” discussed are not just about older women dating younger men; they are about looking outside one’s immediate circle to find understanding. They are about taking risks. The “Welsh robot” is not just about a funny machine; it is about the lengths we go to stave off solitude.
Sundance 2022 will likely be remembered as a pivot point. It was the festival where the films felt more personal, perhaps because the filmmakers had spent the lockdowns digging deep into their own psyches. There was a lack of “Hollywood gloss” to many of the selections. Even the stars (Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell, Sebastian Stan) felt grounded, stripped of their celebrity veneer.
The success of the “Welsh robot” movie is perhaps the most telling indicator. In a world of cinematic universes and IP-driven blockbusters, audiences craved something handmade. They wanted to see the strings holding up the puppet. Brian and Charles represents the indie spirit in its purest form: “I have an idea, I have some junk, let’s make a movie.”
Similarly, the frankness of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande signaled a shift in how we talk about sex on screen. It moved away from the performative, “cinematic” sex scenes of the past toward something awkward, funny, and deeply human.
Conclusion: The State of the Indie Union
As the virtual curtains closed on Sundance 2022, the acquisition deals began. Searchlight bought Fresh, Apple picked up Cha Cha Real Smooth, and Focus Features snagged Brian and Charles. The market was active, proving that streamers are hungry for content, but specifically, content that generates conversation.
The festival proved that the rumors of indie cinema’s death have been greatly exaggerated. While the theatrical model is under strain, the appetite for unique storytelling is voracious. The contrast between the sophisticated, dialogue-heavy Leo Grande and the visual, slapstick humor of Brian and Charles highlights the range of the current indie landscape.
We are in an era of “niche becoming mainstream.” A movie about a Welsh robot shouldn’t work for a global audience. A movie about an older woman talking to a sex worker for 90 minutes shouldn’t be a hit. But they were. Because beneath the specificities of their plots, they tapped into universal truths.
Sundance 2022 was a festival that asked us to look at ourselves—at our bodies, our loneliness, our desires, and our politics. It gave us age-gap romances that challenged our prejudices and robots that warmed our hearts. It reminded us that even when we are apart, cinema can bring us together. As we look ahead to the coming year in film, the echoes of Park City (virtual or not) will be felt for months to come. Whether you are in the mood for a thoughtful romance or a DIY comedy about a cabbage-obsessed automaton, the class of 2022 has you covered.
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