THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FILMS OF 2017 SUNDANCE FESTIVAL: VOL. 1

We’re excited about this year’s selection of films at the 2017 Sundance Festival! The Festival kicks off this week in Park City Utah. And we are there!

Today we  are sharing the 1st batch of Sundance films, curated by the BN Team. We’ve curated for beauty, of course. And we mean beauty in every form and capacity. Check out them out  below.

1. NUTAG -- HOMELAND

Nutag- Homeland, an animated film, by visual artist, filmmaker, and animator Alisi Telengut is a hand-painted visual poem that explores the ideas of diaspora, homeland, and the mass deportations of the Kalmyk people, living in the autonomous republic of Kalmykia on the western shore of the Caspian Sea, in Russia, during World War II.

Telengut’s most recent, painterly films have received multiple awards from around the world.

2. FRANTZ

Frantz, a debut film by French filmmaker Francois Ozon, is a beautiful love story, set in World War I.  Anna, played by Paula Beer,  gets entangled in a mystery as she mourns the death of her fiancé, a German soldier, named Frantz, when a stranger comes to lay flowers at his grave.

Beautifully shot, in moody black & white, an ephemeral love triangle plays out with a ghost as one lover, a living passionate woman as another, and a mysterious third.

3. THE DISCOVERY

The Discovery, a metaphysical thriller, directed by Charlie McDowell, looks at life after death, as if there was proof. World-renowned physicist Dr. Thomas Harber (Robert Redford) scientifically prove the existence of an afterlife—but with dire consequences. His estranged son, Will (Jason Segel) crosses paths with Isla (Rooney Mara), and mysteries unfold.

4. THE INCREDIBLE JESSICA JAMES

The Incredible Jessica James, a new film written and directed by Jim Strouse, tells the story of Jessica James, played by Jessica Williams (of The Daily Show fame).

James, an aspiring playwright in New York City, is trying hard to get over a recent breakup with her boyfriend. Her blues turn to blue skies when she meets Boone (Chris O’Dowd) who is also just getting over a heartbreak.

5. POP AYE

Tag along on a beautiful road trip with a man and an elephant in Pop Aye, a debut film directed by Kirsten Tan. Thana, a once-successful architect, dives into into an existential when one of his prize buildings is slated for demolition and, to make matters worse, his wife loses romantic interest.

One day, out of the blue, Thana discovers his long-lost childhood pet elephant Pop Aye, performing in the streets of Bangkok. He sets out on a journey across Thailand to return Pop Aye to rural Loei, the small village where they grew up. The trip is magical, heartwarming, and soulful, with beautiful cinematography to keep you moving in joy.

6. AND SO WE PUT GOLDFISH IN THE POOL

Surprise! 400 goldfish were found in the swimming pool of a secondary school! And So We Put Goldfish in the Pool, directed by Makoto Nagahisa, tells the story about the four 15-year-old girls who put them there.

7. ABSTRACT: THE ART OF DESIGN

Abstract: The Art of Design, a new film series by Academy Award & Grammy Award winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville, examines the intersection of art, design, and science. The first episode features graphic illustrator Christoph Niemann, who gives us a rush of wit and creativity as he takes on the task of presenting serious challenging subjects so that they can move us all.

Read more about Beautiful New Stories this week.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Courtesy of Sundance Resort. Provo, Utah.
2. Image: Courtesy of Alisi Telengut Productions. Nutag - Homeland, directed by Alisi Telengut.
3. Image: Courtesy of Music Box Films. Frantz, directed by Francois Ozon.
4. Image: Courtesy of Netflix. The Discovery, directed by Charlie McDowell.
5. Image: Courtesy of Beachside Films. The Incredible Jessica James, directed by Jim Strouse.
6. Image: Courtesy of Giraffe Pictures. Pop Aye, directed by Kirsten Tan.
7. Image: Courtesy of Giraffe Pictures. Pop Aye, directed by Kirsten Tan.
8. Image: Courtesy of Gala Collection. And So We Put Goldfish in the Pool, directed by Makoto Nagahisa.
9. Image: Courtesy of Netflix. Abstract: The Art of Design, directed by Morgan Neville.
10. Image: Courtesy of Alisi Telengut Productions. Nutag - Homeland, directed by Alisi Telengut.
11. Image: Courtesy of Giraffe Pictures. Pop Aye, directed by Kirsten Tan.
12. Image: by BN App - Download now!
13. Image: by Travis Wise. “Sundance Film Festival.”