10 BEAUTIFUL STORIES OF MIND & BODY @ SUNDANCE NOW

Today, as we come to the last weekend of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, we take a look at the films that told beautiful stories of both mind and body.

THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE

Set against the enchanting backdrop of a Lithuanian landscape, The Summer of Sangaile is a beautiful film that portrays the friendship and love of two teenage girls.

Sangaile is a girl who loves stunt planes and yet who is afraid of heights. It is only until she meets Auste, a local girl full of life and imagination, that she is able to find a person who understands her desire to fly.

SONGS MY BROTHERS TAUGHT ME

Songs My Brothers Taught Me is a tender film that explores the life of a Native American community at the Pine Ridge Reservation. It is a moving story about the bonds of a young brother and sister and their diverging paths in life.

Helmed by first-time director Chloé Zhao, Songs My Brothers Taught Me shines in its emotional honesty, brought forth by the persuasive performances of the film’s non-professional actors.

The exquisite cinematography of the film captures the beauty of the Badlands with grace and wistfulness.

CHORUS

Chorus is a story about a separated couple who reunite in Montreal after the body of their lost son is recovered.

The film deals with tragedy and loss in a minimalistic fashion, with black-and-white cinematography and simple, poetic dialogue. Its simplicity serves to underscore its emotional resonance with exceptional beauty.

As a film that looks into issues of loss, reconciliation, and the process of moving forward, Chorus has a quiet hold upon the viewer that lasts far beyond its viewing.

FORBIDDEN ROOM

Forbidden Room is director Guy Maddin’s whimsical homage to the silent and classical films. It is a whirling adventure that takes us from the sea to the air, from dreams to fantastical tales, and from visual deliriums to musical celebrations.

A filmic odyssey packed with wild colors, tales, characters, and humor, Forbidden Room is a film of playful beauty.

LIVEFOREVER

An affluent girl, from Cali, Colombia, changes her life when she decides to leave home and embrace everything about the have-not side of the city. She boldly says “yes” to everything she encounters and finds a new energy and spirit along the way.

Inspired by the 1977 best-selling cult novel by Andres Caicedo, Liveforever is an electrifying film that tracks the young girl’s journey, laced with drugs, sexuality, and salsa, all to a heady driving Fania Records soundtrack.

THE ROYAL ROAD

Set in the desolate landscape of Mexico and the American Southwest, The Royal Road is an essay film that explores masculine personas in colonial and cinematic history, as a gender dysphoric Midwestern tomboy searches for identity.

A heartrending story that plays out on the roads from El Camino Real to the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, The Royal Road offers a rich tapestry of history, nostalgia, mindfulness, and sheer beauty.

COLOR NEUTRAL

Color Neutral is a “color explosion of sparkles, bubbles, and fractures.” This handcrafted 16mm film by Jennifer Reeves utilizes an array of mediums and direct-on-film techniques to create this a psychedelic mini-trip that you will want to watch over and over again.

EVERY DAY

An inspiring short about Joy Johnson, who, at 86, is the oldest woman to run the 2013 New York City Marathon. It celebrates Johnson and her lifelong dedication to her passion for running.

THE MASK YOU LIVE IN

What’s it like to be a man today? Jennifer Siebel Newsom's powerful new film, The Mask You Live In, explores this question in depth, delving into gender stereotypes, societal messages and expectations that tell our young boys to “man up.”

Popular culture, sports, media, and parenting styles influence who our men become. Experts in the field, including authors, doctors, and educators, provide research as well as observations in this important film. The film has already sparked a new dialog about what men want to be and what they can be.

MERU

Meru is a chronicle of three American climbers' numerous attempts to scale 21,000 feet of the mighty Himalayan peak, the magnificent Shark's Fin of Mount Meru.  

Filmed by Jimmy Chin, one of the climbers, Meru is both a spiritual and physical journey. The climbers face treacherous obstacles, suffer heartbreaking personal losses, and grapple with crises of faith.

The spectacular beauty of the film is not limited to the landscape. It is a key attribute in the unwavering and deep friendship among the climbers and in their persevering characters.

This week we are celebrating Beautiful Stories, with most of our posts featuring films and performances making their debut right now at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. BeautifulNow will be bringing you stories on location, live from the Festival, so stay tuned here for posts and check our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr pages and BeautifulNow Sundance page for live updates.

Read more about Beautiful Stories, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 Beautiful Stories Told Through New Films @ Sundance Now, Stunning Stories of Science and Tech @ Sundance, Beautiful Food Stories Happening Right Now, Beautiful New Languages Realities of Stories and The Most Beautiful Story of the Way of the Rain Now.     

Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Stories in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 02.1.15. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!

PHOTO CREDITS

1. Image: Courtesy of Films Distribution. Still from The Summer of Sangaile.
2. Image: Courtesy of Films Distribution. Still from The Summer of Sangaile.
3. Image: Courtesy of Chloé Zhao. Still from Songs My Brothers Taught Me.
4. Image: Courtesy of Doc and Film International. Still from Chorus.
5. Image: Courtesy of Phi Films. Still from Forbidden Room.
6. Image: Courtesy of Itaca Films Colombia. Still from Liveforever.
7. Image: Courtesy of The Film Collaborative. Still from The Royal Road.
8. Image: Courtesy of Sparky Pictures. Still from Color Neutral.
9. Image: Courtesy of Beluga Pictures. Still from Every Day.
10. Image: Courtesy of Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Still from The Mask You Live In.
11. Image: Courtesy of Little Monster Films and Itinerant Media. Still from Meru.  
12. Image: Courtesy of Little Monster Films and Itinerant Media. Still from Meru.