How the biggest movies of Sundance 2018 went small

On the microscopic introspection of America's premier film festival

Nadia Murad appears in 'On Her Shoulders.'
(Image credit: Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by RYOT FIlms)

While the daily news makes it seem like the world is descending into chaos and conflict, some of our most accomplished and insightful filmmakers have been spending the 2018 edition of the Sundance Film Festival pondering a question that may strike some as frivolous: "What makes us us?"

This year's Sundance movies didn't duck hot-button issues, by any means. In the first four days of the fest, I've seen stories about Black Lives Matter, PTSD, opioid addiction, #MeToo, Russian interference in American politics ... you name it. It's just that a lot of our best writers, directors, and actors are looking at the big picture one square inch at a time.

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Noel Murray

Noel Murray is a freelance writer, living in Arkansas with his wife and two kids. He was one of the co-founders of the late, lamented movie/culture website The Dissolve, and his articles about film, TV, music, and comics currently appear regularly in The A.V. Club, Rolling Stone, Vulture, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times.