Among the 88 feature-length films showcased this year at the Sundance Film Festival are at least four with Texas ties. On top of that, there’s an episodic premiere and at least one short film.
Selena Quintanilla appears in “Selena y Los Dinos” by Isabel Castro, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute.)
Though her music endures, March will mark 30 years since the world lost Selena Quintanilla.
The documentary “Selena y Los Dinos” celebrates Quintanilla’s short but impactful life – promising never-before-seen footage from the family’s personal archive and new interviews with those closest to her.
Mexican-American filmmaker Isabel Castro directed the new documentary. She’s focused much of her career on telling stories about the immigrant experience.
Katherine Bird and Carolyn Grundman appear in “SALLY” by Cristina Costantini, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Michael Latham.)
Another documentary featuring a female trailblazer, “SALLY,” about astronaut Sally Ride, is also premiering at Sundance.
Ride was the first American woman in space. While not a lifelong Texan, she did spend time in Clear Lake and was honored as a member of the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame.
Directed by award-winning documentarian Cristina Costantini, “SALLY” focuses on Ride’s hidden relationship with her female life partner and the sacrifices they made to stay together.
A still from The Librarians by Kim A. Snyder, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Amy Bench.)
A third documentary with ties to the Lone Star State, “The Librarians” follows the battle over book bans in states – Texas among them.
It’s directed by Kim A. Snyder, who has spent much of her career telling the devastating stories of school shootings.
Sarah Jessica Parker has attached her name as a producer of “The Librarians,” which might help it along in the distribution phase.
Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones appear in “Train Dreams” by Clint Bentley, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Adolpho Veloso.)
On the narrative side, the film “Train Dreams” is premiering at Sundance. Set in the Pacific Northwest at the start of the 20th century and based on a novella of the same name, “Train Dreams” is the story of a laborer played by Joel Edgerton.
It’s written by Texas filmmaking duo Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar – this time with Bentley also taking the directing role.
Barry Cooper appears in “Never Get Busted!” by David Anthony Ngo and Erin Williams-Weir, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute.)
In episodic premieres, audiences will get a sneak peek at “Never Get Busted!,” starring Barry Cooper. It’s the real story of a highly decorated Texas narcotics officer who “turned on the police force by busting crooked cops and teaching drug users how to hide their stash.”
Annie Fox and Dagmara Domińcyzk appear in “Goodnight” by Isabel Pask, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Inés Gowland.)
Goodnight (short film)
Online passes for the Sundance Film Festival are sold out, but you can still get single tickets for online screenings and for the short films – where you’ll find this premiere for Texas-born director Isabel Pask.
Update (Friday, Jan. 24):
Special thanks to a Texas Standard listener for pointing out to us that there’s yet another feature documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival featuring Texas voices.
“Speak.” follows five top-ranked oratory students. Our listener points out two are Texans!
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