Todd Solondz's laceratingly honest coming-of-age dark comedy "Welcome to the Dollhouse" premiered at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, ultimately winning the U.S. Dramatic Competition's Grand Jury Prize. A film about the trials and travails of put-upon 11-year-old Dawn Wiener (played by Heather Matarazzo in a standout debut) instantly appealed to me, a 14-year-old freshman whose memories of middle school were still very much freshly imprinted. This was the first year I remember closely following the exciting, passionate, frequently rule-breaking world of independent cinema and educating myself on what it was. I bought a now-archaic guide to attending the popular, Robert Redford-founded fest, and dreamt about one day traveling to the small, snowy mountain town of Park City, Utah, where, for a week and a half every twelve months, cinema is rapturously celebrated. Every year since—that would be two full decades—I have told myself, "Next January, I am going to Sundance," but my cursory plans never panned out. When my good friend and colleague Lauren Bradshaw of ClotureClub.com attended for the first time in 2015 and had an incredible experience, it was the catalyst I needed to stop talking about going and actually take the necessary steps to do it. From January 21 to January 28, I finally made good on my promise and attended the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Please check out my reviews and coverage below. Thanks for joining me on this special trip.
|
