The Sundance Film Festival wrapped up in Park City, Utah, with filmmakers celebrating independent films, but national events created a somber mood over the festival’s final days.
I was really shaken to hear the news. While I was lost in a film world miles away, back in Minneapolis, things took a tragic turn. Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti during an ICE operation on Saturday morning. It’s just heartbreaking to think about, even while trying to escape into movies.
Director Alex Gibney, speaking at Sundance with his film “Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,” described the situation as both amazing and unsettling. He told The Times on Saturday that a positive aspect is the clear evidence it provides – proof of state-sponsored terrorism targeting Americans.
On January 7th, Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. Videos of both her death and the death of Pretti circulated widely on social media and in news reports, leading to protests.
In a recent interview with The Times, actor Edward Norton described the current moment as deeply unusual, stating that people are experiencing ongoing, unacceptable attacks. While acknowledging the need to carry on with daily life, he emphasized that we shouldn’t ignore what’s happening.
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Norton is one of the stars of “The Invite,” which premiered at Sundance on Saturday night.
He believes the strike happening in Minnesota should spread across the country. He suggested a nationwide economic strike should continue until the issue is resolved.
On Sunday around noon, a small group of protesters against ICE walked along Main Street, encouraging people waiting in line for Sundance merchandise to join their demonstration.
Some filmmakers hoped that the festival would provide escape from a distracting reality.
Director and actress Olivia Wilde believes storytelling has always helped people cope with hardship, spanning centuries. She expressed hope that her film provided some much-needed laughter, but acknowledged the serious issues facing the country, noting the courageous protests happening across America and expressing her sadness about the current situation.
Margaret Cho, who stars in the new dramedy “Run Amok” – a show dealing with gun violence – said the suffering people are seeing right now is “unimaginable.”
According to Cho, witnessing difficult events like children facing detention and violence in the streets highlights the power of art to help us cope and heal. She believes this film specifically demonstrates that potential, offering a way to process and address these issues through creative expression.
Several celebrities publicly showed their support for the protestors. For example, Wilde wore pins saying “ICE Out” at the premiere of “The Invite” and “Be Good” (referencing Renee Good) on Sunday. Natalie Portman, who was at Sundance for the premiere of her new film “The Gallerist,” was also seen wearing both of these pins.
“In a tiny way, wearing a pin does nothing but at least we’re able to show support,” Wilde said.
Director Kogonada, known as “monomoniked,” addressed the recent events in Minnesota before showing his new film, “Zi.” The audience responded with strong applause.
Kogonada agrees with Roger Ebert’s idea that movies help us understand each other. Especially during difficult times, Kogonada believes art should connect us to our shared humanity, not feel self-indulgent. He feels it’s more crucial than ever to use art to build empathy and respond to the challenges happening globally, as we truly need more understanding right now.
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2026-01-26 00:01