Utah audiences will get to see some of this year’s Sundance Film Festival titles for free over one weekend in July.
The Sundance Institute announced Tuesday that its annual Local Lens series will happen Thursday through Saturday, July 17-19, with two locations — The Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City; and The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave., Park City — each featuring six screenings.
The program is aimed at “celebrating [Sundance’s] deep connection with Utah audiences,” said Eugene Hernandez, director of the Sundance Film Festival and the institute’s public programming, in a statement. “We look forward to sharing these stories with local audiences and gearing up to come together at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Utah starting next January.”
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival — the last one to be held in Park City and Salt Lake City before the institute moves the event to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 — is scheduled for Jan. 22-Feb. 1.
Tickets are free, and can be reserved online at sundance.org/local-lens.
Here’s a rundown of the movies to screen during the Local Lens series:
Thursday, July 17, 7:30 p.m.
(Greg Cotten | Roadside Attractions / Lionsgate) Dylan O'Brien, left, and James Sweeney play men who meet in a twin bereavement support group, in "Twinless," directed by Sweeney. The movie, which screened at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, will return to Utah as part of Sundance Institute's Local Lens program.
Broadway • “Twinless,” an offbeat comedy about two men (played by Dylan O’Brien and writer-director James Sweeney) who meet at a twin bereavement support group and strike up an odd bromance. The movie received the Audience Award in the U.S. Dramatic competition at this year’s festival, and O’Brien was given a special jury prize for his dual performance. The movie was pulled from the festival’s web platform in January after bootlegged footage of O’Brien’s nude scene appeared online.
The Ray • “Omaha,” a drama starring John Magaro (“September 5”) as a dad who wakes his two children (Molly Belle Wright and Wyatt Solis) for an unexpected road trip — and the older child soon suspects something is not right. The movie was mostly filmed in Utah, where director Cole Webley has lived and screenwriter Robert Machoian still lives. Webley will be in attendance to introduce the film and take part in a post-screening Q&A.
Friday, July 18, 5 p.m.
(Sundance Institute) Saleh Bakri, left, and Cherien Dabis appear in "All That's Left of You," directed by Dabis. The drama, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, will return to Utah with Sundance's Local Lens program.
Broadway • ”The Librarians,” a timely documentary that received a standing ovation from a Salt Lake City audience in January that follows librarians as unlikely defenders of intellectual freedom in the face of book bans in Texas, Florida and elsewhere. Director Kim A. Snyder will be in attendance to introduce the screening, and take part in a post-screening Q&A.
The Ray • “All That’s Left of You (اللي باقي منك),” about a Palestinian teen who gets involved in a West Bank protest, which prompts his mother to recount the story of how their family got where they are now. Written and directed by Cherien Dabis, who plays the mother.
Friday, July 18, 8:30 p.m.
(Wei Gao | Sundance Institute) Young Chinese men learn how to make themselves attractive to women in director Violet Du Feng's "The Dating Game." The documentary premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and will return to Utah for Sundance's Local Lens program.
Broadway • “The Dating Game,” director Violet Du Feng’s documentary about three bachelors who sign up for an intensive seven-day camp with one of China’s most sought-after dating coaches.
The Ray • “Selena y Los Dinos,” director Isabel Castro’s documentary about the Tejano sensation Selena Quintanilla and her family band, Selena y Los Dinos, chronicled largely through never-before-seen footage from the family’s archive. The movie received a special jury prize for archival storytelling. It also was pulled from the festival’s online offerings when fans started sharing pirated footage.
Saturday, July 19, 11 a.m.
(Brandon Somerholder | Sundance Institute) Poet Andrea Gibson appears in director Ryan White's documentary "Come See Me in the Good Light." The documentary won the Festival Favorite award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and will return to Utah for Sundance's Local Lens program.
Broadway • “Come See Me in the Good Light,” director Ryan White’s documentary about married Colorado poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, and how they respond to Gibson’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The movie, which won the Festival Favorite award at this year’s festival, boasts comedian Tig Notaro as one of its producers — and a roster of executive producers that includes soccer legend Abby Wambach, comedian Kevin Nealon, and singer-songwriters Sara Bareilles and Brandi Carlile.
The Ray • ”The Librarians” (see synopsis above). Director Kim A. Snyder will be in attendance to introduce the screening, and take part in a post-screening Q&A.
Saturday, July 19, 3 p.m.
(Greenwich Entertainment) Molly Belle Wright, Wyatt Solis and John Magaro, from left, play members of a family on an unexpected road trip in "Omaha" directed by Cole Webley. The movie, largely filmed in Utah, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and will return to Utah for Sundance's Local Lens program.
Broadway • “Omaha” (see synopsis above). Director Cole will be in attendance to introduce the film and take part in a post-screening Q&A.
The Ray • “The Dating Game” (see synopsis above).
Saturday, July 19, 7 p.m.
(Jesse Hope | Bleecker Street) Josh O'Connor, here with Lily LaTorre, plays a rancher beset with problems in director Max Walker-Silverman's "Rebuilding." The drama premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and will return to Utah for Sundance's Local Lens program.
Broadway • “All That’s Left of You (اللي باقي منك)” (see synopsis above).
The Ray • “Rebuilding,” writer-director Max Walker-Silverman’s drama about a rancher (“Challengers” star Josh O’Connor) looking for answers after a wildfire sweeps through the family farm.
Plus: An artists’ roundtable
In addition to the summer screenings, Sundance Institute will also hold a local artists’ roundtable this summer — in collaboration with the Salt Lake City arts nonprofit Spy Hop — to talk about the artistic process.
Hernandez and Basil Tsiokos, a Sundance senior programmer, will take part in a Q&A, followed by casual networking.
The event happens Friday, July 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Spy Hop’s rooftop event space, 208 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City.
