Sundance Film Festival releases 2023 line-up

The Sundance Film Festival unveiled its 2023 lineup Wednesday which consists of 101 feature-length films.

Why it matters: The largest independent film festival in the U.S. is returning to in-person showings from Jan. 19-29 after two years of virtual showings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What's happening: The annual event will be held in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Resort. A large selection of films will be available online during the second half of the festival.

State of play: Notable films in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section include the drama "Fair Play" starring actors Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich and comedy "Theater Camp" co-produced by Will Ferrell.

• Of note: In 2021, a top title for this section was the drama "CODA," which sold to Apple TV+ for $25 million, per IndieWire, and won Best Picture at the Oscars this year.
• The Premieres section includes the biopic of a gay amateur wrestler "Cassandro" starring Gael García Bernal; "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie," a documentary about the actor's life; and the thriller "Eileen" starring Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway.

Zoom in: This year, Sundance Institute is expanding its footprint in Salt Lake City by showing films at Megaplex Theatres at The Gateway.

By the numbers: The film selections this year were chosen out of nearly 16,000 submissions, according to organizers.

• This year's program represents 23 countries.
• 28% of feature-film directors are first-time filmmakers.

What they're saying: "In so many ways this year's slate reflects the voices of communities around the world who are speaking out with urgency and finally being heard," the festival's director of programming, Kim Yutani, said in a statement Wednesday.

• "Maintaining an essential place for artists to express themselves, take risks, and for visionary stories to endure and entertain is distinctly Sundance," Sundance Institute founder and president Robert Redford also said in a statement.

Tickets: In-person ticket packages are on sale through Dec. 16.

• Online ticket packages go on sale on Dec. 13, and single tickets will be available starting Jan. 12.