Sundance Film Festival runs January 23 – February 2, 2020 in Park City, Utah. This year’s list of exciting premieres includes Gabriel’s new film, Lost Girls, the narrative feature debut by director Liz Garbus, whose Oscar-nominated documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? highlighted the artist’s profound engagement with the civil rights movement in America.

According to the festival’s online schedule, Lost Girls will premiere on Tuesday, January 28, 6:30 pm at the Eccles Theater in Park City.

The first hint that something was up with Lost Girls was this, which Ms. Garbus shared on Instagram during the Thanksgiving weekend:

And Matthew F. O’Connor reminded us that he worked on this film a year ago with our favorite Irishman:

It’s always fun when the advance news about a film comes from its creators!

In other good news, Sundance this year once again reached its gender parity goal. By its own estimation, of the 65 directors in all four competition categories comprising 56 films, 46% are women, 38% are people of colour, and 12% are LGBTQ+.

Gabriel continues to work with women directors who tell compelling stories and this new project is a very exciting one indeed!

Amy Ryan in Lost Girls

From Screen Daily: Sundance 2020 to premiere new work from Benh Zeitlin, Julie Taymor, Ai Weiwei, Liz Garbus

”This year’s programme is filled with films, and artists, who celebrate the strength of the individual voice,” said John Cooper heading into his last outing as festival director before he assumes the new role of emeritus director. ”Whether that voice is speaking truth to power, rallying others in support of world-changing ideas, or just sharing a personal history, they illuminate our culture’s potential. As always, and especially as we work to create the future of Sundance, we’re encouraged and inspired by these storytellers.”

Lost Girls (USA)

Dir: Liz Garbus

When Mari Gilbert’s daughter disappears, police inaction drives her own investigation into the gated Long Island community where Shannan was last seen. Committed to finding the truth, her search brings attention to over a dozen murdered sex workers Mari will not let the world forget. Inspired by true events.

Cast: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Lola Kirke, Oona Laurence, Gabriel Byrne, Miriam Shor

There is a lot of press about the Sundance Film Festival 2020 and its line-up of films. Variety, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline all have reports up now. These articles will also give you a good look at the current state of independent film-making, a topic close to Gabriel’s heart, as you know. So check them out!

There is not yet an official poster or a trailer for Lost Girls, nor are there any production photos (that I can find, anyway!) to share with you. But these will be coming soon. Stay tuned! heart

5 Comments

  1. What a nice report!
    It’s always great to read what motivates our Gabriel to work on such projects. And for me the announcement of this film is one more reason to look forward to the new year! Stella, thank you very much for this information!

  2. DORA BARALIA

    Dear Stella I am very happy for these news notices. I am very anxious to see all the news films of our dear GABRIEL, I wait that all these are able to be seen in Argentina. I am so grateful. The best for you .. all my feelings.

  3. Thanks for sharing this. It will be nice to see Gabriel Byrne working together with Amy Ryan – again!
    Probably very different from previous films.

    • I know! This will be their third project together!

      I’m afraid Gabriel might play one of the police investigators who did not do such a great job investigating this tragedy. I hope he plays a good guy, though.

      Early reports are that Amy Ryan is wonderful in this! <3

  4. I read Bob Kolker’s book when this project was announced as it was unfamiliar to me. Sad for the victims, survivors and families, but somehow their resilience remains with me.

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