This year's Sundance Film Festival was the last in its longtime home of Park City, Utah. But Sundance's final hurrah there'it moves to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027'didn't feel much like a finale; instead, it was a more muted affair than previous years, with few outright buzzy premieres. This is perhaps in part because the institution of Sundance is changing, as the potential for indie movies' success seems less certain than ever. The slate did contain plenty of gems, however, many of which I couldn't stop thinking about as I hopscotched across town. Below, based on nearly two weeks of screenings, are the most memorable, inventive films I saw; no release dates have been announced yet, but I'll be keeping an eye out for them. This year's festival darling'winning both of Sundance's top honors, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize'is a masterful drama about a harrowing event. Josephine, directed by Beth de Araujo, is named after its 8-year-old protagonist (played by Mason Reeves),...
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