MICHELLE WILLIAMS, KRISTEN STEWART, LAURA DERN WALK NYFF RED CARPET FOR 'CERTAIN WOMEN'

It was a glamorous red carpet Monday (3 OCT. 2016), as Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern arrived for the New York Film Festival premiere of "Certain Women."

The film - from writer-director Kelly Reichardt - tells a trio of stories of intersecting lives in Montana.

It's based on short stories by Maile Meloy.

Stewart, who plays a high school teacher in the film, loves how the story depicts "the normal lives of women."

"It's not very typical for people to focus on the normal lives of women. It's always movies about exceptional, hero women that overcome great adversity to do a thing. And it's like, no, these are three women sort of doing very mundane but like really engaging, tiresome, really topical, current things. And that usually is not focused on," Stewart said.

"The only way that that can be focused on is if you make it interesting and Kelly's perspective makes it interesting. And you can look at any of her previous work, every woman that's been written into her movies are, you know - she doesn't do archetype movies. There are powerful woman stories now, but they're usually pretty standardized and she's sort of the opposite of that, so I'm so proud to be a part of it."

Reichardt went "old school" when it came to shooting the film, choosing to capture it on 16MM film stock. Stewart explained how that impacted her performance.

"The time constraints are kind of something. You can't just roll and find it," Stewart said.

"But that's like a pretty typically American indie-style thing and her vibe is different. She's very composed. She's not like, 'Oh, we'll just take it off sticks and throw it on his shoulder and we're going to dance around and you can say whatever you want.' She's like, 'No, no. You're going to say the lines and I'm going to compose my shot. We're going to shoot a scene.' Yeah, so I think that's pretty special."

Dern also embraced being captured on film again.

"It's amazing. I hope to, you know, be around film more and more. I love all of it in its own unique way, but I love film very much, so... We just need labs. We need labs and hopefully many more filmmakers will continue to explore with film," Dern said.

As for Williams, she's no stranger when it comes to working with Reichardt, having starred in her previous films, "Meeks Cutoff" and "Wendy and Lucy."

"Working with my old pal Kelly Reichardt, it's our third movie together, so whatever she asks, the answer is always yes," Williams said.

"And then when I was there, I discovered these great actors that I got to work with."

"Certain Women" opens in U.S. theaters on 14 October 2016.

New York, 3 October 2016

1. Wide of Alice Tully Hall

2. New York Film Festival signage, push in

3. Various of Kristen Stewart posing for photographers

4. Wide of Kristen Stewart talking to reporter

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress - on how this movie is different:

"Yeah, it's not very typical for people to focus on the normal lives of women. It's always movies about exceptional, hero women that overcome great adversity to do a thing. And it's like, no, these are three women sort of doing very mundane but like really engaging, tiresome, really topical, current things. And that usually is not focused on. The only way that that can be focused on is if you make it interesting and Kelly's perspective makes it interesting. And you can look at any of her previous work, every woman that's been written into her movies are, you know - she doesn't do archetype movies. There are powerful woman stories now, but they're usually pretty standardized and she's sort of the opposite of that, so I'm so proud to be a part of it."

6. Medium of Kristen Stewart talking to reporter

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress - on shooting in 16mm:

"The time constraints are kind of something. You can't just roll and find it. But that's like a pretty typically American indie-style thing and her vibe is different. She's very composed. She's not like, 'Oh, we'll just take it off sticks and throw it on his shoulder and we're going to dance around and you can say whatever you want.' She's like, 'No, no. You're going to say the lines and I'm going to compose my shot. We're going to shoot a scene.' Yeah, so I think that's pretty special."

8. Medium of Laura Dern talking to reporter

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Laura Dern, actress - on shooting in 16mm:

"God, no. It's amazing. I hope to, you know, be around film more and more. I love all of it in its own unique way, but I love film very much, so... We just need labs. We need labs and hopefully many more filmmakers will continue to explore with film."

10. Various of Michelle Williams posing for photographers

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle Williams, actress - on what was important about this film:

"Working with my old pal Kelly Reichardt, it's our third movie together, so whatever she asks, the answer is always yes. And then when I was there, I discovered these great actors that I got to work with."

12. Michelle Williams posing for photographers

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle Williams, actress - on working with Kelly again:

"It's extra for me because I think that Kelly is a genius and I am so lucky that in my lifetime I have intersected with hers."

(Reporter: "Outside of that, security and Kim Kardashian do you feel less safe after what happened yesterday?")

Michelle Williams: "Do I feel less safe after what happened, yesterday? Oh, I don't know."

14. Various of cast posing for photographers

SHOTLIST (including transcript):-

AP Entertainment

Park City, Utah, 24 Jan. 2016

1. Wide, left to right, James Jordan, Sara Rodier, Jared Harris, James Le Gros, Kristen Stewart, Kelly Reichardt and Lily Gladstone posing

2. Medium of Kristen Stewart

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress

"It's a very quiet, tiny, thoughtful, little movie. It's segmented into three little pieces and there isn't much of an obvious through line. I think if you were to pick one I think it's all about a particular person who desires something that they can't have and I was drawn to this character because of her sort of distracted nature and the missed connections that she makes with another character and the sort of tone of it. I love Kelly's (Reichardt) movies. She focuses on things that typical filmmakers just wouldn't. It's always the little things in between the cinematic moments. It's always the little, undetected and visible communications. She's really good at highlighting the unsaid and I wanted to do something like that."

4. Wide of Kristen Stewart, push in to medium of Kristen Stewart, tilt down of Stewart

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart, actress

"That production company wants to make money and here, they just like to showcase film and highlight work that they admire. It's an institution for independent film, it's like there aren't too many places to celebrate little, tiny movies that most people don't see and, you know, for two weeks out of the year we go like, 'This is the most important thing' because it's a really close-knit, little family of like esoteric film nerds. It's fun. Yeah."

6. Medium of Kristen Stewart, left, and Kelly Reichardt, right

7. Medium of Sara Rodier posing

8. Tilt dowhn and up of Lily Gladstone

9. Medium of Jared Harris

KRISTEN STEWART: SUNDANCE IS FOR 'ESOTERIC FILM NERDS'

Kristen Stewart says the Sundance Film Festival is for "esoteric film nerds" and that's why it matters.

The actress premiered her film "Certain Women" Sunday (24 JAN. 2016) at the festival.

On the red carpet, she talked about why Sundance celebrates and encourages a variety of story-telling, more so than a mainstream Hollywood production company.

"That production company wants to make money and here, they just like to showcase film and highlight work that they admire," explained Stewart. "It's an institution for independent film, it's like there aren't too many places to celebrate little, tiny movies that most people don't see and, you know, for two weeks out of the year we go like, 'This is the most important thing' because it's a really close-knit, little family."

Stewart described "Certain Women" as "a very quiet, tiny, thoughtful, little movie. It's segmented into three little pieces and there isn't much of an obvious through line. I think if you were to pick one I think it's all about a particular person who desires something that they can't have," she said.

"Certain Women" also stars Michelle Williams and Laura Dern but they weren't at the Sundance premiere. Cast members Jared Harris, Lily Gladstone and Sara Rodier and director Kelly Reichardt did attend with Stewart.

The Sundance Film Festival runs through Jan. 31.

CHARLIZE THERON 'PUMPED' AFTER WOMEN'S MARCH AT SUNDANCE

Comedian Chelsea Handler and actress Charlize Theron said on Saturday that they were "pumped" to continue their activism after leading some 8,000 people at the Women's March on Main Street in Park City, Utah.

Kristen Stewart, Maria Bello, John Legend, Benjamin Bratt, Jason Ritter and Laura Dern also joined the protest during the Sundance Film Festival.

The crowd chanted slogans like "fight like a girl".

Actress Mary McCormack joked at the rally, "And before anyone criticizes us for having a march at Sundance, and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching twelve blocks in Washington."

Actress Connie Britton and television talk show host Aisha Tyler also asked the crowd to raise their right hand and take an oath to "preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

Handler said after the march that she would continue to be an activist.

The Sundance Film Festival continues through 29 January.

Park City, Utah, 21 January 2017

1. Zoom out of crowd of protesters marching

2. UPSOUND (English) Connie Britton, actress and Aisha Tyler, talk show host, leading oath:

++CROWD REPEATS CERTAIN LINES++

Britton: "I do solemnly swear (crowd repeats). Oh yeah, that was solemn. That I will faithfully execute my role as an American."

Tyler: "Progressives can never do everything at the same time."

Britton: "We're going to say that all at one time because that's really important, I'm going to say that all at one time. That I will faithfully execute my role as an American.

Britton: "And will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

3. Pan of crowd

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Chelsea Handler, comedian and Charlize Theron, actress:

Handler: "We get it. People didn't like my candidate, and people - but this is not the answer, and I want to really work hard at finding out all the reasons why this happened, which many of them, we already know, and I think we can do such a better job of using our voices in the right way. You know, we have to be tolerant. Everything in this country's about tolerance."

Theron: "Acceptance."

Handler: "And we can't go in a direction that's not headed that way. We have to go forward. You don't go back in history, you go forward."

Theron: "You learn from history. You don't make those same mistakes again."

Handler: "And there are so many people to fight for that I'm so motivated. I've never been this motivated about anything - except, you know, happy hour."

3. Pan of crowd

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Charlize Theron, actress:

Theron: (Laughs) "I feel the fear is maybe – we were all talking about this this morning – is just not normalising any of this – like not normalising this conversation of denial about climate change or this denial about a woman having a choice to decide what she wants to do with her body. We can't normalise any of those kinds of conversations. So I think when she says we are pumped to keep talking about this stuff – really, I felt it today. I felt it at 6 a.m. when I turned my television on and I saw the entire country marching with us, and the entire world. Because this is – we are interconnected, man. Like, what happens here is going to affect everybody everywhere. This is one world."

5. Crowd at rally chanting (English) "Fight like a girl"

CHARLIZE THERON 'PUMPED' AFTER WOMEN'S MARCH AT SUNDANCE

Comedian Chelsea Handler and actress Charlize Theron said on Saturday that they were "pumped" to continue their activism after leading some 8,000 people at the Women's March on Main Street in Park City, Utah.

Kristen Stewart, Maria Bello, John Legend, Benjamin Bratt, Jason Ritter and Laura Dern also joined the protest during the Sundance Film Festival.

The crowd chanted slogans like "fight like a girl".

Actress Mary McCormack joked at the rally, "And before anyone criticizes us for having a march at Sundance, and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching twelve blocks in Washington."

Actress Connie Britton and television talk show host Aisha Tyler also asked the crowd to raise their right hand and take an oath to "preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

Handler said after the march that she would continue to be an activist.

The Sundance Film Festival continues through 29 January.

++CLIENTS NOTE - SHOTS 3 AND 5 CONTAIN GRAPHIC LANGUAGE++

Park City, Utah, 21 January 2017

1. Zoom out of crowd of protesters marching

2. Protester drumming.

3. Protester holding up sign and walking ++GRAPHIC LANGUAGE++

4. People marching

5. Protesters walking and holding up signs ++GRAPHIC LANGUAGE++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mary McCormack, Actress:

"And before anyone criticizes us for having a march at Sundance and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching 12 blocks in Washington." (cheers)

7. Pan of crowd

8. Pan of crowd to stage

9. UPSOUND (English) Connie Britton, actress and Aisha Tyler, talk show host, leading oath:

++CROWD REPEATS CERTAIN LINES++

Britton: "Please raise your right hand and repeat after me: I do solemnly swear (crowd repeats). That did not sound solemn. Let's do it again."

Tyler: "Everybody seemed energised."

Britton: "I do solemnly swear (crowd repeats). Oh yeah, that was solemn. That I will faithfully execute my role as an American."

Tyler: "Progressives can never do everything at the same time."

Britton: "We're going to say that all at one time because that's really important, I'm going to say that all at one time. That I will faithfully execute my role as an American.

++ZOOM OUT TO CROWD, AUDIO OF CROWD REPEATING, ZOOM BACK IN TO BRITTON++

Britton: "And will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Chelsea Handler, Comedian and Charlize Theron, Actress:

Handler: "We thought we had a movement happening. I think before the election, I felt there was something happening with women and really getting behind each other and really turning out for each other and supporting each other. And we didn't necessarily do the right thing, and you know, that's the past, that's over. We get it. People didn't like my candidate, and people - but this is not the answer, and I want to really work hard at finding out all the reasons why this happened, which many of them, we already know, and I think we can do such a better job of using our voices in the right way. You know, we have to be tolerant. Everything in this country's about tolerance."

Theron: "Acceptance."

Handler: "And we can't go in a direction that's not headed that way. We have to go forward. You don't go back in history, you go forward."

Theron: "You learn from history. You don't make those same mistakes again."

Handler: "And there are so many people to fight for that I'm so motivated. I've never been this motivated about anything - except, you know, happy hour."

Theron: (Laughs) "Yeah, I mean, I agree. I feel every single, I feel it. I feel exactly what she's saying. I feel the fear is maybe – we were all talking about this this morning – is just not normalising any of this – like not normalising this conversation of denial about climate change or this denial about a woman having a choice to decide what she wants to do with her body. We can't normalise any of those kinds of conversations. So I think when she says we are pumped to keep talking about this stuff – really, I felt it today. I felt it at 6 a.m. when I turned my television on and I saw the entire country marching with us, and the entire world. Because this is – we are interconnected, man. Like, what happens here is going to affect everybody everywhere. This is one world."

11. Crowd at rally chanting (English) "Fight like a girl"

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Charlize Theron, Actress and Chelsea Handler, Comedian:

Theron: "You know, if you love this country, you have to be able to love everybody right now, and look and hear everybody. We have to be able to do that."

Handler: "And who wants to live in a world where it's filled with hate and rancour? Don't you want to be happy? I want everyone to be happy and have fun and go to happy hour. Did I mention happy hour yet?"

Theron: "You have. But that makes it good."

Handler: "Thank you."

13. Wide of rally

Comedian Chelsea Handler and actress Charlize Theron said on Saturday that they were "pumped" to continue their activism after leading some 8,000 people at the Women's March on Main Street in Park City, Utah.

Kristen Stewart, Maria Bello, John Legend, Benjamin Bratt, Jason Ritter and Laura Dern also joined the protest during the Sundance Film Festival.

The crowd chanted slogans like "fight like a girl".

Actress Mary McCormack joked at the rally, "And before anyone criticises us for having a march at Sundance, and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching twelve blocks in Washington."

Actress Connie Britton and television talk show host Aisha Tyler also asked the crowd to raise their right hand and take an oath to "preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

Handler said after the march that she would continue to be an activist.

The Sundance Film Festival continues through 29 January.

++CLIENTS NOTE - SHOTS 3 AND 5 CONTAIN GRAPHIC LANGUAGE++

Park City, Utah - 21 January 2017

1. Zoom out of crowd of protesters marching

2. Protester drumming.

3. Protester holding up sign and walking ++GRAPHIC LANGUAGE++

4. People marching

5. Protesters walking and holding up signs ++GRAPHIC LANGUAGE++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mary McCormack, Actress:

"And before anyone criticises us for having a march at Sundance and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching 12 blocks in Washington." (cheers)

7. Pan of crowd

8. Pan of crowd to stage

9. UPSOUND (English) Connie Britton, actress and Aisha Tyler, talk show host, leading oath:

++CROWD REPEATS CERTAIN LINES++

Britton: "Please raise your right hand and repeat after me: I do solemnly swear (crowd repeats). That did not sound solemn. Let's do it again."

Tyler: "Everybody seemed energised."

Britton: "I do solemnly swear (crowd repeats). Oh yeah, that was solemn. That I will faithfully execute my role as an American."

Tyler: "Progressives can never do everything at the same time."

Britton: "We're going to say that all at one time because that's really important, I'm going to say that all at one time. That I will faithfully execute my role as an American.

++ZOOM OUT TO CROWD, AUDIO OF CROWD REPEATING, ZOOM BACK IN TO BRITTON++

Britton: "And will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Chelsea Handler, Comedian and Charlize Theron, Actress:

Handler: "We thought we had a movement happening. I think before the election, I felt there was something happening with women and really getting behind each other and really turning out for each other and supporting each other. And we didn't necessarily do the right thing, and you know, that's the past, that's over. We get it. People didn't like my candidate, and people - but this is not the answer, and I want to really work hard at finding out all the reasons why this happened, which many of them, we already know, and I think we can do such a better job of using our voices in the right way. You know, we have to be tolerant. Everything in this country's about tolerance. And we can't go in a direction that's not headed that way. We have to go forward. You don't go back in history, you go forward."

Theron: "You learn from history. You don't make those same mistakes again."

Handler: "And there are so many people to fight for that I'm so motivated. I've never been so motivated about anything - except, you know, happy hour."

Theron: (Laughs) "Yeah, I mean, I agree. I feel every single, I feel it. I feel exactly what she's saying. I feel the fear is maybe – we were all talking about this this morning – is just not normalising any of this – like not normalising this conversation of denial about climate change or this denial about a woman having a choice to decide what she wants to do with her body. We can't normalise any of those kinds of conversations. So I think when she says we are pumped to keep talking about this stuff – really, I felt it today. I felt it at 6 a.m. when I turned my television on and I saw the entire country marching with us, and the entire world. Because this is – we are interconnected, man. Like, what happens here is going to affect everybody everywhere. This is one world."

11. Crowd at rally chanting (English) "Fight like a girl"

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Charlize Theron, Actress and Chelsea Handler, Comedian:

Theron: "You know, if you love this country, you have to be able to love everybody right now, and look and hear everybody. We have to be able to do that."

Handler: "And who wants to live in a world where it's filled with hate and rancour? Don't you want to be happy? I want everyone to be happy and have fun and go to happy hour. Did I mention happy hour yet?"

Theron: "You have. But that makes it good."

Handler: "Thank you."

13. Wide of rally

Chelsea Handler and Charlize Theron say they're "pumped" to continue their activism after leading some 8,000 people at the Women's March on Main Street in Park City, Utah.

Kristen Stewart, Maria Bello, John Legend, Benjamin Bratt, Jason Ritter and Laura Dern also joined the protest on Saturday (21 January 2017) during the Sundance Film Festival.

The crowd chanted slogans like "love -- not hate -- will make America great."

At the end of the march they gathered for a rally.

Handler spoke to the crowd and acknowledged that although Donald Trump was elected president, "the only thing you can do when you've been set back is to step forward and continue to fight."

Actress Mary McCormack also joked, "And before anyone criticizes us for having a march at Sundance, and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching twelve blocks in Washington."

Connie Britton and Aisha Tyler also asked the crowd to raise their right hand and take an oath to " faithfully execute my role as an American and I will, to the best of my ability, preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And vote."

Handler said after the march that she would continue to be an activist.

"And there are so many people to fight for that I'm so motivated. I've never been so motivated about anything -- except happy hour," she said.

Theron laughed, and added: "The fear is maybe – we were all talking about this this morning – is just not normalizing any of this – not normalizing this conversation of denial about climate change or this denial about a woman having a choice to decide what she wants to do with her body. We can't normalize any of those conversations. So I think when she says we are pumped to keep talking about this stuff – really, I felt it today. I felt it at 6 AM when I turned my television on and I saw the entire country marching with us, and the entire world. Because this is – we are interconnected, man. Like, what happens here is going to affect everybody everywhere. This is one world."

The Sundance Film Festival continues through 29 January.

Park City, Utah - 21 January 2017

1. Various of protesters

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mary McCormack, Actress:

"And before anyone criticizes us for having a march at Sundance and for only walking four blocks, keep in mind we're at 7,000 feet, so that's like marching 12 blocks in Washington." (cheers)

3. Pan of crowd

4. UPSOUND Actress Connie Britton and TV personality Aisha Tyler leading oath

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Chelsea Handler, Actress-TV personality:

"We thought we had a movement happening. I think before the election, I felt there was something happening with women and really getting behind each other and really turning out for each other and supporting each other. And we didn't necessarily do the right thing, and you know, that's the past, that's over. We get it. People didn't like my candidate, and people -- but this is not the answer, and I really want to really work hard at finding out all the reasons why this happened, which many of them, we already know, and I think we can do such a better job of using our voices in the right way. We have to be tolerant. Everything in this country's about tolerance. And we can't go in a direction that's not headed that way. We have to go forward. You don't go back in history, you go forward."

Charlize Theron, Actress: "You learn from history. You don't make those same mistakes again."

Handler: "And there are so many people to fight for that I'm so motivated. I've never been so motivated about anything -- except happy hour."

Theron: (Laughs) "Yeah, I agree. I feel – I feel it. I feel exactly what she's saying. I feel the fear is maybe – we were all talking about this this morning – is just not normalizing any of this – not normalizing this conversation of denial about climate change or this denial about a woman having a choice to decide what she wants to do with her body. We can't normalize any of those conversations. So I think when she says we are pumped to keep talking about this stuff – really, I felt it today. I felt it at 6 AM when I turned my television on and I saw the entire country marching with us, and the entire world. Because this is – we are interconnected, man. Like, what happens here is going to affect everybody everywhere. This is one world."

6. Wide crowd at rally chants "fight like a girl"

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Charlize Theron, Actress: "If you love this country, you have to be able to love everybody right now, and look and hear everybody. We have to be able to do that."

Chelsea Handler, Actress-TV personality: "And who wants to live in a world where it's filled with hate and rancor? Don't you want to be happy? I want everyone to be happy and have fun and go to happy hour. Did I mention happy hour yet?"

Theron: "Yep. But that makes it good."

8. Wide of rally

SUNDANCE LINEUP INCLUDES ROBIN WILLIAMS, JANE FONDA, GLORIA ALLRED DOCS

Documentaries about Robin Williams, Gloria Allred and Ruth Bader Ginsberg and a Lizzie Borden film with Kristen Stewart are among the 110 features set to premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

The Sundance Institute announced the diverse lineup of films Wednesday (29 NOV. 2017) for the annual festival held in Park City, Utah. Festival programmers say the films this year highlight the stories of alternative voices and points of view, including films by and about women, and the experience of African-American men in the world right now.

The African-American experience is highlighted in competition films like "Blindspotting," a buddy comedy starring Daveed Diggs.

Films with complex female characters include "Lizzie," a psychological thriller about Lizzie Borden starring Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny as Borden, "The Miseducation of Cameron Post," about a girl who is forced to go to therapy for her sexuality, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, and "The Tale," about a woman reevaluating her first relationship starring Laura Dern. "Star Wars" star Daisy Ridley also stars in "Ophelia," a female-focused spin on Hamlet.

Granik, whose last feature "Winter's Bone" earned Jennifer Lawrence her first Oscar nomination, is back with her first narrative feature in over seven years — an untitled film about a father and daughter living in a secluded nature reserve in Oregon starring Ben Foster.

The domestic documentary competition includes a timely film called "Seeing Allred," which focuses on the women's rights attorney's life and taking on both Bill Cosby and Donald Trump.

Documentary premieres, a section that has in the past unveiled "An Independent Sequel" and "Going Clear," has a film about the life of Robin Williams told mostly through his own voice, "Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind," a look at Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, "RBG," and a Fred Rogers documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor."

Actor Idris Elba also makes his feature directorial debut with "Yardie," a thriller about a boy who sees his brother's assassination in 1973 Jamaica. Ethan Hawke has also directed a film that will premiere at the festival.

The Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 18-28. Additional selections will be announced in the coming weeks.

++4x3 VIDEO++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles - 4 October 2006

1. Various of actor Robin Williams and his family posing for photographers on a red carpet

2. Medium of Robin Williams and actor Jeff Goldblum posing for photographers

3. Cutaway of Williams speaking to reporter

++4x3 VIDEO++

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles - 15 November 1996

4. Robin Williams and wife walking down red carpet for 'The Mirror Has Two Faces' premiere

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Pittsburgh, Penn., 28 June 1989

5. Still image- Fred Rogers rehearses for the opening of his PBS show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Pittsburgh, Penn., 1996

6. Still image- Fred Rogers poses on the set of his television show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 26 Oct. 2017

7. Medium of Gloria Allred listening to a reporter ask her a question

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 25 Oct. 2017

8. Medium of Gloria Allred speaking at a press conference

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Washington, D.C., 1 June 2017

9. Still image- Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joins other justices of the U.S. Supreme Court for an official group portrait at the Supreme Court Building

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Washington, D.C., 20 Sept. 2017

10. Still image- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg waves to the audience on stage at Georgetown University's Law Center campus

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Beverly Hills, Calif., 1 Nov. 2015

11. Various of Jane Fonda arriving at the Hollywood Film Awards

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 14 Nov. 2017

12. Various of Kristen Stewart posing for photos

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 29 Oct. 2015

13. Various of Chloe Sevigny arriving at an amfAR Gala

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Beverly Hills, Calif., 6 Aug. 2017

14. Cutaway of Daveed Diggs giving an interview

15. Medium of Daveed Diggs talking to a reporter

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles, 22 Feb. 2015

16. Various of Chloe Grace Moretz arriving at the Oscars

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Beverly Hills, Calif., 6 Feb. 2017

17. Fashion pan of Laura Dern posing for photographers at the Oscar nominees luncheon

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Los Angeles, 16 Oct. 2017

18. Various of Laura Dern arriving at an event

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 1 May 2017

19. Various of Daisy Ridley arriving at the Met Gala

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: Park City, Utah, 23 Jan. 2015

20. Various of Ethan Hawke arriving at a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival

ASSOCIATED PRESS

FILE: New York, 18 July 2016

21. Medium of Idris Elba posing for photos

MOUNTAIN TOWN OF PARK CITY PREPARES FOR SUNDANCE FESTIVAL

The mountain ski resort town of Park City, Utah is preparing for an influx of visitors from the independent film world as the Sundance Film Festival kicks off on Thursday (18 JANUARY).

More than 110 feature films are set to premiere at the festival, which will kick off with a press conference and premieres Thursday and runs through 28 January.

Among the movies on tap: documentaries about Robin Williams, Gloria Allred and Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a Lizzie Borden film with Kristen Stewart and Debra Granik's long-awaited follow up to "Winter's Bone."

Festival programmers say the films this year highlight the stories of alternative voices and points of view, including films by and about women, and the experience of African-American men.

The African-American experience is highlighted in competition films like "Blindspotting," a buddy comedy starring Daveed Diggs, and "Sorry to Bother You," a dystopian tale about a telemarketer with Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. Both are from Oakland-based filmmakers.

Films with complex female characters include "Lizzie," a psychological thriller about Lizzie Borden starring Kristen Stewart and Chloe Sevigny as Borden, "The Miseducation of Cameron Post," about a girl who is forced to go to therapy for her sexuality, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, and "The Tale," about a woman reevaluating her first relationship starring Laura Dern. "Star Wars" star Daisy Ridley also stars in "Ophelia," a female-focused spin on Hamlet.

Park City, Utah, 17 January 2018

1. Wide overhead view of mountains and town of Park City, Utah, site of Sundance Film Festival

2. Wide Egyptian Theatre on Main Street with Sundance signage

3. Medium Egyptian Theatre with Sundance signage

4. Wide Main Street with Sundance festival store

5. Close Sundance signage on Main Street

6. Wide Main Street

7. Close "pray for snow" sign on Main Street

8. Wide Main Street

9. Wide Sundance signage going up on building

10. Wide IMDB Studio sign on Main Street

11. Wide Main Street

12. Wide Main Street with Sundance signage

13. Medium Main Street tilt up to Egyptian Theatre

14. Wide Park City signage

15. Wide pan right overhead view of Park City and mountains