KRISTEN STEWART BRINGS GUANTANAMO BAY FILM TO SUNDANCE

Sorry, "Twilight" fans, Kristen Stewart is not sticking with young adult fare as her acting career continues in the wake of the blockbuster franchise that launched her career.

"Camp X-Ray," Stewart's new film that had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival Friday (17 JAN. 2014), tells the story of a young woman who joins the Army and ends up as a guard at Guantanamo Bay, the notorious U.S. prison in Cuba where some of the most dangerous terrorist suspects are detained.

Stewart admitted the role terrified her at first.

"That's the desirable struggle. If I'm not afraid of something, it's probably not worth doing for me," she said. "In this case I just thought it was a really -- I hadn't worked in like two years, hadn't found anything that really got me going -- and I just thought that this story of a young girl who is sort of so pragmatic and logical and practical, like you know, very self-assured based on things that she can grasp -- and so if she can control every situation and join the Army and be a good person and, you know, fill all these responsibilities that she's been brought up to fulfill, and yet still sort of feel like she's not doing the right thing, because Guantanamo it's like this slightly greyer area -- and so she's not getting as much back from what she thought she was putting into it -- and so I thought that that was an interesting struggle."

The 23-year-old actress traveled to Guantanamo Bay in preparation for the part and said what struck her most was the order.

"I think my idea of what it was like down there was not correct. It is clean. I know that sounds ridiculous and very ignorant, but it's really, it's like clinical, you know what I mean?" she said. "Standard operation procedure is like the bible. And to have such like set guidelines for something like that is, for somebody who really wants to follow the rules and do the right thing, when they're kind of confusing -- like they should be the most straightforward thing ever -- you know my character, and this is very individual to this project, I'm not making any grand statements about anything, but you know my character definitely goes through a process of questioning whether or not she's doing the right thing, but she's following the rules."

Stewart didn't get very personal on the red carpet at Sundance, but did say she finds it difficult to watch her work on the screen.

"I watch, literally, like with a fine-toothed comb," she said. "Like, it's the most, it's sort of deathly uncomfortable, but it completes the process. It's a necessary. And it's awesome. It just makes me a little nauseous."

AP Entertainment

Park City, Utah, 17 Jan. 2014

1. Wide of Eccles Theatre

2. Wide of cast posing for photographers

3. Wide of Kristen Stewart, center, with writer and director Peter Sattler, left, and actor Peryman Moaaadi, right, posing for photographs. Then pan to photographers.

4. Medium of Stewart talking to a reporter

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart/Actress, on why she has said previously she was scared of doing the movie at first:

"That's the desirable struggle. If I'm not afraid of something, it's probably not worth doing for me. In this case I just thought it was a really -- I hadn't worked in like two years, hadn't found anything that really got me going -- and I just thought that this story of a young girl who is sort of so pragmatic and logical and practical, like you know, very self-assured based on things that she can grasp -- and so if she can control every situation and join the Army and be a good person and, you know, fill all these responsibilities that she's been brought up to fulfill, and yet still sort of feel like she's not doing the right thing, because Guantanamo it's like this slightly greyer area -- and so she's not getting as much back from what she thought she was putting into it -- and so I thought that that was an interesting struggle."

6. Close-up of Stewart talking to a reporter

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart/Actress:

"I think my idea of what it was like down there was not correct. It is clean. I know that sounds ridiculous and very ignorant, but it's really, it's like clinical, you know what I mean? Standard operation procedure is like the bible. And to have such like set guidelines for something like that is, for somebody who really wants to follow the rules and do the right thing, when they're kind of confusing -- like they should be the most straightforward thing ever -- you know my character, and this is very individual to this project, I'm not making any grand statements about anything, but you know my character definitely goes through a process of questioning whether or not she's doing the right thing, but she's following the rules."

8. Medium pan right to left of cast

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Kristen Stewart/Actress:

"I watch, literally, like with a fine-toothed comb. Like, it's the most, it's sort of deathly uncomfortable, but it completes the process. It's a necessary. And it's awesome. It just makes me a little nauseous."

10. Wide of Eccles Theatre

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

UTAH TOWN GETS READY FOR SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Preparations are underway in Park City, Utah for the 30th year of the Sundance Film Festival.

Stars from Kristen Stewart to Aaron Paul are traveling to the mountains for Robert Redford's celebration of independent cinema.

The ten-day festival kicks off Thursday with a lineup that includes 117 feature films.

Redford himself will make an appearance at the opening news conference - scheduled for hours after the Oscar nominations are announced.

Redford is a potential nominee for his performance as a solo sailor adrift at sea in "All Is Lost."

The opening night premiere is "Whiplash," starring Miles Teller as an aspiring jazz drummer and JK Simmons as his strict instructor.

AP Entertainment

Park City, Utah, 15 January 2014

1. Wide mountain range tilt down to Park City streets

2. Medium trolley on Main Street

3. Wide building with Sundance HQ signage

4. Wide zoom to medium Sundance banner on city street

5. Wide Egyptian Theatre with Sundance signage

6. Close Egyptian Theatre marquee

7. Medium Main Street pedestrians

8. Wide Main Street

9. Medium Main Street pedestrians

10. Wide line outside Main Street building

11. Wide hotel with festival headquarters signage

12. Medium hotel entrance

13. Medium Sundance registration area

14. Wide Sundance staff and attendees sorting papers

13. Close Sundance festival signage

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

SHOTLIST

AP Entertainment

Park City, Utah, 15 January 2009

1, Wide Main Street

2. Medium "Sundance '09" banner

3. Pedestrians on sidewalk

AP Entertainment

Palm Springs, California, 6 January 2009

4. Photographers at Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Taraji P. Henson/Actor, 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button':

"Happy birthday Sundance and thank you. Actually 'Hustle and Flow' got me 'Benjamin Button' so if it weren't for a film festival that put the independent films, the little engines that could, and give them their platform, I wouldn't be where I am it's that simple."

AP Entertainment

Beverly Hills, California, 10 January 2009

8. Setup shot actor Melissa Leo speaking to reporter at the BAFTA/LA Tea

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Leo/Actor, 2008 Sundance Prize Winner, 'Frozen River':

"I think Sundance is really and truly at it's heart a very magical spot, maybe even geologically and what Mr. Redford began there all those years ago continues still, it does. It's an amazing event for the people in the industry to attend."

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, 19 November 2008

10. Setup shot actor Philip Seymour Hoffman at 'Doubt' premiere

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Seymour Hoffman/Actor:

"They have theatre workshop camp, they have a film camp workshop, and I have been to those and they are extraordinary and they are really the heartbeat of that whole institution. They are really committed to you know helping burgeoning filmmakers from around the world get on their feet."

AP Entertainment

Palm Springs, California, 6 January 2009

12. Actor Amy Adams posing for photographers

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Amy Adams/Actor:

"Well I went there with 'June Bug' so for me it's extremely special. You know what's wonderful, it celebrates independent film, it celebrate the art of filmmaking and the unknowns and it gives people a voice that maybe didn't have a voice outside the studio system. And I am one of those of people so I am extremely grateful and I always will be."

AP Entertainment

Beverly Hills, Calif., 10 January 2009

15. Director Ron Howard posing for photographers?

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron Howard/Director:

"Sundance has been so important to the American and then global movie scene. To me it's one of the really significant changes that I have seen in my career."

AP Entertainment

Los Angeles, recent

17. SOUNDBITE (English) Keri Russell/Actor:

"Well first of all it's just beautiful and it's nice to go there and not have to dress up, A). I grew up in a mountain town, I'm from Colorado so I love going to those mountains, so seeing mountains. And the last time I was there was for 'Waitress' which was great you know it was so well received and it was such a surprise that it was so well received so I had a great time there last time."

AP Entertainment

Beverly Hills, California, 10 January 2008

18. Cast and crew of 'Slumdog Millionaire' posing for photographers

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Boyle/Director:

"It's fantastic isn't it? That you think what's come out of Sundance, not just the glory things that come out. But the support it gives to filmmaker who are getting going."

AP Entertainment

Palm Springs, California, 6 January 2009

19, Actor Dakota Fanning posing for photographers

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Dakota Fanning/Actor:

"Well I have only been there once time and it was really great, I loved it so much I loved the city. It's so wonderful to be there in the snow and it's cold and you are walking down the crowded streets and you are getting watch great films. I think it's really a fun way to see movies."

AP Entertainment

Beverly Hills, California, 10 January 2008

20. Tom Wilkinson speaking to reporter

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Wilkinson/Actor:

"I have been there once, really it is a unique sort of place and a wonderful tribute to the people who set it up, most noticeably I suppose, Robert Redford. It's become huge now hasn't it?"

AP Entertainment

Palm Springs, California, 6 January 2009

22. Setup shot actor Leonardo DiCaprio

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Leonardo DiCaprio/Actor:

"I have never quite made it there for some reason I don't know but I really do want to go. I am looking forward to it one day anyway."

24. Setup shot actor Dustin Hoffman (with actor Sean Penn in background)

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Dustin Hoffman/Actor:

"I was aware that it was on one hand a really significant film festival, it was one of the first. On the other hand it had grown to be one of the largest single bars I have ever seen."

26. Medium Sundance '09 banning against mountains

STORYLINE

CELEBS CELEBRATE SUNDANCE

As the Sundance Film Festival kicks off its 25th-anniversary season this week, stars reflects on their own Park City experiences and what is widely considered the definitive annual showcase for independent cinema.

Some actresses even credit the event with making their career - including Academy Award nominee Amy Adams ('Junebug', 2006):

"Well I went there with 'Junebug' so for me it's extremely special. You know what's wonderful, it celebrates independent film, it celebrate the art of filmmaking and the unknowns and it gives people a voice that maybe didn't have a voice outside the studio system. And I am one of those of people so I am extremely grateful and I always will be."

And Taraji P. Henson also says the festival made her who she is:

"Happy birthday Sundance and thank you. Actually 'Hustle and Flow' got me 'Benjamin Button' so if it weren't for a film festival that put the independent films, the little engines that could, and give them their platform, I wouldn't be where I am it's that simple."

As well as showcasing new talent - Philip Seymour Hoffman explains that it helps actors to develop their craft:

"They have theatre workshop camp, they have a film camp workshop, and I have been to those and they are extraordinary and they are really the heartbeat of that whole institution. They are really committed to you know helping burgeoning filmmakers from around the world get on their feet."

The 2009 festival is presenting 118 feature-length films, starting with Thursday night's opening premiere 'Mary and Max,' director Adam Elliot's clay-animation tale whose voice cast is led by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette.

The line-up of independent films includes Michael and Mark Polish's 'Manure,' with Billy Bob Thornton and Tea Leoni in the comic tale of a fertiliser company in crisis; Armando Iannucci's political satire 'In the Loop,' with James Gandolfini; Greg Mottola's 1980s flashback 'Adventureland,' with Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart; and Marc Webb's '500 Days of Summer,' with Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Another reason stars love Sundance: the wintery location:

That's according to Dakota Fanning:

"I have only been there once time and it was really great, I loved it so much I loved the city. It's so wonderful to be there in the snow and it's cold and you are walking down the crowded streets and you are getting watch great films. I think it's really a fun way to see movies."

And Keri Russell agrees:

"Well first of all it's just beautiful and it's nice to go there and not have to dress up, A). I grew up in a mountain town, I'm from Colorado so I love going to those mountains, so seeing mountains. And the last time I was there was for 'Waitress' which was great you know it was so well received and it was such a surprise that it was so well received so I had a great time there last time."

Sundance has been known for bidding wars on hot titles, among them such eventual hits as 'Little Miss Sunshine' and 'In the Bedroom.'

But distributors also have been burned on films such as 'Happy, Texas' and last year's 'Hamlet 2' that had great Sundance buzz but failed to find an audience.

Titles available this time include the cop drama 'Brooklyn's Finest,' with Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle; the melodrama 'The Greatest,' with Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon; and the gigolo tale 'Spread,' with Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche.

The final word goes to Dustin Hoffman, who reckons some of the perks aren't just about the movie biz:

"I was aware that it was on one hand a really significant film festival, it was one of the first. On the other hand it had grown to be one of the largest single bars I have ever seen."

The Sundance Film Festival runs until January 25th in Park City, Utah.