Sundance 2025 begins with Questlove, Marlee Matlin, and John Lithgow all in attendance

PARK CITY, Utah — The Sundance Film Festival 2025 is officially underway in Park City, Utah.

It’s the largest independent film festival in the U.S., with programming ranging from movie premieres to filmmaker discussions.

Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Programming Director, expressed her enthusiasm for the event, mentioning that they are thrilled to feature more than 150 projects ranging from features to shorts and episodic content, all promoting inclusivity.

Marlee Matlin’s “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” was the first documentary to premiere at the festival this year.

“Well, I mean Sundance of all places, and to open the festival, I’m not complaining,” she said.

Shoshannah Stern, the director of a documentary showcased at the festival, shared her astonishment, stating that the experience surpassed her expectations and was beyond what she had ever imagined.

Actor John Lithgow, known for his role in “Jimpa” alongside Olivia Colman, expressed his joy at being part of the festival’s opening premiere. He mentioned his excitement at receiving the invitation, marking a significant moment in his career.

Another highlight was the premiere of Onyx Collective’s “Sly Lives!”

We spoke with Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who directed the film.

“I’ve been coming here since 2000, and I always thought just the highlight of coming here was like, DJing a party or my band performing, never, I thought, we’d be in this sorta context, you know? We’re enjoying it,” he said.

“Sly Lives!” will premiere Thursday, February 13 on Hulu.

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