The Slamdance Film Festival, known for its ethos of being “by filmmakers for filmmakers”, has unveiled an impressive line-up for its landmark 30th edition (19-25 January 2024). This year’s iteration boasts 32 feature films (including 17 world premieres), 75 shorts and five episodic works, highlighting the festival's continued commitment to uncovering talent in the global film industry. The selection of 113 films from 20 countries has been chosen from over 9,000 submissions. These titles, predominantly directorial debuts without US distribution, made on budgets of under $1 million, showcase emerging talents from diverse backgrounds, including Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil and others.

Festival director Taylor Miller emphasised the 2024 line-up’s commitment to stories that push the boundaries of filmmaking, stating: “Our line-up is a testament to filmmakers who dare to push their stories to the very edge of filmmaking, making it deeply personal yet globally resonant.” Slamdance continues to prioritise diversity and inclusion. Indeed, this year, 43% of the films are created by BIPOC filmmakers, and an equal percentage are by female or non-binary directors, making it the most diverse Slamdance slate to date. Moreover, the festival has announced the fourth annual Unstoppable programme, showcasing films by creators with disabilities.

The Slamdance Film Festival's line-up presents a diverse array of European titles. Among the fiction features, Brando with a Glass Eye, an Australian-Greek collaboration by Antonis Tsonis, explores the fallout of a heist gone wrong. Italian cinema is represented by Giuseppe Garau's The Accident, a story of personal upheaval, and Fabio D'Orta's The Complex Forms, which tells a suspenseful tale set in a villa. Norway's The Bitcoin Car by Trygve Luktvasslimo combines technology and rural themes in its portrayal of a goat farmer's dilemma as she grapples with cryptocurrency mining. From Germany, Nils A Witt's The Washer merges the ordinary with the surreal in its story of a young lawyer's bizarre discovery. In terms of the documentaries, On the Way Home by Giorgi Kvelidze, a Georgian-US project, highlights the struggles of families displaced by war. Sean Mattison's Petro, a collaborative effort involving Spain, Colombia and the USA, investigates political ambitions in Colombia, whereas Norwegian helmer Øystein Mamen's Punishment documents the transformative journey of prisoners partaking in a silent retreat. These films collectively showcase a rich spectrum of European cinematic talent, offering profound insights into human experiences and societal dynamics.

The short-film section of Slamdance features notable European entries. Germany's AFFENTANZ - HUNTER by Cyprian Hercka offers a socio-critical narrative on the revenge of the natural world, while Demons in the Closet by James Smith is an animated supernatural adventure. Norway's Complications by Ivar Aase presents the gripping tale of a webcam dominatrix, alongside Signe Rosenlund-Hauglid’s documentary short A Home on Every Floor, exploring childhood. The Canadian-Greek joint venture Ask the Plantain by Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos examines grief and cultural identity. Francesca Coppola’s Lady with Lipstick, a Swiss-Italian effort, reflects on womanhood through archival footage, and the short selection concludes with Light of Light by Neritan Zinxhiria, from Greece, offering an experimental look at a monk's legacy through his camera.

The 30th Slamdance Film Festival will take place in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with online screenings available on the Slamdance Channel from 22-28 January 2024.