Mathias Broe’s ‘Sauna’ will compete in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, while David Borenstein’s ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ is part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition.
The Norwegian-Danish production ‘The Ugly Stepsister’ has also been selected for the festival.
Sauna
‘Sauna’ follows Johan, a young gay man, through his experiences with love and sex. He has just started working as a receptionist at Adonis, Copenhagen's only gay sauna, where he works and spends much of his time. For Johan, the city is like a boundless paradise of opportunities with bars, parties, and one-night stands, but it is only when he meets transgender William that he experiences love up close. The love between the two is put to a tough test as their relationship develops within a society governed by rigid ideas about gender, love, and identity.
William Lippert co-wrote the screenplay with director Mathias Broe. The lead roles are played by Magnus Juhl Andersen, Nina Rask, Dilan Amin, Klaus Tange, and Peter Oliver Hansen.
Mads-August Grarup Hertz produced the film for Nordisk Film, with backing from the Danish Film Institute’s talent development initiative, New Danish Screen. World sales is handled by TrustNordisk.
Mr. Nobody against Putin
‘Mr. Nobody against Putin’. Photo: František Svatoš
Pasha Talankin is an unlikely hero—a beloved Russian primary school teacher, known as a mentor and prankster who offers students a safe haven in his office. After Russia invades Ukraine, Pasha’s role in the school changes dramatically as he is reluctantly drawn into Putin’s propaganda machine. Forced to promote state-sanctioned messages and horrified by the transformation of his school and community, he struggles with guilt and a sense of powerlessness, leading him to become an international whistleblower.
As the school’s videographer, Pasha documents intimate and revealing footage of Putin’s regime, capturing the rise of militarized children’s groups, repressive laws, fervent nationalism, and the recruitment of graduating students to fight in the war. When he learns his own life may be at risk, Pasha is forced to plan a dangerous escape from Russia.
Directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin, ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ showcases rare footage that reveals the profound impact of Putin’s regime on the lives of everyday Russians, particularly its children.
Helle Faber produced the film for Made in Copenhagen with support from the Danish Film Institute. World sales is handled by DR Sales.
In addition to the two Danish films there is also a Danish minor co-produced fiction film selected for the Midnight programme of the Sundance Film Festival.
The Ugly Stepsister
‘The Ugly Stepsister’. Photo: Marcel Zyskind, DFF
Emilie Blichfeldt makes her directorial debut with this Norwegian-Danish film. A sinister twist on the classic Cinderella story with the stepsister taking center stage, ‘The Ugly Stepsister’ follows Elvira as she prepares to earn the Prince’s affection at any cost. In a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira will compete with her beautiful and enchanting stepsister to become the belle of the ball.
The film draws inspiration from the Brothers Grimm’s classic version, in which the stepsister cuts off her toes to fit into the shoe.
Maria Ekerhovd produced the film for Norwegian production company Mer Film, with Theis Nørgaard leading the Danish co-production for Motor. The film is, among others, supported by the Danish Film Institute, Eurimages, DR, and the Nordic Film & TV Fund.
Danish Films at Sundance
Danish feature films and documentaries have long enjoyed strong representation at the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2023, Lin Alluna’s Danish-Greenlandic documentary Twice Colonized, produced by Ánorâk Film, was among the selections.
In 2022, Simon Lereng Wilmont’s documentary ‘A House Made of Splinters’ and Christian Tafdrup’s psychological thriller ‘Speak No Evil’ were featured at the festival. Simon Lereng Wilmont received the prestigious Directing Award at the festival. The film was produced by Final Cut for Real.
In 2021, Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s ’Flee’ won Best International Documentary, while Camilla Nielsson’s President earned a Special Jury Award for Best Vérité Filmmaking. Both films are produced by Final Cut for Real.
In 2019, awards went to Mads Brügger’s ’Cold Case Hammarskjöld’ and May el-Toukhy’s ‘Queen of Hearts’, in 2018 to Gustav Möller’s ‘The Guilty’, and in 2017 to Feras Fayyad’s ‘Last Men in Aleppo’.
Explore the Complete List of Danish Films at Sundance.
The Sundance Film Festival, hosted in Park City, Utah, is among the world’s most prestigious events for independent cinema. Founded in 1985 by actor and director Robert Redford, the festival has always aimed to promote groundbreaking and visionary storytelling in cinema.
It serves as an essential platform for European filmmakers looking to showcase their work to the North American audience and film professionals.
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 23 to February 3, uniting filmmakers, critics, and audiences from across the globe.
Learn more at festival.sundance.org.