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An Oregon Made Film Wins Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize

Portland, OR. After 10 days, 119 feature films and three feet of snow, the 2017 Sundance Film Festival’s Awards were handed out, and the winner of the festival’s highest honor was an Oregon made film. There were several prizes for feature filmmaking in Park City, Utah and I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore won the coveted U.S. Grand Jury Prize. Elijah Wood and Melanie Lynskey star in the film. Here’s the trailer:

I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore is a Netflix film and will debut on the 24th of February. The film was made in Oregon by director Macon Blair. Here’s a synopisis: Ruth (Melanie Lynskey), a depressed nursing assistant, returns from work to find her house burglarized, the thief having made off with her silverware and laptop. Losing faith in the police, Ruth starts her own investigation, joining forces with her erratic neighbor, Tony (Elijah Wood). Upon locating the laptop, they trace it back to a consignment store, leading them to a gang of degenerate criminals and a dangerous, bizarre underworld where they’re way out of their depth.

Macon Blair was all smiles after winning the U. S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. This is Macon Blair‘s debut as a director. He has a history in Oregon; he starred-in, and co-produced, (alongside Oregonian, Neil Kopp) in another #OregonMade project: Green Room.

Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood appear in I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. Photo: Allyson Riggs

The Sundance Film Festival draws an average of 46,600 attendees and generates over $140 million in economic activity for the state of Utah. It was a “see and be seen” event for hundreds of Hollywood insiders.

Jack Black has some fun with the photographers on the press line during the premiere of his film The King of Polka at Sundance.

Filmmaker Matt Spicer explains how a conversation about Instagram led to the idea for Ingrid Goes West, his debut feature film as a director. He spoke in front of 1,200 people, including Malia Obama.

There was a screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the film.

On the documentary side, Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles’ “Dina” took the top prize for their nonfiction piece about the life of a couple on the autism spectrum.

Audience awards went to Matt Ruskin’s “Crown Heights,” a drama about a young black man’s wrongful imprisonment and his best friend’s fight to free him, and “Chasing Coral,” a climate change doc acquired last week by Netflix.

Next years festival is scheduled to start on January 18, 2018.

For more information: sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.