Sundance 2025 | 7 Films Screening Virtually That You Can't Miss

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival kicks off this week in Park City, Utah. But, did you know that you don’t have to travel to see some of the best films playing at the festival?

On the second half of the festival, beginning January 30th, Sundance will make many of their films available virtually to stream from home. That means YOU can also watch a lot of the films the ForReel team will be seeing in person (limited to USA).

There are a lot of options to choose from - so what should you prioritize? Here are 7 films streaming virtually that you should make time to see.

The Virgin of Quarry Lake

World Dramatic Competition

Director: Laura Casabé

Writer: Benjamin Naishtat

Synopsis: In 2001, three teenagers from the outskirts of Buenos Aires all fall in love with Diego. Natalia has always had the most chemistry with him, but when it seems inevitable that their friendship will turn into something more, the older and more experienced Silvia appears and soon captures Diego’s attention.

Why You Should Watch: Young women clamoring for a young man might sound melodramatic, but the angle that Laura Casabé approaches the story aims to be less soap opera and more suspenseful and horrific folklore. Think of an Argentine variation of The Witch. This is a film that promises to be a stylish feature that crawls under your skin - perhaps becoming the most unnerving gem at Sundance this year. It’s a film I could see popping up in the festival circuit - especially at genre festivals - so catching it virtually during Sundance can give you a leg up on this buzz worthy international genre film.

East of Wall

NEXT

Director: Kate Beecroft

Writer: Kate Beecroft

Synopsis: After the death of her husband, Tabatha — a young, tattooed, rebellious horse trainer — wrestles with financial insecurity and unresolved grief while providing refuge for a group of wayward teenagers on her broken-down ranch in the Badlands.

Why You Should Watch: Like how director Kate Beecroft stumbled into the situation of Tabatha and her family, we as Sundance audiences are able to stumble into Kate’s unfolding experience. The experimental faux-documentary nature not only seems fascinating as a filmmaking experience, it seems like an opportunity to watch worlds collide, where a filmmaker learns the world of the American wild west, and the wild west learns to be in a film. Does this experiment pay off? You can find out when you screen this film virtually.

Omaha

U.S. Dramatic Competition

Director: Cole Webley

Writer: Robert Machoian

Synopsis: After a family tragedy, siblings Ella and Charlie are unexpectedly woken up by their dad and taken on a journey across the country, experiencing a world they’ve never seen before. As their adventure unfolds, Ella begins to understand that things might not be what they seem.

Why You Should Watch: Road trip films are always appealing stories to me. It’s like a pressure cooker when drama builds up in this environment, and I think Omaha is going to have that exact effect as the movie unveils the intentions and purpose behind this particular road trip. Last year, John Magaro exhibited incredible vulnerability in Past Lives, and I get the sense that emotional competence is going to play a major role in his role here too. This is bound to be one of the more compelling dramas at Sundance, so getting to screen it virtually is something I recommend making a high priority.

Bunnylovr

US Dramatic Competition

Director: Katarina Zhu

Writer: Katarina Zhu

Synopsis: A drifting Chinese American cam girl struggles to navigate an increasingly toxic relationship with one of her clients while rekindling her relationship with her dying estranged father.

Why You Should Watch: Bunnylovr is a feature writing/directing/acting debut for Katarina, and when Sundance programs that kind of triple threat, I perk up and pay attention. In the wake of Anora, the subject of sex work is very topical, finding its footing in filmmaking and storytelling, and I believe Katarina has a bold story to tell here. Rachel Sennott with a producer credit on this film is also a major selling point. Honestly, this could very well be the biggest sleeper hit of the festival, and I’m thrilled that it’s available to screen virtually.

Where the Wind Comes From

World Cinema Dramatic Competition

Director: Amel Guellaty

Writer: Amel Guellaty

Synopsis: Alyssa, a rebellious 19-year-old girl, and her friend Mehdi, an introverted 23-year-old man, use their imagination to escape their unpromising reality. When they discover a contest in the south of Tunisia that may allow them to flee, they undertake a road trip regardless of the obstacles in their way.

Why You Should Watch: I gravitate to films about friendship and strongly relate to stories about breaking free to discover new experiences. Where The Wind Comes From offers all of that as writer and director Amel Guellaty takes viewers on this wild journey. For those looking for an easy-to-watch film with a compelling story and a scrappy duo, Where The Wind Comes From is a great virtual watch option.

Hal & Harper

Episodic

Director: Cooper Raiff

Synopsis: Hal and Harper and Dad chart the evolution of their family.

Why You Should Watch: I know TV shows aren’t the first thing you think of regarding Sundance, but hear me out. What we have here is the latest project from writer/director/actor Cooper Raiff who premiered his comedy gem Cha Cha Real Smooth at Sundance (proof that triple threats are the ones to watch). Hal & Harper is an eight episode show (each one approximately 30 minutes long except for the final episode being an hour long) packed with all the Cooper Raiff filmmaking and storytelling tendencies. Not only does that make this a must-watch for Cooper Raiff fans, but with all virtual tickets being the same price, Hal & Harper and its eight episode arc is the most bang for your buck.

Didn’t Die

Midnight

Director: Meera Menon

Writer: Meera Menon

Synopsis: A podcast host desperately clings to an ever-shrinking audience in the zombie apocalypse.

Why You Should Watch: Mainstream zombie films can all kind of feel the same, and if that’s your thing, more power to you! But what Didn’t Die (not *Don’t* Die, and there’s a somewhat poetic reason for the title) offers is a very human story, focusing more on compelling personal conflicts in the midst of the zombie apocalypse. The filmmakers with to great lengths to make sure Didn’t Die was filmed with the highest of quality. All of that makes this Midnight film (the ONLY one available virtually) something worth seeking out.