Slamdance Film Festival Unveils 2023 Features Lineup; ‘Free LSD’ Set as Closing Film

The 2023 Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its feature film competition, scheduled to run in a hybrid format in late January.

As previously announced, the 29th edition of the festival will open with “Punk Rock Vegan Movie,” a documentary that explores the intersection of punk rock and animal rights. Moby will mark his directorial debut by giving away free copies of the film after it premieres. Closing out a week of programming is the world premiere of “Free LSD,” directed by Dimitri Coats. Seeking a solution for his problems, a man takes an experimental drug that opens a portal to a parallel universe in this psychedlic sci-fi adventure film, featuring cameos by Keith Morris and Jack Black.

More than 7,600 films were submitted to the Utah festival, with selections drawing from 13 different countries.

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Per Slamdance tradition, all films showcased in the Narrative Features and Documentary Features competition were made on a budget of $1 million or less, by first-time directors who have not yet secured U.S. distribution.

“From the streets of Seattle to the psychedelic skies of a unicorn-run dystopia, our filmmakers are
transporting audiences to new dimensions with stories that explore the nuance of disability, immigration
and gender,” said Festival Manager Lily Yasuda in a statement. “This year’s lineup represents a generation of new directors who are breaking boundaries and redefining what filmmaking looks like in 2023.”

Also announced were the selections for the programs Breakout, featuring experienced filmmakers who “maintain distinct visual styles and a unique cinematic voice,” and Unstoppable, highlighting films by artists with visible and non-visible disabilities. This year’s Spotlight Screenings are “Punk Rock Vegan Movie,” “Free LSD” and “Downwind,” directed by Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller.

Slamdance will reveal selections for the Animated, Experimental, Unstoppable, Narrative and Documentary Shorts, as well as Digital, Interactive and Gaming (DIG) and Episodes categories on Dec. 12.

The in-person festival will kick off in Park City and Salt Lake City on Jan. 20 and conclude Jan. 26. The online edition will run on the Slamdance Channel from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29.

Read below for the full features lineup.

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Spotlight Feature Screenings

Downwind (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller

Punk Rock Vegan Movie (United States) – OPENING NIGHT FILM
Dir. Moby

Free LSD (United States) World Premiere – CLOSING NIGHT FILM
Dir. Dimitri Coats

Narrative Feature Competition

The Girl Who Was Cursed – (The Netherlands) North American Premiere
Dir. Zara Dwinger

Love Dump – (United States) U.S. Premiere
Dir. Jason Avezzano

MiND MY GOOFiNESS: The Self Portrait – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Alex Michel

Mad Cats – (Japan) World Premiere
Dir. Reiki Tsuno

New Religion – (Japan) North American Premiere
Dir. Keishi Kondo

Nut Jobs – (Canada) U.S. Premiere
Dir. Alexandre Leblanc

A Perfect Day for Caribou – (United States) North American Premiere
Dir. Jeff Rutherford

Stars in the Ordinary Universe – (South Korea) World Premiere
Dir. Bowon Kim

Unicorn Boy – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Matt Kiel

Waiting for the Light to Change – (United States)
Dir. Linh Tran

Where the Road Leads – (Serbia) World Premiere
Dir. Nina Ognjanović

Documentary Feature Competition

Cash Cow – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Matt Barats

Cisco Kid – (United States) U.S. Premiere
Dir. Emily Kaye Allen

The Mad Writer – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Zach Kashkett

Motel Drive – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Brendan Geraghty

Silent Love – (Poland, Germany) U.S. Premiere
Dir. Marek Kozakiewicz

Space Happy: Phil Thomas Katt and The Uncharted Zone – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Louis Crisitello

Starring Jerry as Himself – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Law Chen

Sweetheart Deal – (United States)
Dir. Elisa Levine & Gabriel Miller

With Peter Bradley – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Alex Rappoport

Breakouts

The Art of Silence – (Switzerland, Germany)
Dir. Maurizius Staerkle Drux

Fuzzy Head – (United States) U.S. Premiere
Dir. Wendy McColm

Mascot – (The Netherlands, Belgium) World Premiere
Dir. Remy van Heugten

Onlookers – (United States, Laos) World Premiere
Dir. Kimi Takesue

The Underbug – (India) World Premiere
Dir. Shujaat Saudagar

What is the Lie? – (Philippines) World Premiere
Dir. Quark Henares

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Unstoppable Features

American Pot Story: Oaksterdam – (United States) World Premiere
Dir. Dan Katzir & Ravit Markus

OKAY! (The ASD Band Film) – (Canada)
Dir. Mark Bone

Sexual Healing – (Netherlands) U.S. Premiere
Dir. Elsbeth Fraanje

Sign the Show – (United States)
Dir. Cat Brewer

Wisdom Gone Wild – (United States)
Dir. Rea Tajiri