For the third year in a row, the Sundance Institute has packed up its bags after Park City, Utah's January film festival and brought the show to Brooklyn!

They condensed the dizzying number of selections the official festival down to 22 features and 36 shorts to show at an 11-day program starting this Thursday, May 29 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.  read more »

Hamlet 2, a witty high-school satire starring acclaimed British actor Steve Coogan, took home the top prize at Sundance yesterday, selling for about $10 million. Focus Features, which has garnered success with arty fare including Brokeback Mountain and Atonement, bought the rights, making it one of the biggest sales in the history of the fest, according to Reuters. Mr. Coogan stars as Dana Marschz, an "overly dramatic drama teacher who attempts to salvage his high-school theater department by staging a controversial sequel to Shakespeare's play."

The Sundance Film Festival is its own little world, set in the otherworldy state of Utah. Smack in the what-surely-must-be-quaint-when-not-overrun-by-wankers town of Park City, nestled between spectacular, somewhat sci-fi-looking snow-covered mountains, it’s a universe where the inhabitants wear puffed-up coats (think duvets with sleeves), big clompy boots, silly hats and shiny laminates hanging around their necks designating their station (press, talent, producer, lawyer, etc).  read more »

Sex and the City’s Mr. Big just welcomed his own Mr. Little. Actor Chris Noth and longtime girlfriend Tara Wilson, who named their 7-pound, 10-counce son Orion Christopher, have already received well-wishes from S.A.T.C. co-star Sarah Jessica Parker.

“I'm thrilled for him because I think first of all he's going to make a wonderful, wonderful father,” the 42-year-old actress told an ET reporter at the Sundance Film Festival, where Ms. Parker is promoting her new film Smart People—a romantic comedy co-staring Dennis Quaid and Thomas Haden Church. “He found a lovely lady to have a child with. It's the perfect time for him and I think he's very ready,” she added.

Last night I had my one night out experiencing the craziness that is Main Street in Park City. The entire slushy street was filled with people -- think Times Square at rush hour -- lining up outside of various parties. As my group approached the after-party sponsored by Hypnotiq for Be Kind Rewind, directed by Michel Gondry and starring Jack Black, a mob scene broke out on the sidewalk a few doors down. Who could it be? Hysteria grew, camera phones flashed. The answer? Ms. Paris Hilton. "I saw your tape, Paris!" one hopeful youngster cried out.  read more »

Much of the chatter coming from journalists (a decidedly talky bunch) at the Sundance Film Festival is whether or not the writer's strike will affect sales this year.

The question is, which of the films will go on to be Little Miss Sunshine – a critical and commercial hit?  read more »

I just came from seeing the premiere of Amy Redford's directorial debut, Guitar. Just two rows ahead of me was the (still gorgeous) golden head of her father, Sundance Film Festival founder, Robert Redford. He was wearing a black turtleneck, camel-colored scarf, glasses, and tried to stay as low-key as possible (not an easy task considering how fast the camera-phones came out) during his daughter's big moment. Ms. Redford, who inherited her father's blonde locks, introduced her movie, taking a moment to single out her star, the out-of-this-world beautiful Saffron Burrows, whom Ms. Redford referred to as "her muse." The film is shot entirely in New York, and is about a young woman who is diagnosed with cancer and given two months to live. Janeane Garofolo and David Wain both have cameos! At the Q&A following the premiere, Ms. Redford deflected all attention to her cast and crew (though "Dad" was thanked as well). As Mr. Redford left, signing autographs and posing for pictures, he flashed a mega-watt smile.

The Black List: Volume One, a collaboration between former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell and director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, has been sold to HBO Documentary Films, and will have its world premiere at Sundance on January 22. The documentary is "composed of dramatic portraits of some of today's most fascinating and influential African-American icons," including Sean Combs, Toni Morrison, Colin Powell, Chris Rock and Al Sharpton, to name just a few. The full release is after the jump.  read more »

The premiere for Martin McDonagh's In Bruges, which stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hit men holed up in Belgium, kicked of the Sundance Film Festival last night. While Sara Vilkomerson admired Mr. Farrell's hair ("gorgeous!" she wrote in an email) Spencer Morgan caught up with the star at the event.  read more »

At the No Name Saloon on Main Street last night I discovered the breakout star of Sundance this year. His name is Wayne Campbell and he plays himself in the film North Starr, a film about an aspiring Texan rapper, which is a wild card contender for the dramatic competition.

Wayne is a cowboy. He says wants his balls to be “pickled in alcohol.” He showed me his one-piece long john underwear. It was red. All cowboys wear one-piece long johns. They call it a union suit.

Wayne was telling everyone who would listen that he plans to doff the union suit and his boots too before he leaves town.

“If you can’t streak at Sundance,” Wayne said, “where else can you streak?”  read more »