Sundance Film Festival recently released the 2026 premiere schedule, and there are several great-looking music movies on the docket. From Charli XCX’s meta take on Brat Summer, to the folklore surrounding Wu-Tang Clan’s $4 million secret album, and much more. Sundance takes place from January 22 to February 1, with 2026 as the final year in Park City, Utah, before the festival moves to Boulder, Colorado.
‘The Moment’
Charli XCX’s much-hyped mockumentary, The Moment, is scheduled to premiere at Sundance in 2026, and a new trailer has recently dropped. Directed by Aiden Zamiri, who also wrote alongside Bertie Brandes, the film is loosely based on Charli’s experiences launching Brat in 2024. The album that sparked a pop cultural moment gets its metafictional due, starring Charli with an additional cast that includes Rosanna Arquette, Alexander Skarsgård, Kate Berlant, Rachel Sennott, Kylie Jenner, Shygirl, and A. G. Cook.
According to Zamiri, he received a “word vomit” text from Charli during her co-headlining Sweat Tour. In the message, she described her mindset during that time. Zamiri explained it as, “This feeling of having just almost got everything she could have wanted, and what that felt like on kind of a human level.” This text served as the initial idea for The Moment. Following Sundance, A24 is distributing the film in the U.S. on January 30.
‘Antiheroine’
Courtney Love is getting raw and real in the documentary Antiheroine, which was recently scheduled for a Sundance premiere. It follows the iconic, often acerbic frontwoman through her life in London over the past few years. Additionally, it comes at a time when she’s ready to release new music after a long hiatus. Love is joined in the doc by former Hole bandmates Melissa Auf der Maur, Eric Erlandson, and Patty Schemel, as well as Michael Stipe, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Butch Walker.
Directors Edward Lovelace and James Hall are at the helm, with production by Dorothy St. Pictures. According to producer Julia Nottingham, Antiheroine serves to separate Courtney Love from a sensationalist perspective. “We made this film because Courtney’s story is bigger than the headlines,” said Nottingham. “It’s raw, complicated, and deeply human.”
‘The Best Summer’
Tamra Davis’ documentary The Best Summer is filling out the Sundance schedule with a smorgasbord of 90s artists and rare footage. According to reports, the film features behind-the-scenes looks at up-and-coming indie-rock and punk acts during the 90s. These include the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Pavement, Rancid, Beck, The Amps, and Bikini Kill.
Davis previously directed The Punk Singer in 2013. This gave fans an intimate look at Kathleen Hanna’s life and career as an influential voice in the riot grrrl movement. According to Billboard, Davis’ new doc will be available to view online after its Sundance premiere.
‘Broken English’
Singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull’s story will be told in the film Broken English, premiering at Sundance next year. Unfortunately, Faithfull passed away earlier this year at 78 and won’t be able to see the fruits of her labor. But she was fully involved in the documentary, starring alongside Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, Sophia Di Martino, Zawe Ashton, and Calvin Demba. Additional appearances include Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Jehnny Beth, Courtney Love, Suki Waterhouse, and Beth Orton.
Broken English initially premiered at the Venice Film Festival over the summer, but Sundance will mark its U.S. premiere. Directed by Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth, it is a dramatized look at Faithfull’s life and career. It presents real events but frames them within the fictionalized “Ministry of Not Forgetting.” There, Faithfull herself is interviewed by Ministry employees in order to analyze her life and separate truth from myth.
‘The Disciple’
Joanna Natasegara is making her documentary directorial debut with The Disciple. The doc explores the legends and myths surrounding Wu-Tang Clan’s 2015 album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The one-of-a-kind album/art piece is shrouded in myth, as only one copy was ever created. The official blurb describes the film’s plot as, “An outsider fueled by relentless determination works his way into the inner circle of the Wu-Tang Clan, where his ambition and creativity converge in the making of an album poised to ignite global controversy.”
In 2015, the only copy of the album sold for $2 million to Martin Shkreli, disgraced CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals. It remains the most expensive piece of music ever sold, after it was bought by NFT company PleasrDAO for $4 million. Legally, the album can only be played during private listening parties. It’s also barred from commercial exploitation until the year 2130. In June 2024, it was played as part of an exhibition at a Tasmanian art museum. PleasrDAO then offered partial ownership via NFTs. This sped up the public release date by 88 seconds with each purchase. However, as of today, the countdown clock is suspiciously inactive.
Photo by David Becker/Getty Images
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