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https://www.thenerdelement.com/2022/01/13/2022-sundance-film-festival-beyond-film-line-up-announced/

Park City, UT — The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the 2022 Sundance Film Festival Beyond Film lineup produced by the Festival, all of which are free to the public. These thought provoking and entertaining talks and events will include three conversation series (Power of Story, Cinema Cafe, and The Big Conversation) and more. The Festival takes place from January 20 – 30, 2022 on an enhanced online platform at Festival.Sundance.org and on New Frontier’s Spaceship, a bespoke immersive platform, and in person at seven Satellite Screens venues around the country during the Festival’s second weekend. 

From artist talks to daily meetups and immersive experiences, these Beyond Film events will include artists from this year’s program including Eva Longoria Bastòn, Karen Gillan, Dakota Johnson, Keke Palmer, Amy Poehler, and Emma Thompson, bringing the art and craft of storytelling from the screen to wherever Festival audiences gather. Additional Beyond Film speakers include actor Roberta Colindrez, African American Policy Forum’s Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, director Cheryl Dunye, playwright Jeremy O. Harris, showrunner Sterlin Harjo, producer Lisa Joy, leading climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate, and climate legal advisor Farhana Yamin

Additional Beyond Film programming includes a daily talk show (“How to Fest: Daily”); a solo performance with multiple Emmy Award–winning artist, Lynette Wallworth; a sneak peek and conversation with the directors of Oscar’s Comeback about black film pioneer, Oscar Micheaux; Artist Spotlights with XR/VR/new media creators showing work in the New Frontier section; a conversation around the climate crisis; and more. In addition to the Sundance programming, our Satellite Screen partners will have conversations (in-person and online) running the last weekend of the Festival (Jan 28 – 30.) The Festival Village also launches today, full of partner–produced cultural programming in our online “main street” and community hub. As part of that, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café will also return for its 24th year. 

BEYOND FILM LINE-UP

POWER OF STORY
The Sundance Film Festival’s Power of Story events look to deepen public engagement with the art of storytelling, delve into cinema culture, and celebrate artists whose work propels and reinvents the form as we know it. Presented by Netflix

ARTISTS UNBOUND
Sunday, January 23, 3-4:30 p.m.

Exciting boundaryless artists from a wide cross section of creative practices join us to make sense of the boxes artists can be confined to, how the culture shapes these boxes, and the freedom found in exploding them. The fearlessness of these transgressive visionaries is a testament to creative integrity and its unbreakable link to independence. Presented by Netflix.
Featuring: Jeremy O. Harris (Zola), Roberta Colindrez (Vida), and Zackary Drucker (Framing Agnes)
Moderated by Alex Jung (Vulture)

CINEMA CAFE
Saturday, January 22–Tuesday, January 25
A series of informal chats brings together special guests for thought-provoking encounters. 
Presented by Audible.

CINEMA CAFE: Karen Gillan (Dual) and Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Moderated by Shirley Li (The Atlantic) 
Saturday, January 22, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

CINEMA CAFE: Eva Longoria Bastón (La Guerra Civil) and Amy Poehler (Lucy & Desi)
Moderated by Mandalit del Barco (NPR)
Sunday, January 23, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

CINEMA CAFE: Dakota Johnson (Cha Cha Real Smooth, Am I Ok?)  and Keke Palmer (Alice)
Moderated by Hannah Giorgis (The Atlantic)
Monday, January 24, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

CINEMA CAFE: Fresh Faces
John Early (My Trip to Spain), Lily McInerny (Palm Trees and Power Lines), and Donald Elise Watkins (Emergency)
Moderated by Joey Soloway (Transparent
Tuesday, January 25, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

THE BIG CONVERSATION
The Big Conversation tackles science, art, culture, and the movements that are fueling the imaginations of today’s independent artists. A compelling selection of speakers discuss topics centered on the themes of this year’s program and explore broader trends in art and culture around the world. In considering how artists — through their practice and their work — make meaning of the world, we’re reminded that it’s the big conversation that connects us to the big ideas.

ACOUSTIC RANGE
Saturday, January 22, 2-3:30 p.m.
Reflecting on how artists respond to what’s happening around the world, this conversation  focuses on electrifying musicians and their creative process heightening the cinematic story through music and ambience. With origins in live performance, this group has expanded their reach to composing for feature length films, animation and musicals, and will be discussing their work premiering at Sundance and beyond.
Featuring: Daniel Hart (The Green Knight), Saul Williams (Neptune Frost), and Drum & Lace (Summering)
Moderated by Dan Wilcox (KCRW)

FOUR HISTORIES OF REBEL ART
Sunday, January 23, 2-2:30 p.m. 
At this special event celebrating Sundance Institute’s 40th anniversary, we take a joyous look into the rebel histories of award-winning, renowned filmmakers who premiered their shorts and debut films at the Festival. We’ll explore what their stories mean for the future of Sundance, consequent trailblazers, and independent cinema. 
Featuring Christine Choy (The Exiles), Cheryl Dunye (Greetings from Africa), Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs)
Moderated by Eugene Hernandez (Deputy Executive Director of Film at Lincoln Center)

THE STORY OF US: RECLAIMING THE NARRATIVE
Monday, January 24, 2-3:30 p.m.
Legal Scholar and civil rights advocate Kimberlé W. Crenshaw returns to the Sundance Film Festival to moderate a conversation interrogating how censorship, legislation, and storytelling are creating a distorted national narrative, and the crucial role of new cinematic genres in challenging these myths. 
Featuring: CJ Hunt (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah), David Blight (Sterling professor of American History, Yale University), Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny), Việt Thanh Nguyễn (Pulitzer Prize-winning writer)
Moderated by Kimberlé W. Crenshaw (Executive Director, African American Policy Forum)

MACHINE YEARNING
Tuesday, January 25, 2-3:30 p.m.
Cinema’s fascination with robots and machine intelligence goes back almost as far as cinema itself, even if some of film and television’s greatest characters might not pass the Turing test (though, eerily, others would). Today’s study of robotics, engineering, artificial intelligence, neural networks , etc. yields an array of fascinating applications, new technologies, and complex questions, and the artificial beings once so fanciful to Fritz Lang or Philip K. Dick now involve as much science as fiction. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Featuring: Cynthia Breazeal (Associate Director, MIT Media Lab), Lisa Joy (Westworld), Kogonada (After Yang)

HOW TO FEST: DAILY
Consider this a new part of your morning routine — a way to get your mind right and set the tone for your Festival adventures ahead. Our host, Festival director Tabitha Jackson, will bring together artists, programmers, and film lovers to explore themes that are driving the festival and the projects featured in it. Daily from January 21-25 at 10 a.m. MT on festival.sundance.org.
Presented by Acura

BEYOND FILM PRESENTS
HOW TO LIVE (After you Die)
Monday, January 24, 9-11 p.m.
Renowned for her crystalline, deeply humane reflections on spirituality, technology, and the natural world, multiple Emmy Award-winning artist Lynette Wallworth turns the lens on herself in the solo performance HOW TO LIVE (After You Die). With tenderness, intimacy, and wry humor, Wallworth recounts her coming-of-age in a radical Christian community and, by travelling through her acclaimed works, charts an artist’s journey to reclaim her voice. This presentation will be followed by a live conversation with Lynette Wallworth and moderated by Tabitha Jackson.
Performance by Lynette Wallworth

OSCAR’S COMEBACK
Monday, January 24, 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Director Lisa Collins and Co-Director Mark Schwartzburt have created an epic that brilliantly transports black film pioneer Oscar Micheaux into our politically polarized present. Seventeen years in the making, Oscar’s Comeback, features profoundly resonant themes and an incredible kaleidoscope of characters, including Micheaux as the godfather of independent cinema. This special showcase will include a lively conversation with the creators and a sneak peek at  scenes from the 5 hour film. 
Featuring: Lisa Collins, Mark Schwartzburt (Oscar’s Comeback)
In conversation with: Jacqueline Stewart (Chief Artistic and Programming Officer, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures)

SUNDANCE COLLAB AT THE FESTIVAL
Sundance Collab is a digital destination for independent artists at all stages of their creative journeys to learn and connect. This global community is a safe and nurturing space of inclusion and belonging. Learn more at https://collab.sundance.org

SUNDANCE COLLAB ROUNDTABLE: MY SHORT FILM’S LONG JOURNEY TO SUNDANCE
Friday, January 21, 4:30-6 p.m. MT
A candid roundtable discussion with Festival filmmakers about the process of getting their short films made and seen, from conception through Sundance exhibition, and a sneak peek at their films playing at this year’s Festival. Following the conversation, we invite attendees to stay for casual networking in breakout rooms. 
Featuring: Olive Nwosu (Egungun), William David Caballero (Chilly and Milly), and Sky Hopkina (Kicking the Clouds)  Moderated by Liz Nord (Director of Content, Sundance Collab)

SUNDANCE COLLAB CREATOR MEETUP: NAVIGATING YOUR FIRST MAJOR FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, January 27, 2022, 10-11:30 a.m. MT

Creator Meetups feature candid discussions with artists and media professionals around timely and critical issues in the film and television industry, followed by breakout groups where creators can meet and continue their conversations. Join us for a discussion with Sundance filmmakers on how to prepare for, and make the most out of, your first major film festival experience.
Featuring: Kara Durrett (Producer, Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul) and Chase Joynt (Director, Framing Agnes)
Moderated by Abiram Brizuela (Director, Sundance Artist Community)

DAILY ARTIST MEETUPS
Presented by the Sundance Collective
The Festival’s Daily Artist Meetups provide an opportunity for Festivalgoers to meet independent storytellers from the Sundance Institute artist community and beyond. Each session is preceded by a thought-provoking conversation between Sundance Artists and leads from various Institute programs. 

Friday, January 21, 11:30-1:00 PM.
Daily Artist Meetup: Welcome To The 2022 Sundance Film Festival

Featuring: Tabitha Jackson (Director, Sundance Film Festival & Public Programs), Gina Duncan (Producing Director, Sundance Institute), Shari Frilot (Chief Curator, New Frontier and Sr. Film Programmer, Sundance Film Festival), Karim Ahmad (Director, Outreach & Inclusion, Sundance Institute), Brenda Coughlin (Director, Engagement & Advocacy, Sundance Institute)

Saturday, January 22, 11:30-1:00 PM. 
Daily Artist Meetup: The Leap From Short To Feature

Featuring: Francisca Alegría (Writer/Director, The Cow Who Sang A Song Into the Future),  Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny)

Sunday, January 23, 11:30-1:00 PM. 
Daily Artist Meetup: Cinema from Kahiki to Kaimukī  

Featuring: Alika Maikau Tengan (Writer/Director, Every Day In Kaimukī
Moderator: Cheryl Hirasa, (Interim Executive Director, Pacific Islanders in Communications)

Monday, January 24, 11:30 – 1:00 PM. 
Daily Artist Meetup: Creative Financing, A Case Study on Jockey

Featuring: Clint Bentley (Writer/Director/Producer) and Greg Kwedar (Writer/Producer)

Tuesday, January 25, 11:30 – 1:00 PM.
Daily Artist Meetup: The Future Of Streaming

Featuring: Leaders from top streaming services. 

CALLING ALL ARTISTS: THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS RECRUITING
Presented by Women at Sundance
Friday, January 21, 2-3:30 p.m.  
Artists are urgently needed to interpret the present crisis and imagine a climate-just future. Hear from our recruiters: youth and Indigenous movement leaders, policymakers, and scientists, and join the discussion about how we can work together collectively like never before. 
Recruiters: Andrea​ ​Ixchíu Hernández (Maya K’iche’ leader and filmmaker, Guatemala), Geeta Persad (climate scientist, USA), Vanessa Nakate (climate justice activist, Uganda), Farhana Yamin (climate legal advisor, UK)
Moderated by Megha Agrawal Sood (Head of Climate Story Unit, Doc Society), Emily Wanja (Global Community Manager, Climate Story Unit, Doc Society)

RESTORING THE FUTURE
Saturday, January 22, 4-6:00 p.m. 

The past two years have incubated new and evolving movements in the media arts system, creating pathways to a radically aspirational future. In this participatory worldbuilding experience, step into a portal to that future with artists, activists, and industry members. Together they will share prototypes, provocations, and artifacts from an imagined future media-arts ecosystem centered in justice, abundance, and joy. 
Featuring: Sabrina Schmidt Gordon (Producer, To The End), Andria Wilson Mirza (Director, ReFrame), Yasmin Dunn (Director of Education & Outreach, Hollywood Commission)
Facilitated by: Karim Ahmad (Director, Outreach & Inclusion, Sundance Institute), Brenda Coughlin (Director, Engagement & Advocacy, Sundance Institute), Tony Patrick (Artist, Beyond the Breakdown, Sundance ‘21)

NEW FRONTIER ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPACESHIP

Our Artist Spotlight series brings New Frontier artists into conversation with audiences about their provocative works and artistic practice in stimulating, informative, and engaging ways. 

Online, The Spaceship’s Cinema House will host Artist Spotlight presentations by each of the New Frontier artist teams. Afterward, artists will be available to mingle and engage in conversation with audiences.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: This is Not a Ceremony
Friday, January 21, 1 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: ATUA
Friday, January 21, 4 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: The Inside World
Saturday, January 22, noon

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: On The Morning You Wake (To the End of the World)
Saturday, January 22, 7 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Child of Empire
Sunday, January 23, noon 

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Suga’- A Live Virtual Dance Performance
Monday, January 24, 7 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: The State of Global Peace
Tuesday, January 25, 6 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: They Dream in My Bones – Insemnopedy II
Wednesday, January 26th, noon

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Diagnosia
Wednesday, January 26th, 2 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Gondwana
Wednesday, January 26, 8 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Seven Grams
Thursday, January 27, 2 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Surrogate
Thursday, January 27th, 7 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: 32 Sounds 
Wednesday, January 27, 9 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Flat Earth VR
Friday, January 28th, noon

Web 3.0 / NFT Meetups
Saturday, January 22, 2 p.m., Online 
Sunday, January 23, 2 p.m., Online
Friday, January 28, 2 p.m, Online
Facilitated by Amelia Winger-Bearskin (Banks Preeminence Chair AI & the Arts, University of Florida) & Jesse Damiani (Founder, Postreality Labs)

ADDED NEW FRONTIER PROGRAMMING
Once again, Festivalgoers who are attending The Spaceship can spend a night on earth in Amsterdam, at IDFA DocLab’s interactive playground do {not} play.  Experimental soulmates from the beginning, 2022 marks a sweet sixteen birthday for both New Frontier & IDFA DocLab.The Spaceship Filmmaker Receptions, online parties which will take place Jan 26-27, and are designed to enable filmmakers to meet their festival wide audiences. 

SUNDANCE ASCAP MUSIC CAFÉ
Friday, January 21–Monday, January 24, 3:00 p.m. daily
The Sundance ASCAP Music Café returns to its virtual stage in the Festival Village, marking its 24th year celebrating the discovery of new musical voices and film’s marriage of sight and sound. From January 21 to 24, the Café will feature two days of musical performances from acclaimed talent and rising stars and two days dedicated to ASCAP Screen Time conversations with top ASCAP composers and collaborators from around the globe. Musical performances will include The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical creators Barlow & Bear, six-time Grammy-nominee Brandy Clark, award-winning actor/singer Evan Rachel Wood and Grammy-nominated guitarist/singer-songwriter Zane Carney as EVAN + ZANE, three-time Emmy-nominated Only Murders in the Building composer Siddhartha Khosla and more. Additional information can be found here.

Daily programming, panels and events from partners will also be available at: https://festival.sundance.org/village/ 

Women @ Sundance 
Women at Sundance is made possible by leadership support from The David and Lura Lovell Foundation, The Harnisch Foundation, and Adobe. Additional support is provided by Kimberly Steward, Paul and Katy Drake Bettner, Barbara Bridges, Abigail Disney and Pierre Hauser—Like a River Fund, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Suzanne Lerner, Cristina Ljungberg, Susan Bay Nimoy, Ann Lovell, Zions Bank, Visionary Women, Gruber Family Foundation, Pat Mitchell and Scott Seydel, and an anonymous donor.

New Frontier Alliance 
The Sundance Institute New Frontier Program is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Adobe, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dell Technologies, Metaplex Studios, Meta Quest, RAIR Tech, Rally, and Unity.

The Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Flee, CODA, Passing, Summer Of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Precious, The Cove, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth, Napoleon Dynamite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Reservoir Dogs and sex, lies, and videotape. 

The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute. 2022 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, AMC+, Chase Sapphire, Adobe; Leadership Sponsors – Amazon Studios, DIRECTV, DoorDash, Dropbox, Netflix, Omnicom Group, WarnerMedia, XRM Media; Sustaining Sponsors – Aflac, Audible, Canada Goose, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dell Technologies, IMDbPro, Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold, Rabbit Hole Bourbon & Rye, Unity Technologies, University of Utah Health, White Claw Hard Seltzer; Media Sponsors – The Atlantic, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Shadow and Act, Variety, Vulture. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute’s year-round programs for independent artists. sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute
As a champion and curator of independent stories for the stage and screen, Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, film composing, and digital media to create and thrive.

Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, 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. Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings artists together to learn from each other and Sundance advisors and connect in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, City So Real, Top of the Lake, Between the World & Me, Wild Goose Dreams and Fun Home. Join the Sundance Institute on FacebookInstagramTwitter and YouTube.

The post 2022 Sundance Film Festival: “Beyond Film” Line-Up Announced appeared first on The Nerd Element.

January 13, 2022

2022 Sundance Film Festival: “Beyond Film” Line-Up Announced

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2022/01/13/2022-sundance-film-festival-beyond-film-line-up-announced/

Park City, UT — The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the 2022 Sundance Film Festival Beyond Film lineup produced by the Festival, all of which are free to the public. These thought provoking and entertaining talks and events will include three conversation series (Power of Story, Cinema Cafe, and The Big Conversation) and more. The Festival takes place from January 20 – 30, 2022 on an enhanced online platform at Festival.Sundance.org and on New Frontier’s Spaceship, a bespoke immersive platform, and in person at seven Satellite Screens venues around the country during the Festival’s second weekend. 

From artist talks to daily meetups and immersive experiences, these Beyond Film events will include artists from this year’s program including Eva Longoria Bastòn, Karen Gillan, Dakota Johnson, Keke Palmer, Amy Poehler, and Emma Thompson, bringing the art and craft of storytelling from the screen to wherever Festival audiences gather. Additional Beyond Film speakers include actor Roberta Colindrez, African American Policy Forum’s Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, director Cheryl Dunye, playwright Jeremy O. Harris, showrunner Sterlin Harjo, producer Lisa Joy, leading climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate, and climate legal advisor Farhana Yamin

Additional Beyond Film programming includes a daily talk show (“How to Fest: Daily”); a solo performance with multiple Emmy Award–winning artist, Lynette Wallworth; a sneak peek and conversation with the directors of Oscar’s Comeback about black film pioneer, Oscar Micheaux; Artist Spotlights with XR/VR/new media creators showing work in the New Frontier section; a conversation around the climate crisis; and more. In addition to the Sundance programming, our Satellite Screen partners will have conversations (in-person and online) running the last weekend of the Festival (Jan 28 – 30.) The Festival Village also launches today, full of partner–produced cultural programming in our online “main street” and community hub. As part of that, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café will also return for its 24th year. 

BEYOND FILM LINE-UP

POWER OF STORY
The Sundance Film Festival’s Power of Story events look to deepen public engagement with the art of storytelling, delve into cinema culture, and celebrate artists whose work propels and reinvents the form as we know it. Presented by Netflix

ARTISTS UNBOUND
Sunday, January 23, 3-4:30 p.m.

Exciting boundaryless artists from a wide cross section of creative practices join us to make sense of the boxes artists can be confined to, how the culture shapes these boxes, and the freedom found in exploding them. The fearlessness of these transgressive visionaries is a testament to creative integrity and its unbreakable link to independence. Presented by Netflix.
Featuring: Jeremy O. Harris (Zola), Roberta Colindrez (Vida), and Zackary Drucker (Framing Agnes)
Moderated by Alex Jung (Vulture)

CINEMA CAFE
Saturday, January 22–Tuesday, January 25
A series of informal chats brings together special guests for thought-provoking encounters. 
Presented by Audible.

CINEMA CAFE: Karen Gillan (Dual) and Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Moderated by Shirley Li (The Atlantic) 
Saturday, January 22, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

CINEMA CAFE: Eva Longoria Bastón (La Guerra Civil) and Amy Poehler (Lucy & Desi)
Moderated by Mandalit del Barco (NPR)
Sunday, January 23, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

CINEMA CAFE: Dakota Johnson (Cha Cha Real Smooth, Am I Ok?)  and Keke Palmer (Alice)
Moderated by Hannah Giorgis (The Atlantic)
Monday, January 24, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

CINEMA CAFE: Fresh Faces
John Early (My Trip to Spain), Lily McInerny (Palm Trees and Power Lines), and Donald Elise Watkins (Emergency)
Moderated by Joey Soloway (Transparent
Tuesday, January 25, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

THE BIG CONVERSATION
The Big Conversation tackles science, art, culture, and the movements that are fueling the imaginations of today’s independent artists. A compelling selection of speakers discuss topics centered on the themes of this year’s program and explore broader trends in art and culture around the world. In considering how artists — through their practice and their work — make meaning of the world, we’re reminded that it’s the big conversation that connects us to the big ideas.

ACOUSTIC RANGE
Saturday, January 22, 2-3:30 p.m.
Reflecting on how artists respond to what’s happening around the world, this conversation  focuses on electrifying musicians and their creative process heightening the cinematic story through music and ambience. With origins in live performance, this group has expanded their reach to composing for feature length films, animation and musicals, and will be discussing their work premiering at Sundance and beyond.
Featuring: Daniel Hart (The Green Knight), Saul Williams (Neptune Frost), and Drum & Lace (Summering)
Moderated by Dan Wilcox (KCRW)

FOUR HISTORIES OF REBEL ART
Sunday, January 23, 2-2:30 p.m. 
At this special event celebrating Sundance Institute’s 40th anniversary, we take a joyous look into the rebel histories of award-winning, renowned filmmakers who premiered their shorts and debut films at the Festival. We’ll explore what their stories mean for the future of Sundance, consequent trailblazers, and independent cinema. 
Featuring Christine Choy (The Exiles), Cheryl Dunye (Greetings from Africa), Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs)
Moderated by Eugene Hernandez (Deputy Executive Director of Film at Lincoln Center)

THE STORY OF US: RECLAIMING THE NARRATIVE
Monday, January 24, 2-3:30 p.m.
Legal Scholar and civil rights advocate Kimberlé W. Crenshaw returns to the Sundance Film Festival to moderate a conversation interrogating how censorship, legislation, and storytelling are creating a distorted national narrative, and the crucial role of new cinematic genres in challenging these myths. 
Featuring: CJ Hunt (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah), David Blight (Sterling professor of American History, Yale University), Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny), Việt Thanh Nguyễn (Pulitzer Prize-winning writer)
Moderated by Kimberlé W. Crenshaw (Executive Director, African American Policy Forum)

MACHINE YEARNING
Tuesday, January 25, 2-3:30 p.m.
Cinema’s fascination with robots and machine intelligence goes back almost as far as cinema itself, even if some of film and television’s greatest characters might not pass the Turing test (though, eerily, others would). Today’s study of robotics, engineering, artificial intelligence, neural networks , etc. yields an array of fascinating applications, new technologies, and complex questions, and the artificial beings once so fanciful to Fritz Lang or Philip K. Dick now involve as much science as fiction. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Featuring: Cynthia Breazeal (Associate Director, MIT Media Lab), Lisa Joy (Westworld), Kogonada (After Yang)

HOW TO FEST: DAILY
Consider this a new part of your morning routine — a way to get your mind right and set the tone for your Festival adventures ahead. Our host, Festival director Tabitha Jackson, will bring together artists, programmers, and film lovers to explore themes that are driving the festival and the projects featured in it. Daily from January 21-25 at 10 a.m. MT on festival.sundance.org.
Presented by Acura

BEYOND FILM PRESENTS
HOW TO LIVE (After you Die)
Monday, January 24, 9-11 p.m.
Renowned for her crystalline, deeply humane reflections on spirituality, technology, and the natural world, multiple Emmy Award-winning artist Lynette Wallworth turns the lens on herself in the solo performance HOW TO LIVE (After You Die). With tenderness, intimacy, and wry humor, Wallworth recounts her coming-of-age in a radical Christian community and, by travelling through her acclaimed works, charts an artist’s journey to reclaim her voice. This presentation will be followed by a live conversation with Lynette Wallworth and moderated by Tabitha Jackson.
Performance by Lynette Wallworth

OSCAR’S COMEBACK
Monday, January 24, 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Director Lisa Collins and Co-Director Mark Schwartzburt have created an epic that brilliantly transports black film pioneer Oscar Micheaux into our politically polarized present. Seventeen years in the making, Oscar’s Comeback, features profoundly resonant themes and an incredible kaleidoscope of characters, including Micheaux as the godfather of independent cinema. This special showcase will include a lively conversation with the creators and a sneak peek at  scenes from the 5 hour film. 
Featuring: Lisa Collins, Mark Schwartzburt (Oscar’s Comeback)
In conversation with: Jacqueline Stewart (Chief Artistic and Programming Officer, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures)

SUNDANCE COLLAB AT THE FESTIVAL
Sundance Collab is a digital destination for independent artists at all stages of their creative journeys to learn and connect. This global community is a safe and nurturing space of inclusion and belonging. Learn more at https://collab.sundance.org

SUNDANCE COLLAB ROUNDTABLE: MY SHORT FILM’S LONG JOURNEY TO SUNDANCE
Friday, January 21, 4:30-6 p.m. MT
A candid roundtable discussion with Festival filmmakers about the process of getting their short films made and seen, from conception through Sundance exhibition, and a sneak peek at their films playing at this year’s Festival. Following the conversation, we invite attendees to stay for casual networking in breakout rooms. 
Featuring: Olive Nwosu (Egungun), William David Caballero (Chilly and Milly), and Sky Hopkina (Kicking the Clouds)  Moderated by Liz Nord (Director of Content, Sundance Collab)

SUNDANCE COLLAB CREATOR MEETUP: NAVIGATING YOUR FIRST MAJOR FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, January 27, 2022, 10-11:30 a.m. MT

Creator Meetups feature candid discussions with artists and media professionals around timely and critical issues in the film and television industry, followed by breakout groups where creators can meet and continue their conversations. Join us for a discussion with Sundance filmmakers on how to prepare for, and make the most out of, your first major film festival experience.
Featuring: Kara Durrett (Producer, Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul) and Chase Joynt (Director, Framing Agnes)
Moderated by Abiram Brizuela (Director, Sundance Artist Community)

DAILY ARTIST MEETUPS
Presented by the Sundance Collective
The Festival’s Daily Artist Meetups provide an opportunity for Festivalgoers to meet independent storytellers from the Sundance Institute artist community and beyond. Each session is preceded by a thought-provoking conversation between Sundance Artists and leads from various Institute programs. 

Friday, January 21, 11:30-1:00 PM.
Daily Artist Meetup: Welcome To The 2022 Sundance Film Festival

Featuring: Tabitha Jackson (Director, Sundance Film Festival & Public Programs), Gina Duncan (Producing Director, Sundance Institute), Shari Frilot (Chief Curator, New Frontier and Sr. Film Programmer, Sundance Film Festival), Karim Ahmad (Director, Outreach & Inclusion, Sundance Institute), Brenda Coughlin (Director, Engagement & Advocacy, Sundance Institute)

Saturday, January 22, 11:30-1:00 PM. 
Daily Artist Meetup: The Leap From Short To Feature

Featuring: Francisca Alegría (Writer/Director, The Cow Who Sang A Song Into the Future),  Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny)

Sunday, January 23, 11:30-1:00 PM. 
Daily Artist Meetup: Cinema from Kahiki to Kaimukī  

Featuring: Alika Maikau Tengan (Writer/Director, Every Day In Kaimukī
Moderator: Cheryl Hirasa, (Interim Executive Director, Pacific Islanders in Communications)

Monday, January 24, 11:30 – 1:00 PM. 
Daily Artist Meetup: Creative Financing, A Case Study on Jockey

Featuring: Clint Bentley (Writer/Director/Producer) and Greg Kwedar (Writer/Producer)

Tuesday, January 25, 11:30 – 1:00 PM.
Daily Artist Meetup: The Future Of Streaming

Featuring: Leaders from top streaming services. 

CALLING ALL ARTISTS: THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS RECRUITING
Presented by Women at Sundance
Friday, January 21, 2-3:30 p.m.  
Artists are urgently needed to interpret the present crisis and imagine a climate-just future. Hear from our recruiters: youth and Indigenous movement leaders, policymakers, and scientists, and join the discussion about how we can work together collectively like never before. 
Recruiters: Andrea​ ​Ixchíu Hernández (Maya K’iche’ leader and filmmaker, Guatemala), Geeta Persad (climate scientist, USA), Vanessa Nakate (climate justice activist, Uganda), Farhana Yamin (climate legal advisor, UK)
Moderated by Megha Agrawal Sood (Head of Climate Story Unit, Doc Society), Emily Wanja (Global Community Manager, Climate Story Unit, Doc Society)

RESTORING THE FUTURE
Saturday, January 22, 4-6:00 p.m. 

The past two years have incubated new and evolving movements in the media arts system, creating pathways to a radically aspirational future. In this participatory worldbuilding experience, step into a portal to that future with artists, activists, and industry members. Together they will share prototypes, provocations, and artifacts from an imagined future media-arts ecosystem centered in justice, abundance, and joy. 
Featuring: Sabrina Schmidt Gordon (Producer, To The End), Andria Wilson Mirza (Director, ReFrame), Yasmin Dunn (Director of Education & Outreach, Hollywood Commission)
Facilitated by: Karim Ahmad (Director, Outreach & Inclusion, Sundance Institute), Brenda Coughlin (Director, Engagement & Advocacy, Sundance Institute), Tony Patrick (Artist, Beyond the Breakdown, Sundance ‘21)

NEW FRONTIER ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPACESHIP

Our Artist Spotlight series brings New Frontier artists into conversation with audiences about their provocative works and artistic practice in stimulating, informative, and engaging ways. 

Online, The Spaceship’s Cinema House will host Artist Spotlight presentations by each of the New Frontier artist teams. Afterward, artists will be available to mingle and engage in conversation with audiences.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: This is Not a Ceremony
Friday, January 21, 1 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: ATUA
Friday, January 21, 4 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: The Inside World
Saturday, January 22, noon

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: On The Morning You Wake (To the End of the World)
Saturday, January 22, 7 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Child of Empire
Sunday, January 23, noon 

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Suga’- A Live Virtual Dance Performance
Monday, January 24, 7 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: The State of Global Peace
Tuesday, January 25, 6 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: They Dream in My Bones – Insemnopedy II
Wednesday, January 26th, noon

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Diagnosia
Wednesday, January 26th, 2 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Gondwana
Wednesday, January 26, 8 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Seven Grams
Thursday, January 27, 2 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Surrogate
Thursday, January 27th, 7 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: 32 Sounds 
Wednesday, January 27, 9 p.m.

New Frontier Artist Spotlight: Flat Earth VR
Friday, January 28th, noon

Web 3.0 / NFT Meetups
Saturday, January 22, 2 p.m., Online 
Sunday, January 23, 2 p.m., Online
Friday, January 28, 2 p.m, Online
Facilitated by Amelia Winger-Bearskin (Banks Preeminence Chair AI & the Arts, University of Florida) & Jesse Damiani (Founder, Postreality Labs)

ADDED NEW FRONTIER PROGRAMMING
Once again, Festivalgoers who are attending The Spaceship can spend a night on earth in Amsterdam, at IDFA DocLab’s interactive playground do {not} play.  Experimental soulmates from the beginning, 2022 marks a sweet sixteen birthday for both New Frontier & IDFA DocLab.The Spaceship Filmmaker Receptions, online parties which will take place Jan 26-27, and are designed to enable filmmakers to meet their festival wide audiences. 

SUNDANCE ASCAP MUSIC CAFÉ
Friday, January 21–Monday, January 24, 3:00 p.m. daily
The Sundance ASCAP Music Café returns to its virtual stage in the Festival Village, marking its 24th year celebrating the discovery of new musical voices and film’s marriage of sight and sound. From January 21 to 24, the Café will feature two days of musical performances from acclaimed talent and rising stars and two days dedicated to ASCAP Screen Time conversations with top ASCAP composers and collaborators from around the globe. Musical performances will include The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical creators Barlow & Bear, six-time Grammy-nominee Brandy Clark, award-winning actor/singer Evan Rachel Wood and Grammy-nominated guitarist/singer-songwriter Zane Carney as EVAN + ZANE, three-time Emmy-nominated Only Murders in the Building composer Siddhartha Khosla and more. Additional information can be found here.

Daily programming, panels and events from partners will also be available at: https://festival.sundance.org/village/ 

Women @ Sundance 
Women at Sundance is made possible by leadership support from The David and Lura Lovell Foundation, The Harnisch Foundation, and Adobe. Additional support is provided by Kimberly Steward, Paul and Katy Drake Bettner, Barbara Bridges, Abigail Disney and Pierre Hauser—Like a River Fund, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Suzanne Lerner, Cristina Ljungberg, Susan Bay Nimoy, Ann Lovell, Zions Bank, Visionary Women, Gruber Family Foundation, Pat Mitchell and Scott Seydel, and an anonymous donor.

New Frontier Alliance 
The Sundance Institute New Frontier Program is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Adobe, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dell Technologies, Metaplex Studios, Meta Quest, RAIR Tech, Rally, and Unity.

The Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Flee, CODA, Passing, Summer Of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Precious, The Cove, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth, Napoleon Dynamite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Reservoir Dogs and sex, lies, and videotape. 

The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute. 2022 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, AMC+, Chase Sapphire, Adobe; Leadership Sponsors – Amazon Studios, DIRECTV, DoorDash, Dropbox, Netflix, Omnicom Group, WarnerMedia, XRM Media; Sustaining Sponsors – Aflac, Audible, Canada Goose, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dell Technologies, IMDbPro, Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold, Rabbit Hole Bourbon & Rye, Unity Technologies, University of Utah Health, White Claw Hard Seltzer; Media Sponsors – The Atlantic, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Shadow and Act, Variety, Vulture. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute’s year-round programs for independent artists. sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute
As a champion and curator of independent stories for the stage and screen, Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, film composing, and digital media to create and thrive.

Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, 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. Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings artists together to learn from each other and Sundance advisors and connect in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, City So Real, Top of the Lake, Between the World & Me, Wild Goose Dreams and Fun Home. Join the Sundance Institute on FacebookInstagramTwitter and YouTube.

The post 2022 Sundance Film Festival: “Beyond Film” Line-Up Announced appeared first on The Nerd Element.


January 13, 2022

Best Japanese Toys Every Otaku Needs!

http://nerdywithchildren.com/best-japanese-toys-every-otaku-needs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-japanese-toys-every-otaku-needs

If it’s Japanese toys you want, then by all means, yonde kudasai (read on please)!

4 Kirby figures photo

Do you love to see your favorite fandoms expanded on? Molded and mashed together with many of the products you already know and love. Well then, what I have for you is gonna get you super excited, and maybe even break some of your wallets. That’s not a joke, some of these made my already tight bank account want to explode. This list is the best Japanese toys out there, and I’ve got some really interesting finds that you’ll definitely need to have. Just don’t go overboard. Or do—I’m not your senpai.

While we have you, be sure to go here for even more anime toys and figures!

Japanese Toys & Games

Demon Slayer Tamagotchi photo

Demon Slayer Tamagotchi

For me, Tamagotchi is the first thing that pops into my head when I think Japanese toys. So, when I saw this, my heart melted! This is honestly so adorable, not only because if you grew up on tamagotchi, this would bring back crazy nostalgia, but it’s a collection piece as well. Each individual slayer gets their own in the series, so the options for all of your favorites are here. Also, please don’t just abandon them to die. I know a lot of us were guilty of that in the past.

Cowboy Bebop: Space Serenade box photo

Cowboy Bebop: Space Serenade

Calling all Bounty Hunters! I present to you this interesting find: A competitive deck-builder that sets out to prove who’s truly the best hunter in the solar system! Select between the four members of the Bebop crew and rack up reputation points as you fight and capture criminals wanted by the ISSP. With these points, players can buy cards to improve their deck and manage resources. Now, we’ll really see who’s the best of the best! See you space cowboy…

Unkno Shinobi 7 My Hero Academia: The Card Game box photo

My Hero Academia: The Card Game

As someone who grew up watching Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Beyblade dominate the market, this put me right back in that moment. Not only because the game feels somewhat familiar because of the similar blueprint, but also it just makes me happy. There was never any type of embarrassment for liking anime for me, but for some that wasn’t always the case. So, the growth and acceptance I’ve seen over the years is always nice. There’s also a stand-alone villain version, if being a hero isn’t your thing.

Poké Ball - Pack of 4 with Figures photo

Poké Ball – Pack of 4 with Figures

Ready to battle!  Ever wanted to live out your Pokémon trainer dreams? Don’t worry you won’t be ten years old wandering around alone. Nor will you have to worry about running into the dastardly Team Rocket. In this pack, you get not only the original Poké Ball, but an ultra, great, and premier Poké Ball too. You also get four adorable figures: Pikachu, Fennekin, Froakie, and Chespin.

Want more Pokémon options? Check out our list of Pokémon toys, figures, and plushies!

Studio Ghibli Movie Scene Playing Cards photo

Studio Ghibli Movie Scene Playing Cards

So as a kid, I never learned spades, solitaire, poker, old maid, or any of those types of “classics.” Never really felt an urge strongly enough to try. But with this, I’m willing! Because, if I may be a little corny, Ghibli had a grip on me when I was younger that has continued into adulthood. So, to me, anything Ghibli-related is a must buy! I don’t make the rules. Totoro does.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Card Set photo

Cardcaptor Sakura: Card Set

For anyone who witnessed Sakura’s journey of recapturing the Clow Cards, it was exciting to see her take the next step and finally become the master. This set also captures the next part of her new journey, as they say: Once one story ends, another begins. Now you can own the original Clow Cards as well as the remastered Sakura cards. Just know, the Sakura cards are freaking gorgeous.

Figures & Model Kits

Persona 5 : Nendoroid Action Figure photo

Persona 5: Joker Figure

Take your heart! When I tell you I need this like yesterday, I’m not even joking. As someone who’s been in the Persona fandom since 3 & 4, watching 5 blow up in popularity had me living. I adore the Phantom Thieves and this little Joker has my eye (and my heart). He’s precious and looks so ready to make corrupt adults pay for their crimes!

Hello Kitty Gundam Model Kit photo

Hello Kitty x Gundam – Char’s Zaku

Two classic Japanese toys in one! We all know Hello Kitty, Sanrio, and all their adorable characters. If you don’t know, then you’re one of the few not obsessed with their cuteness. Another collection piece, this mashup includes three versions with different mobile suits. Char’s Zaku, featured here. The classic standard mobile suit. And a Zaku II suit.

Funko Pop! Dragon Ball Z (Goku Eating Noodles) photo

Dragon Ball Z (Goku Eating Noodles)

One thing about Goku, no matter what, he’s going to eat! You can’t keep that man away from his meals, nor will Chi-Chi let you get in his way. Just know, dead or alive, his appetite is truly unmatched. And looking at this, I think it captures that essence perfectly.

One Piece Model Ship Kit (Thousand Sunny) photo

One Piece – Thousand Sunny Model Ship Kit

For all of the fans of the Straw Hat Crew, this one’s for you! I present to you a buildable model of the Thousand Sunny. This model also comes with members from the crew, and other favorites as well. Till Luffy is king of the pirates, you can at least be part of his crew.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Nendoroid Action Figure (Black Cat Maid Version) photo

Cardcaptor Sakura (Black Cat Maid Version)

Sakura Kinomoto to me is one of the most iconic but still criminally underrated magical girls to exist. So, any opportunity I can find to show her love, I will! As a fashion icon, she’s never lacking on a quick outfit change, and her best friend won’t let her be lacking. Here you have just one of the many cute outfits from the original series.

Kirby Adventure Mini Stackable Figures photo

Kirby Adventure – Stackable Figures

“You have too many Kirby’s!” said no one ever. And if you do, how dare you?! You can never have too many of this adorable pink sphere. Never speak ill of him. He could kick your butt, swallow you whole, and take everything you love. If there were more than one of him, forget about it! May as well just succumb to his cuteness, like everyone else.

Oramajo Doremi: Doremi Harukaze Nendoroid Action Figure photo

Oramajo Doremi – Doremi Harukaze

Japanese toys seem to have a monopoly on all things cute. This here is an attempt to bring some attention to the cutest, most underrated magical girls series ever. I could go on for days about it. That, however, is a conversation for another time. If you were like me and caught Oramajo Doremi (aka Magical DoReMi) on 4Kids TV on Saturday mornings, you know this is a magical girl masterpiece. I miss it terribly. 

Sailor Moon Eternal Figure photo

Sailor Moon Eternal Figure

She’s literally an icon of anime and magical girls, because she is the one named Sailor Moon! Kinda corny, I’m know, but I had to. Again, I don’t make the rules. She’s a gorgeous find, and, even if you aren’t a fan of Crystal, you know Usagi is great no matter what! 

Dragon Ball Z : Adventure Begins Bulma Figure photo

Dragon Ball Z : Adventure Begins Bulma

Where would Dragon Ball lowkey be without Bulma? She came in, and the rest kinda feels like history. A badass in her right, mother of Trunks, and Vegeta’s wife. Looking at her what’s not to love? Not only because it reminds me of how far Bulma has come, but the changeable expressions she has are adorable. Also, the original outfit is always a plus.

Sakura Miku (Hatsune Miku) Taito Doll photo

Sakura Miku (Hatsune Miku) Taito Doll

Was anyone else like an AMV (anime music videos) kid, listening to Nightcore and stuff? No? Am I one of the last original people who remembers that? Is that what getting old feels like? Yikes! Anyways, that was my introduction to the Vocaloid fandom, and it’s weird because as a kid, I never would have imagined how it blew up the way it did. I mean, Hatsune Miku literally performed at Coachella, has dozens of albums on Spotify, has her own Funko Pops, and is out here dominating since 2007!

Black Butler: Ciel Phantomhive Nendoroid Figure photo

Black Butler: Ciel Phantomhive Figure

Finally, we have the Earl of Phantomhive himself, young master Ciel—lowkey, that feels weird saying now. Check the manga for context, cus we don’t do major spoilers over here! We just obsess about amazing anime, and honestly, not only is this figure precious but the signature pose in the chair took me out. It just needs a Sebastian figure to make it perfect. I said what I said. Nobody can change my mind.

The post Best Japanese Toys Every Otaku Needs! first appeared on Nerdy With Children.

The post Best Japanese Toys Every Otaku Needs! appeared first on Nerdy With Children.


January 13, 2022

9 Non-tourist Places to Visit in the United States

https://blackgirlnerds.com/9-non-tourist-places-to-visit-in-the-united-states/

The way new COVID variants are appearing in what seems to be every few months makes international travel more difficult. Yet you can still please your wanderlust by traveling to places within the United States. The most visited places in the United States such as New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Las Vegas, are losing some appeal to many Americans. Luckily if you reside in one of the 50 states, there are many non-tourist places to visit that will excite and amaze you. Here are the 9 most non-tourist US destinations.

Letchworth State Park, New York

If you like getting lost in nature, following hiking trails, and discovering waterfalls, then Letchworth State Park is a must-visit. Here there is a never-ending list of outdoor activities to do. There’s kayaking, rafting, biking, but if you’re looking to create lasting memories, the one thing you’ll have to experience is the hot air balloon ride. Floating over the park’s lush green landscape and powerful waterfalls will make you feel like you are floating in a dream.

The orange coast of Oregon

California has a beautiful coast, yet Oregon may come in as second best. Along the coastline, there are beautiful sea cliffs and vast sand dunes that bring charm to this overlooked place. In the “Sahara by the sea,” you can enjoy AVT riding and sand surfing. Once you build up an appetite, there are plenty of food options ranging from the best clam chowder to succulent steak houses.

Molokai, Hawaii

It’s not a secret that Hawaii is one of the most popular vacations spots. Often with an influx of tourism, many places can lose their authenticity. This is not the case with Molokai, also known as the “friendly island.” It’s a perfect place for anyone who wants a real getaway, far from tourist attractions, and escape to deserted beaches, a place where palm trees tower over buildings and locals greet you with an “ahola” and embody hospitality. Whether you are traveling solo, with a partner, or with the whole family, there is something for everyone to do. If you’re more active, you’ll enjoy, snorkeling, fishing, scuba diving, whale watching, and hiking. If you want to relax, you can read a book under a palm tree on one of the many white-sand beaches. Or take a mid-day nap falling asleep to the ocean waves. For more entertainment, Molokai offers hula celebrations, parades, and island exclusive festivals.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Did you know that there are islands off the coast of the Southern states? You might be thinking of the Florida Keys; however, there are more. Jekyll Island is located between Jacksonville, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia. It’s accessible by car when you take the I-95. There’s an assortment of things to do on the island. Yet the two unique and most impactful places to visit are the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and the Wanderer Memory Trail. Visiting this trail, you can travel back in time, 160 years in the past, to visit the last known slave ship that came to the Americas, The Wanderer. Although the ship brought around 500 enslaved Africans to the South, the trail tells the story of one slave boy named, Umwalla. Through this interactive exhibit, you’ll learn about his journey from enslavement to freedom.

Block Island, Rhode Island

With a short ferry ride, you can have the best getaway on Block Island. This island offers white sand beaches and delicious dining experiences overlooking the ocean. For added fun, there are ghost tours and the glass project. If you happen to have a good eye during your visit, you can take part in an interactive art exhibit. Throughout the island, there are 550 glass floats or glass orbs hidden throughout the Greenway trails and the beaches. Once you find a float, you can keep it as a souvenir. Eben Horton, the glass artist who came up with this idea, asks that finders only keep one glass float per person, per year along with registering the float that you find with the Block Island Tourism Council.

Tennessee Valley, California

This is a great trip for hikers. As trails in the Tennessee Valley allow you to walk along the Pacific Ocean. The trails in the valley vary from easy to more strenuous. No matter the level of difficulty the refreshing ocean breeze will help ease the journey. There are even options for camping.

Orca Island

With orca in the name, you can guess that within these San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington state, orcas swim all year long. Other wildlife to see include humpback whales, stellar sea lions, and minkes. The fun of this island doesn’t stop with whale watching. Visitors can also enjoy farmer’s markets, wineries, and breweries.

Sedona, Arizona

Surrounded by beautiful red rock scenery, Sedona has a lot to offer. Sedona tourism lists over 100 things to do including helicopter tours, live entertainment, hiking trails, and so much more. Whether you try to check off all 100 things on your visit or pick your top 10, you will marvel at the beauty of the desert valley.

Burlington, Vermont

Burlington, Vermont, is a welcoming city. Here you can make your own teddy bear at the Teddy Bear Factory or experience one of the most important aspects of Burlington, which is agriculture. The local farmer’s markets are an opportunity to experience organic produce and artisanal baked goods. If you visit in autumn, you can warm yourself up with a warm cider donut. If you have a sweet tooth you won’t want to leave without a pint of real Vermont syrup.

A commonality amongst many travelers is not exploring their home country enough. Yet with the United States having 50 different states, it only makes sense for more of its citizens to go out and explore. These 9 destinations are ready for your arrival.


January 13, 2022

Euphoria Season 2 Premiere Recap: Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door

https://blacknerdproblems.com/euphoria-season-2-premiere-recap/

Euphoria is back like a rager that never ended. From the somber specials that gave us extreme close-ups in lingering slow motion – this episode is going 100 miles an hour… literally. All of our favorite characters are back and the ones we love to hate too. Everyone is talking about this episode because there’s so much that transpired that you need more than a couple of days for it to sink in. Without further ado, this is the Euphoria recap you’ve been waiting for since the premiere of the Coronavirus. Although it goes without saying:

Spoilers Warning! It’s a recap. Please also note, some of the content is triggering. The show features drug use, sexual behavior, and many experiences that are traumatic in nature. Feel free to skip sections and take care of your well-being.  

Fezco’s Grandma was a MotherF-ing G 

Yes! We begin with Fez’s grandmother, a bad mother – shut yo mouth! Ok, she’s not Shaft cuz she’s still a white woman, but I won’t deny she was a G. She rolls up in the royal blue pantsuit strolling through the strip club-ready to throw hands, and everyone can see it. She steps into the head office, head for more reasons than one, and shoots the head honcho in both legs and walks out. You then see a young Fez in the car, and his grandmother says she had a talk with his father and Fez coming to live with grandma. Soooo Fez’s dad is the Ron Jeremy of Euphoria, and she just shot her son in both of his legs. OKAY, I think I understand the ride we’re going on this episode.

Euphoria

We then take a hot and heavy trip through Fez’s childhood. While our grandmas were giving us Werther’s candies while we sit in the car at the post office, Fez’s grandma was asking him to keep the car running while she beats the sh*t outta this guy with a crowbar real quick. 

We also get a glimpse at Ash’s origins. He was plopped into Fez and his G-ma’s house as collateral by his mother. The saddest story isn’t even the fact that Ash’s mom used her own kid to pay off some debts, but that the debt was too large she left her child and never came back. That better be some Squid Game level of crippling debt. But Ash had Fez at a head nod, and on some Fast and Furious vibes that baby became his flesh and blood that day. Through thick and thicker, Ash will F-k someone up. Oh, and his name is Ash cuz as a baby he ate some cigarette butts that were next to the sink while he was getting a baby bath. YUP! Ash is for ashtray.  

Euphoria
Gif Courtesy of Giphy via HBO

Oh back to brass knuckles, I mean brass hammer – excuse me brass taxes. Last we saw Fez he was handling a mess he was stuck in with his supplier. The same guy who forced Rue to take Fentanyl and almost die is back looking for his cash. Before they can square everything away, Ash does a barrel roll over the couch and molly whop this dude in the head with a hammer! That man got knocked the F-out! No forreal! He is out for the count…forever! In the same swing, he knocks off the henchman’s nose. Now we’re in a pickle… 

To iron this out, it seems Fez and Ash are being taken to the head supplier’s home to –  ya know, just talk it out over dinner. For some reason, Rue is with them in the car. I feel like she would have learned from the last time she got involved and was force-fed fentanyl but learning from mistakes is not totally in her character. They stop and meet the no nose henchman and his high AF girlfriend who gets in the car and proceeds to shoot up heroin while Jules gets freaked out. They both get ripped from the car and taken inside and told to strip. Yea, it’s getting even realer than a hammer to the skull. Thankfully, Rue does not strip but is thrown in a shower and forced to prove she is not wearing a wire. Now, a very well-mannered soft-spoken white woman brings over a suitcase of drugs ready to do business. WTF! 

Back in the car, Rue is reeling on the experience as if she was just in a scene of a movie and none of it was actually real which ticks off Fez. Honestly – fair reaction. Like, she keeps getting in these life-or-death moments and just keeps it pushing. But if we remember from our special Euphoria episode, she does not plan on being around that long. Ooof, yea what a devastating line. 

There’s Some Girl Like Passed Out in Here

Now, we’re at a New Years’ party, and it looks like the cops should have showed up like hours ago. But we are in rural CA, and I guess this is where no one cares if teenagers are doing coke in bathrooms. We see Lexi frantically looking for Cassie. Apparently, they had a huge fight, and now she can’t find her. I have a lot of questions. One, how did you have a fight in the car, and she gets out and what? You just leave her? Did the Uber just drive away? It is confusing how Cassie got left at a convenience store, but we see her sitting in the parking lot eating a donut when the worst human being on Euphoria steps into the scene…Nate. He looks like he’s been gaming all school break, because his hair is not styled and he just looks kinda…tired. He offers to give Cassie a ride to this party, and she says yes. While LITERALLY drinking and driving, he speeds up to 100 miles an hour and Cassie looks terrified – then turned on?? Mind you she is drunk AF, but what in the hell is even going the F**k on?! Nate? Maddy’s Nate? I don’t want this, Cassie – you don’t even want this. Euphoria then cuts to them smashing in the bathroom at the party. Is it weird that I’m like, “oh thank God?” It’s better than them dying in a horrible underage drinking car crash. 

Maddy is at the party in her best 90s skin-tight attire and has to pee (of course.) She is banging on the door that – yes her ex and best friend at Fking on. Cassie looks like the fear of God has just crept inside her and can’t even operate her limbs. Now, we’re in a horror film. I’m thinking Maddy is gonna break down the door and kill everyone in the room. Euphoria cuts to us at a funeral, and we finish the season with Maddy’s prison story. (She’d be a G in prison.)

Euphoria
Image Courtesy of HBO via IMDB

BUT instead, Cassie hops in the shower, Nate comes out, Maddie comes in and pees, and then arer joined by another gentleman waiting for the bathroom. Welp, Cassie is stuck in the tub. 

Euphoria got the suspense is out of control. Not to mention there was no toilet paper, so Maddy wiped her pee on a towel and threw it in the tub on Cassie’s face. Her phone is now going off. The nice gentleman throws open the curtain and says, “There’s some girl passed out in the tub.” It’s over. Cassie is caught. Maddy is going to prison. Instead, in true Maddy fashion, she says “so what,” and asks her gentleman caller to dance. Crisis averted. But oooh girl – that happened…

To make matters worse, Cassie’s ex Chris shows up. Like dude, why are you at a high school party right now? You’re in college…BUT obvi he is there to see Cassie. She looks messed up. He’s just trying to get closure. Why did they break up? As far as he knows, there is no reason. However, her choice to not keep their baby is most definitely weighing on her mind, and she says she doesn’t think of herself as a “good person.” This triggers Chris, and right now I bet he’s thinking she cheated on him or something to that tone. He doesn’t really have a choice but to leave it at that. What happens after is the disturbing part. Nate, once good friends with Chris, starts asking in a disgusting dude-bro way what happened in the room. Chris is honest and says they just talked, but Nate cannot let it go. He keeps berating him, getting more and more explicit asking where he came and legit uncomfortable about it – in his face and getting violent (as Nate does.) Chris is like, man get off me and leaves. Why are we at high school parties anyways? 

Euphoria
Image Courtesy of HBO via IMDB

I Didn’t Mean to be Mean 

We also see Fez and Rue have made it to the party. Yea after casually being stripped searched by major drug lords they were like let’s stop off at this high school party real quick. Either way, it’s great to see all of our Euphoria friends, Kat, and her new boo Ethan. Lexi is having a couch confessional session with Fez, and it’s an interesting development. He gets her number, is like aight I’ll holla, and has a quick chat with Nate involving fists and teeth. It was a mess! Although Lex looks absolutely terrified, I feeeel like it’s not terrified enough to completely count him out of the dating pool. I really hope they get together, despite Lexi’s obvious fawning over Rue. 

Which reminds me. Rue! She is looking bored and makes her way back to the car to explore that stash of heroin the whacked-out girl had in an Altoids tin. I’m like girl, girrrrl, guuurrrrl – no! Heroine?? That is a step too far. That’s not even a, find euphoria high. That’s a let’s alter my body chemistry and forget how to live otherwise high. You don’t wanna go down that road. We don’t actually get to see what she does with it. She just flicks the bag and cut to – she is back at the party. Now, what I’m hoping she didn’t do is heroin of course, but I’m also hoping she didn’t cook that shit up and use that random girl’s needle. THAT would be a whole new low. At most, I’m hoping she rubbed it on her teeth. OK, I am getting too far into the many uses of heroin. Back at the party, Rue sees Jules hanging with Kat and is actually hiding – not avoiding or evading – literally ducking under counters. She makes her way to the laundry room where she meets a sweet loner kid snorting off the dryer. She convinces him to share and then feels herself start to go into cardiac arrest. Now, I am not a licensed physician, but can you even really feel that? She tells the kids to crush up some Adderall so she can snort it and restart her heart. Is that even a THING? I swear Rue – you need to carry naloxone around like a damn EpiPen. 

Later, we see Jules looking for Rue. She knows she’s here…she can feel it. Once she finds her sitting by a bonfire, she takes our young drug Padawan’s seat, and they chat. Jules can obviously see she is off the wagon. She asks her when she relapsed, and, flippantly, Rue denies like she isn’t obviously high on multiple drugs and says it’s just weed. She then fesses up and tells Jules it was the day she left. Heartbreak – check. The pressure, the sadness, the feeling of responsibility it’s all too much and I’m just a spectator! Back at the party, Rue finds Jules to apologize.

Gif Courtesy of HBO via Giphy

She says she didn’t mean to be mean, and she misses her. Jules misses her too! And they kiss, and we’re all crying. But secretly, the pessimist in me was like, none of this is happening, and Rue is about to wake up passed out by the bonfire. Thankfully, it was real. We then have again one of the most beautiful cinematic moments where each corner of the room is seen like the flash of a polaroid. Snapshots of this overworked party are being lit as if burned into our memories and everlasting portraits for our characters. This is the beginning of an unforgettable season for sure of Euphoria.

Catch up on past recaps of Euphoria here.

Cover image via TVLine

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Euphoria S2E1

The post Euphoria Season 2 Premiere Recap: Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.


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