Montana-made feature film “Certain Women” has received official selection to premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Announced by the Sundance Institute on Dec. 7, “Certain Women” is among only 15 feature films selected as festival premieres, “a showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.” The Sundance Film Festival is Jan. 21-31 in Park City, Utah.
The film was shot in Livingston in March and April. A recipient of the Big Sky Film Grant, “Certain Women” is the first Montana feature since 2005 to receive official selection to the Sundance Film Festival. Previous Montana movies to premiere at Sundance include Travis Wilkerson’s “Who Killed Cock Robin?” and Alex and Andrew Smith’s “The Slaughter Rule.”
Certain Women is the sixth feature from acclaimed filmmaker-director Kelly Reichardt, whose previous work includes “Meek’s Cutoff,” “Night Moves,” “Wendy and Lucy.” It was produced by Independent Spirit Producer’s Award winners Neil Kopp and Anish Savjani of film production company Film Science, which produced “Green Room, Blue Ruin.”
Set in Montana, the film is based on stories by award-winning, New York Times bestselling author and Helena native Maile Meloy. The film’s story follows how the lives of a lawyer, a cowboy and a married couple intersect in the “New West,” where the men are struggling to get their lives right in the face of aging, injury and bad luck – and the women are imperfectly blazing a trail.
“It’s always exciting to see Montana stories being told in Montana,” said Director of the Montana Department of Commerce, Meg O’Leary. “More than a backdrop on screen, Montana’s landscapes lend charisma and drama, providing a depth of character that is unique to our beautiful state.”
An impressive and talented cast includes Laura Dern (“Wild,” “Jurassic Park”), Kalispell native Michelle Williams (“Dawson’s Creek,” “My Week with Marilyn”), Kristen Stewart (Twilight saga), Jared Harris (“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”) and Rosanna Arquette (“Pulp Fiction”).
Also starring is Montana actress Lily Gladstone, who was born in Browning and grew up on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. She was cast in a supporting role opposite Stewart. This is Gladstone’s most prestigious role to date following her work on Montana independent features “Winter In The Blood,” “Jimmy P.” and “Subterranea.”
“We are thrilled for all involved in the making of this film,” said Montana film commissioner Deny Staggs. “Official selection to Sundance is a coveted reward for the dedicated work of independent filmmakers and Montana’s production workforce, and it’s wonderful to see a film that had such positive economic impact in Montana receive this honor.”
“Certain Women” shot for 30 days in the Livingston/Bozeman area hiring a largely Montana-based crew and spending over $1.4 million in state.