June Squibb stars in Scarlett Johansson’s “Eleanor the Great,” which was supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program.
By Lucy Spicer
Fall is just around the corner, and with the new season comes the reminder that change is part of life. It just so happens that change and unexpected relationships are prominent themes in this month’s Sundance Institute–supported new releases, too.
Among September’s new releases — which include two award-winning films from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival — are two surprise-filled stories about unlikely friendships forged in grief, a 1990s-set drama about forbidden love, a documentary following the shifting legacy of a true-crime phenomenon, a futuristic coming-of-age story, and a folk horror tale in which the appearance of a mysterious young figure upends a couple’s lives in ways they couldn’t imagine. And if you’re not ready to relinquish summer just yet, also coming to theaters is a lakeshore-set anthology film sure to evoke sun-soaked memories.
Twinless — Writer-director James Sweeney also stars in his stylish feature about two men who meet at a support group for individuals who have lost their twin sibling. Gruff Roman (Dylan O’Brien) is grieving the recent loss of his twin when he forms an unlikely friendship with loner Dennis (played by Sweeney), each finding in the other something that helps to temper an aching solitude. The two soon become inseparable, but their new codependent friendship makes it easy to ignore the signs of something unsettling lurking in someone’s past. Twinless premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and O’Brien took home the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting. Coming to theaters September 5.
Happyend — In the not-too-distant future, threats of earthquakes have become commonplace in Tokyo. Meanwhile, best friends Yuta (Hayato Kurihara) and Kou (Yukito Hidaka) are just trying to enjoy high school. When a prank of theirs results in an extensive surveillance system being installed at their school, the two teenagers reckon with differing feelings about rules, authority, and acts of protest. Written and directed by Neo Sora, Happyend was supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and Catalyst Program and premiered at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival. Coming to select theaters September 12.
Rabbit Trap — Fans of folk horror and sound design are in for a treat with writer-director Bryn Chainey’s feature debut, Rabbit Trap, which premiered in the Midnight section at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Set in the 1970s, this tale follows Daphne (Rosy McEwen) and Darcy (Dev Patel) as they move to the Welsh countryside in hopes of collecting audio material for Daphne’s electronic music projects. One day, a mysterious young rabbit trapper (Jade Croot) appears on their property, full of knowledge about the local environment and its myths. As the newcomer further enmeshes himself in the couple’s lives, their own buried insecurities bubble to the surface, exacerbated by this eerie child’s near-constant presence. Coming to select theaters June 12.
Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) — Writer-director Sierra Falconer’s semiautobiographical film Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake) is not only the filmmaker’s debut feature — it was also her thesis film at the University of California, Los Angeles. Separated into four vignettes connected by their setting on Michigan’s Green Lake, Falconer’s slice-of-life anthology film steeps viewers in the lazy days of summer while touching on such themes as family pressures, coming of age, culture clashes, and more. Coming to select theaters September 12.
Plainclothes — It’s the mid 1990s, and Lucas (Tom Blyth) is an up-and-coming cop on an assignment to identify possible gay men and lure them into a restroom so they can be arrested after their intentions are made clear. Lucas is effective in his task until one encounter with an intriguing stranger (played by Russell Tovey) spooks him, forcing him to contend with a part of himself that he has long kept buried. Written and directed by Carmen Emmi in his feature debut, Plainclothes premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast. Coming to select theaters September 19.
Predators — In director David Osit’s new film, viewers are invited to reexamine the hit TV show To Catch a Predator, which drew a huge following during its run from 2004–2007. This riveting documentary draws back the curtain on this program, which featured host Chris Hansen interviewing adult men — whom authorities would later apprehend — who had come to a staged location under the impression that they would be meeting up with an underage individual. Osit’s film unravels the show’s tangled legacy, from its lasting effects on the young adults the production used as “decoys” to the vigilante copycats it inspired, as well as digging into the show’s — and its host’s — intentions beyond hit ratings. Coming to select theaters September 19.
Eleanor the Great — Written by Tory Kamen, Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut stars June Squibb as brash and brassy Eleanor, a nonagenarian who moves from Florida to New York City to live with her daughter. In an unfamiliar city without her best friend at her side, Eleanor is at a loss, not knowing what to do with her days until she walks into a Holocaust survivors group meeting. There, she meets Nina (Erin Kellyman), a college student who wants to interview Eleanor about her experiences. The two become friends, thrusting Eleanor’s life into an unexpected direction. Supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, Eleanor the Great premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Coming to select theaters September 26.
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour is underway! Traveling to all corners of the United States and beyond in the following months, the 100-minute program features seven short films selected from the 2025 Festival, including two Festival Award–winning titles. Check here for dates and venues; see below for dates in September.
- Santa Barbara, California, September 5, SBIFF Riviera Theatre
- Las Vegas, Nevada, September 7–13, The Beverly Theater
- Honolulu, Hawai‘i, September 7–25, Honolulu Museum of Art
- Ithaca, New York, September 14–19, Cornell Cinema
- Cleveland, Ohio, September 19–20, Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 25–28, PhilaMOCA
