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The annual Sundance Film Festival began earlier this month and runs through February 1, marking a historic moment as the festival’s final year in Park City, Utah. Since its beginnings as the U.S. Film and Video Festival in 1981, Park City has been synonymous with Sundance, making this year’s edition particularly special.
As ever, the festival showcases an exceptional lineup of feature films, documentaries, and episodic projects from both established voices and emerging filmmakers. Continuing our tradition, we’re highlighting a selection of standout projects shot on Cooke lenses that have screened across the Festival’s key sections.
Director Josephine Decker reunites with Cinematographer Eric Branco, ASC for this intimate coming-of-age drama competing in the U.S. Dramatic Competition. After losing her job and boyfriend, Jamie retreats to her small Texas hometown, where reunions with old friends and past flings stir memories of a fateful high-school summer.
Branco chose Cooke Anamorphic/i FF SF lenses to visualise the protagonist’s inner emotional landscape.
“We tested many sets of lenses before settling on the special flares. They just bring such a softness and magic to the images that can’t be matched. We slowly stopped controlling flares over the course of the film, so by the last act, our characters are bathed in light.“
A visually lyrical, emotionally rich story not to be missed.
Chasing Summer, Director of Photography: Eric Branco, ASC
Giselle Bonilla’s dark comedy charts one man’s transformation from an unassuming teacher into a hilariously wicked anti-hero. When a frustrated playwright discovers his ex-girlfriend is dating his nemesis, the school principal, he sets out to sabotage the principal’s bid for the Blue Ribbon of Academic Excellence.
Cinematographer Tu Du paired Cooke Panchro/i Classic FF lenses with the Sony VENICE 2, alongside an Angénieux zoom, and used Cooke SP3s on the Sony FX6 and FX3 to maintain visual continuity on lighter rigs.
“Through testing, I found the mix of the modern Cooke Panchro’s and Angenieux 12x Zoom (with some very light diffusion filters) fit really well together. They’re reliably sharp but soften up in the corners and have really smooth falloff. We paired the Cooke SP3s with the FX6 for our one-day shoot in New York to keep the footprint small and still visually match with the rest of the production.”
The Musical, Director of Photography: Tu Du
Directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka, this emotionally resonant feature blends grief and magical realism. Haru and Luis are regulars in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru retreats into isolation—until a return to the studio and a new instructor awaken something unexpected.
Director of Photography Daniel Satinoff embraced vintage Cooke glass, shooting on Speed Panchro primes, Varotal 18–100, Panchro 20–60, and Cinetal 25–250 lenses.
Satinoff explains how he wanted the film to have “an almost storybook feel to it… After testing, we fell in love with the Cooke S2/S3s. I’ve always been drawn to their warmth and softness, which felt perfect for this film.”
The result is a tender visual journey that mirrors Haru’s emotional transformation.
Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! Director of Photography: Daniel Satinoff
Alex Meeks’ debut feature Union County also features in the U.S Dramatic Competition. Set against the backdrop of the opioid epidemic in rural Ohio, the film follows Cody Parsons as he navigates the fragile path to recovery while enrolled in a county-mandated drug court programme.
Shot by Director of Photography Stefan Weinberger using Cooke S4/i lenses, Union County carries a visually refined, emotionally resonant tone that deepens its intimate storytelling. The film has already been met with strong early acclaim.
Will Poulter and Noah Centineo appear in Union County by Adam Meeks, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Stefan Weinberger.
Felipe Bustos Sierra’s documentary revisits the events of May 2021, when residents of one of Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhoods took to the streets to protest the deportation of their neighbours.
Cinematographer Kirstin McMahon shot on Cooke Anamorphic/i FF lenses, paired with an ARRI ALEXA Mini 4:3, alongside Canon Cine Primes and an Alura 45–250.
“We managed to secure a great package of an Alexa Mini 4:3 paired with beautiful Cooke Anamorphics, giving us the full range of the 1:2.35 aspect ratio and glorious Cooke glass. It gave a soft human feel to these images.”
Everybody to Kenmure Street, Director of Photography: Kirstin McMahon
A striking debut from director Olive Nwosu, Lady is set in Lagos and follows one of the city’s few female taxi drivers. When she forms an unexpected bond with a group of free-spirited women, her life opens up in powerful and risky ways.
Cinematographer Alana Mejia Gonzalez utilised the Sony Rialto, Canon K35s, and Cooke 25–250mm zooms. With much of the film shot at night, low-light performance was key to capturing the energy and intimacy of the city after dark. The result: a unique and visually striking project.
Lady, Director of Photography: Alana Mejia Gonzalez
Directed by Liz Garbus, this sports documentary explores the extraordinary life of Billie Jean King, tracing her impact on both sport and society through archival footage and intimate interviews.
Shot by Thorstein Thielow, the film prioritises intimacy and immediacy, with a full-frame setup paired with Cooke SP3 lenses.
With such a dynamic story, for Thielow, having a lightweight set up was integral. “I chose a full-frame camera paired with Cooke lenses so I could move very close without distortion, and without ever overpowering the moment. This approach allowed her face, her eyes, and her expressions to carry the story, unfolding inches from the lens with trust and immediacy.”
Give Me the Ball! Director of Photography: Thorstein Thielow
This wildly inventive feature from New Zealand directing duo known as Thunderlips, shot by Bayley Broome-Peake, follows a millennial underachiever navigating unexpected alien pregnancy, sceptical doctors, and an overbearing mum.
The film was shot using Cooke 1.8x FF SF Anamorphics, alongside ARRI and Atlas lenses.
“Rather than committing to a single lens set, we allowed the lensing format to evolve at key story beats. Each format carries its own emotional weight, and across the film, they’re used in roughly equal measure. While I initially worried these transitions might feel overt, they ultimately feel seamless, like the right outfit for each act of the story.” The film boasts stunning cinematic sequences and is a must see for 2026.
A bold, visually playful midnight crowd-pleaser.
Mum, I’m Alient Pregnant, Director of Photography: Bayley Broome-Peake
Director Georgia Bernstein’s erotic thriller unfolds within an idyllic retirement community shaken by a series of unsettling scam calls. At its centre is a nurse whose connection with a mysterious patient grows increasingly dangerous.
Cinematographer Lidia Nikonova shot the film using a vintage Cooke PV Zoom 20–100mm on the ARRI ALEXA Mini LF, with Panavision Super Speeds as backup.
“I love the softness and the artifacts in the older Cookes – they can bring a filmic texture to a digital image in a way that makes the image feel timeless.”
Night Nurse, Director of Photography: Lidia Nikonova
Also screening in the Short Film Programme is Jazz Infernal, shot on a Cooke 35–140mm zoom and a 50mm Cooke 5/i by DOP Harley Francis.
Jazz Infernal, Director of Photography: Harley Francis.
As Sundance closes its final chapter in Park City, the films shot on Cooke lenses this year reflect the Festival’s enduring spirit: bold, personal, and visually expressive. Across a wide array of genres, these projects demonstrate how carefully chosen optics continue to shape powerful stories that resonate with audiences worldwide.
