'Nanny,'&nbsp;a supernatural thriller about an undocumented immigrant working for a wealthy New York family, won the Sundance film festival's top prize Friday.

Starring Anna Diop and Michelle Monaghan, Nikyatu Jusu's debut feature portrays the sacrifices Senegalese nanny Aisha makes to leave her home country and young son behind in order to build a new life.

"In America in particular, we haven't seen enough films that truly reflect the disproportionate level of Black and brown women... domestic workers that keep this country afloat," Jusu told a virtual panel at the festival.

"I wanted to center women who typically are on the periphery of other women's stories," said Jusu, a first-generation American whose family is from Sierra Leone.

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Diop, the film's star who is also known for the television series 'Titans,'&nbsp;was born in Senegal and moved to the United States as a child.

The movie, which taps into the horror genre and African folklore as well as issues of race and motherhood, does not yet have a release date. Sundance, which celebrates independent cinema, was forced to go virtual for a second year running by the surge in Covid-19 cases across the United States driven by the Omicron variant.

The Robert Redford-founded festival usually takes place in the mountains of the western US state of Utah.

The festival's documentary prize went to 'The Exiles,'&nbsp;in which filmmaker Christine Choy tracks down three exiled dissidents from China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

The separate audience prize for best drama went to 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,'&nbsp;starring Dakota Johnson as an older, engaged woman who strikes up a flirtatious relationship with a directionless recent graduate -- played by writer-director Cooper Raiff.

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The film was bought by Apple TV+ during the festival for a reported $15 million -- the largest deal so far at this year's event.

And 'Navalny,'&nbsp;a secretive new fly-on-the-wall documentary about top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, which was added to the festival line-up at the last minute, won the audience documentary prize.

Director Daniel Roher said he wanted the film to spark "global outrage and outcry" over Navalny's imprisonment.

The film, which airs on CNN and HBO Max later this year, follows the Russian opposition leader -- as well as his family and aides -- during the five months he spent in Germany recovering from poisoning in late 2020 and early 2021.

"I want every single human being on the planet Earth to know the name Alexei Navalny," said Roher.

"I want that name to be associated with a grotesque injustice being perpetrated by the Russian state against a man who survived a murder attempt and then was arrested for merely surviving."

Sundance runs until Sunday.

'Nanny,' a supernatural thriller about an undocumented immigrant working for a wealthy New York family, won the Sundance film festival's top prize Friday. Starring Anna Diop and Michelle Monaghan, Nikyatu Jusu's debut feature portrays the sacrifices Senegalese nanny Aisha makes to leave her home country and young son behind in order to build a new life.

'Nanny,' a supernatural thriller about an undocumented immigrant working for a wealthy New York family, won the Sundance film festival's top prize Friday. Starring Anna Diop and Michelle Monaghan, Nikyatu Jusu's debut feature portrays the sacrifices Senegalese nanny Aisha makes to leave her home country and young son behind in order to build a new life. "In America in particular, we haven't seen enough films that truly reflect the disproportionate level of Black and brown women... domestic workers that keep this country afloat," Jusu told a virtual panel at the festival. "I wanted to center women who typically are on the periphery of other women's stories," said Jusu, a first-generation American whose family is from Sierra Leone. Ezra Miller posts cryptic social media message to Ku Klux Klan Diop, the film's star who is also known for the television series 'Titans,' was born in Senegal and moved to the United States as a child. The movie, which taps into the horror genre and African folklore as well as issues of race and motherhood, does not yet have a release date. Sundance, which celebrates independent cinema, was forced to go virtual for a second year running by the surge in Covid-19 cases across the United States driven by the Omicron variant. The Robert Redford-founded festival usually takes place in the mountains of the western US state of Utah. The festival's documentary prize went to 'The Exiles,' in which filmmaker Christine Choy tracks down three exiled dissidents from China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The separate audience prize for best drama went to 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,' starring Dakota Johnson as an older, engaged woman who strikes up a flirtatious relationship with a directionless recent graduate -- played by writer-director Cooper Raiff. Ed Sheeran is UK's highest tax-paying celebrity, the Beckhams are a close second The film was bought by Apple TV+ during the festival for a reported $15 million -- the largest deal so far at this year's event. And 'Navalny,' a secretive new fly-on-the-wall documentary about top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, which was added to the festival line-up at the last minute, won the audience documentary prize. Director Daniel Roher said he wanted the film to spark "global outrage and outcry" over Navalny's imprisonment. The film, which airs on CNN and HBO Max later this year, follows the Russian opposition leader -- as well as his family and aides -- during the five months he spent in Germany recovering from poisoning in late 2020 and early 2021. "I want every single human being on the planet Earth to know the name Alexei Navalny," said Roher. "I want that name to be associated with a grotesque injustice being perpetrated by the Russian state against a man who survived a murder attempt and then was arrested for merely surviving." Sundance runs until Sunday.

Sundance Film Festival 2022: 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,' horror film 'Nanny' win big

The Sundance film festival unveiled plans Wednesday to screen premieres at drive-ins and arthouse theatres across the United States and online, as the movie industry continues to adapt to the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Co-founded by actor-director Robert Redford some four decades ago and known for introducing indie classics from Quentin Tarantino's debut 'Reservoir Dogs'&nbsp;to the Oscar-winning 'Whiplash',&nbsp;Sundance typically takes place each January and February in the mountains of the western state of Utah.

But with theatres closed across much of the nation and a deadly third wave of the disease showing little sign of abating, festivals have become just one key element of the film industry upended by the crisis.

Utah has suffered over 200,000 infections including 900 deaths, with Governor Gary Herbert declaring a state of emergency last month as new daily cases hit record levels.

"Even under these impossible circumstances artists are still finding paths to make bold and vital work in whatever ways they can," said festival director Tabitha Jackson.

Online screenings and socially-distanced premieres at venues from California to New York "gives us the opportunity to reach new audiences, safely, where they are," she added.

A theatre in the festival's traditional Park City, Utah home, along with two drive-ins in the Los Angeles area, are scheduled to host physical events featuring artists, while online premieres will be followed by live virtual Q&amp;As.

This year, major summer and fall festivals -- with the exception of Venice -- scrapped most of their physical events, or in the case of Cannes and Telluride were cancelled entirely.&nbsp;

Toronto -- North America's largest movie gathering -- took place largely online.

The shortened Sundance festival will run from January 28 through February 3.

Its lineup of 70-plus movies is yet to be announced but may include films eligible for next year's delayed Oscars which are set to take place on April 25.

The Sundance film festival unveiled plans Wednesday to screen premieres at drive-ins and arthouse theatres across the United States and online, as the movie industry continues to adapt to the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Sundance film festival unveiled plans Wednesday to screen premieres at drive-ins and arthouse theatres across the United States and online, as the movie industry continues to adapt to the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Co-founded by actor-director Robert Redford some four decades ago and known for introducing indie classics from Quentin Tarantino's debut 'Reservoir Dogs' to the Oscar-winning 'Whiplash', Sundance typically takes place each January and February in the mountains of the western state of Utah. But with theatres closed across much of the nation and a deadly third wave of the disease showing little sign of abating, festivals have become just one key element of the film industry upended by the crisis. Utah has suffered over 200,000 infections including 900 deaths, with Governor Gary Herbert declaring a state of emergency last month as new daily cases hit record levels. "Even under these impossible circumstances artists are still finding paths to make bold and vital work in whatever ways they can," said festival director Tabitha Jackson. Online screenings and socially-distanced premieres at venues from California to New York "gives us the opportunity to reach new audiences, safely, where they are," she added. A theatre in the festival's traditional Park City, Utah home, along with two drive-ins in the Los Angeles area, are scheduled to host physical events featuring artists, while online premieres will be followed by live virtual Q&As. This year, major summer and fall festivals -- with the exception of Venice -- scrapped most of their physical events, or in the case of Cannes and Telluride were cancelled entirely. Toronto -- North America's largest movie gathering -- took place largely online. The shortened Sundance festival will run from January 28 through February 3. Its lineup of 70-plus movies is yet to be announced but may include films eligible for next year's delayed Oscars which are set to take place on April 25.

Sundance festival unveils screenings across US and online due to virus

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Sundance Film Festival 2022: 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,' horror film 'Nanny' win big

Sundance festival unveils screenings across US and online due to virus