The Sundance Film Festival deal scene was cool, but debates were hot about a Brett Kavanaugh documentary, the brutality of 'Magazine Dreams,' and the sexual politics of 'Cat Person'

• The Sundance Film Festival was back in person for the first time since 2020.
• A-list stars like Anne Hathaway and Jason Momoa were present to promote their buzzy films.
• The deals market was slow to take off, with a few big sales but not as many as in recent years.

It was impossible not to feel optimistic about the state of independent film at the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival.