From Selena to Sly Stone: Music Docs Take the Spotlight at Sundance Film Festival 2025

The Sundance Film Festival is marking its 40th anniversary in 2025 with a lineup that highlights music’s transformative role in storytelling.

Running from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, the festival will feature 87 feature films and six episodic projects, selected from nearly 16,000 submissions across 156 countries. For music lovers, this year’s festival offers a slate of documentaries and narratives that delve into the lives and legacies of iconic artists and groundbreaking genres.

Among the highly anticipated entries is Selena y Los Dinos, a documentary that honors Selena Quintanilla, the Queen of Tejano Music. With hits like “Como La Flor” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” gracing the Billboard charts, Selena’s impact transcended music. Using never-before-seen footage from her family’s archive, the film offers an intimate look at her rise from family celebrations to stadium-filling performances.

It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley provides an evocative portrait of the late singer-songwriter whose debut album, Grace, remains a touchstone in music history. Featuring rare footage and personal accounts, the documentary illuminates Buckley’s artistry and the lasting resonance of his work, such as Billboard 100 charting entries “You And I” and “Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk”.

In Move Ya Body: The Birth of House, audiences will explore the cultural revolution ignited by house music. Tracing its roots from Chicago’s underground dance clubs to its global influence, the film examines house music’s enduring presence.

Questlove’s SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) offers an in-depth look at Sly & The Family Stone, whose trailblazing hits like their Billboard No. 1 “Everyday People” and No. 2 “Hot Fun In The Summertime” left a major mark on the Billboard Hot 100. The documentary sheds light on the pressures and challenges faced by Black artists navigating the music industry’s complexities.

Adding to the mix is One to One: John & Yoko, a documentary exploring a transformative period in the lives of Beatles legend John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Set during 18 pivotal months in the early 1970s, the film examines the couple’s time living in Greenwich Village, New York City, when their personal and creative worlds collided.

Diversity remains a cornerstone of Sundance’s mission, with nearly half of this year’s films directed by women and 45% by filmmakers identifying as people of color. Notably, 96% of the lineup will premiere globally at the festival, further cementing Sundance’s reputation as a launchpad for innovative cinema.

Single Film Tickets for in-person and online screenings go on sale January 16 at 10 a.m. MT. Members have access to a Single Film Ticket pre-sale, and limited quantities of passes and packages remain on sale.

For those unable to attend in person, Sundance is expanding access by offering a selection of films online from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. Individual tickets go on sale Jan. 16, with passes available now at festival.sundance.org.

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