FANCY DANCE Trailer (2024) Lily Gladstone, Shea Whigham

FANCY DANCE Trailer (2024) Lily Gladstone, Shea Whigham

FANCY DANCE Trailer (2024) Lily Gladstone, Shea Whigham
© 2024 - Apple TV+

Apple TV has released the trailer for Lily Gladstone’s upcoming acclaimed drama Fancy Dance. The film originally premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, and critics are saying her performance is powerful, better than Killers of the Flower Moon.

In the film, “Since her sister's disappearance, Jax (Gladstone) has cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma.

“Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of Jax losing custody to Roki's grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), the pair hit the road & scour the backcountry to track down Roki's mother in time for the powwow.

“What begins as a search gradually turns into a deep investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world while at the mercy of a failed justice system.”

Fancy Dance is directed by newcomer filmmaker Erica Tremblay of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation, and she is making her directorial debut with the film.

The movie also stars Ryan Begay and Crystle Lightning, with Audrey Wasilewski and Shea Whigham. It’s executive produced by Forest Whitaker.

Fancy Dance will be released in select US theaters on June 21st, 2024, it will then stream on Apple TV+ starting June 28th.

Lily Gladstone‘s “Fancy Dance” is finally set to debut to a wide audience.

After Gladstone championed the indie film at the 2023 IndieWire Honors, the feature was acquired by Apple Original Films. Erica Tremblay co-wrote and directed “Fancy Dance,” which follows Jax (Gladstone) and her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Jax is searching for her sister, Roki’s mother, after Roki’s grandfather Frank (Shea Whigham) has filed to take custody in her absence. Jax and Roki embark on a roadtrip to find Roki’s mother in time for a powwow. The search becomes a “deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world while at the mercy of a failed justice system,” per the film‘s synopsis.

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Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, and Audrey Wasilewski also star.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” Oscar nominee Gladstone executive produced the film along with Forest Whitaker, Bird Runningwater, and Charlotte Koh. Deidre Backs, Heather Rae, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Tommy Oliver, and writer/director Tremblay produce.

Tremblay co-wrote the script with Miciana Alise. “Fancy Dance” is a Confluential Films and Significant Productions/AUM Group production.

Tremblay penned an op-ed for The Hollywood Reporter about the frustrations in finding a distributor for the feature.

“As first-time indie filmmakers, we were under absolutely no illusion that ‘Fancy Dance’ would receive the same kind of industry support as Mr. Scorsese’s juggernaut [‘Killers of the Flower Moon’], but the disparity is so great that it renders our film virtually invisible and leaves only one available perspective: the non-Native one,” Tremblay wrote.

Gladstone, who also serves on the 2024 Cannes jury, called “Fancy Dance” the “absolute highlight” of her career during IndieWire Honors.

“[It is] the best work I feel like I’ve ever done, the most important story, elevating the awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women, missing and murdered sisters, working with the greatest, most visionary, most committed director of my life, working with somebody who I love very dearly and had the best chemistry I’ve had with somebody onscreen,” Gladstone said. “This performance is in a film that currently has no distribution. You all thought I was talking about the other movie, didn’t you? I want to highlight my ‘Fancy Dance’ girls. Back when we premiered at Sundance, IndieWire named [‘Fancy Dance’] one of the 17 films most likely to sell big. Here we are in December and still nothing. Everything I’ve heard from everybody who’s been lucky enough to catch ‘Fancy Dance’ at a festival, who follows the independent circuit […] they have all said it gives them what was missing from ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ the matriarchal, the matrilineal love story, the way that we give everything for our women. We give everything for our nieces, our sisters, our aunties. They feel — whatever void leaving the theater that was left by this horrendous story of the Osage reign of terror, following a survivor of it — if they’ve been lucky enough to see ‘Fancy Dance,’ they feel that it satiated that need.”

“Fancy Dance” premieres in select theaters June 21 and will stream on Apple TV+ June 28. Check out the trailer below.
"Everybody's out looking for me, who's looking for my sister?" Apple TV has finally unveiled the official trailer for a film titled Fancy Dance, which has been stuck in release limbo for the last year or more. This originally premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, a full six months before Lily Gladstone's Killers of the Flower Moon premiered in Cannes. Many critics say her performance in Fancy Dance is even better, but it hasn't ever been released since 2023. Now it's finally set for a theatrical + streaming debut this summer. The bond between an Indigenous girl and her aunt proves stronger than ever when their loved one goes missing. Following her sister's disappearance, a Native American hustler kidnaps her niece from the child's white grandparents and sets out for the state powwow in hopes of keeping what is left of their family intact. Starring the award-winning Lily Gladstone as Jax, and Isabel Deroy-Olson as Roki, plus Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, with Audrey Wasilewski & Shea Whigham. Exec produced by Forest Whitaker. Reviews state "it’s [really about] a desire to right past wrongs and be who your loved ones need you to be."

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Erica Tremblay's Fancy Dance, direct from Apple TV's YouTube:

Fancy Dance Poster

Since her sister's disappearance, Jax (Lily Gladstone) has cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of Jax losing custody to Roki's grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), the pair hit the road & scour the backcountry to track down Roki's mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a deep investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world while at the mercy of a failed justice system. Fancy Dance is directed by newcomer filmmaker Erica Tremblay (of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation), making her narrative feature debut, after a short and the doc films Heartland: A Portrait of Survival and In the Turn previously. The screenplay is by Miciana Alise and Erica Tremblay. Produced by Deidre Backs, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Tommy Oliver, Heather Rae, Erica Tremblay. This initially premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Apple will release Gladstone's Fancy Dance in select US theaters on June 21st, 2024, then streaming on Apple TV+ starting June 28th this summer. Look good?
After her sister vanishes in mysterious circumstances, an indigenous Native American woman steps up as a mother figure, taking care of her teenage niece in the new, emotionally stirring drama "Fancy Dance." Lily Gladstone, an Oscar nominee famed for her standout performance in "Killers of the Flower Moon," stars alongside newcomer Isabel Deroy-Olson ("Three Pines"). Check out the newly released trailer, offering a peek at what looks like another strong performance from Gladstone.

Directed and co-written by filmmaker Erica Tremblay, recognized for the acclaimed documentaries "In the Turn" (2014) and "Heartland: A Portrait of Survival" (2012), the film follows Gladstone's character, Jax, who devotes all her free time to unraveling the mystery of her sister's disappearance. But when the court orders Jax's teenage niece, Roki (Deroy-Olson), to move from the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma to the custody of Roki's grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), Jax impulsively decides to take Roki on a road trip to prepare for an upcoming powwow. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when they end up in the spotlight and on the run after a citywide search is launched.

The film also features Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, and Audrey Wasilewski.

"Fancy Dance" premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, receiving rave reviews. It's now slated to hit select U.S. theaters on June 21st and will exclusively stream on Apple TV Plus starting June 28th.

synopsis:
Since her sister's disappearance, Jax (Lily Gladstone) has cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of Jax losing custody to Roki's grandfather, Frank (Shea Whigham), the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki's mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world while at the mercy of a failed justice system.

directed by Erica Tremblay

starring Lily Gladstone, Isabel Deroy-Olson, Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, Audrey Wasilewski, Shea Whigham
I think it’s safe to say that Lily Gladstone owned 2023, and nobody else came close. With multiple projects including The Unknown Country and Killers of the Flower Moon, many have said her best movie only had its world premiere last year, but was never actually released. Fancy Dance, which debuted at Sundance, finally arrives in theaters and Apple TV+ in June, and a new trailer for the acclaimed thriller is here.

Fancy Dance is the directorial debut of filmmaker Erica Tremblay, whom Cortland spoke with at Sundance following its world premiere. The film stars Gladstone alongside Isabel Deroy-Olson, Ryan Begay, Shea Whigham, Crystle Lightning and Audrey Wasilewski.

Apple has global rights and plans a theatrical release followed by Apple TV+ streaming later this year.

Here’s the synopsis: Since her sister’s disappearance, Jax (Gladstone) has cared for her niece Roki (Deroy-Olson) by scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga Reservation in Oklahoma. Every spare minute goes into finding her sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. At the risk of losing custody to Jax’s father, Frank (Whigham), the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki’s mother. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world and at the mercy of a failed justice system.
Lily Gladstone stars in the emotional drama Fancy Dance, following the journey of two Indigenous women in search of family.
Director Erica Tremblay's film showcases the love and resilience of Indigenous communities in the face of adversity.
Apple TV acquired distribution rights for Fancy Dance, set for a theatrical run before streaming on June 28, 2024.
Apple TV released the latest trailer for the drama film, Fancy Dance, featuring the directorial debut of Erica Tremblay. The film premiered during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and currently has a high average critics score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film's synopsis reads: "Following her sister's disappearance, Jax and her niece Roki must stick together. Desperate to keep what's left of their family intact, Jax and Roki defy the law and hit the road on a journey to the Grand Nation Powwow in Oklahoma City." The trailer showcases Academy Award winner, Lily Gladstone's emotional and dramatic plight of taking care of her niece, Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) while also being at risk of being separated by the state. The two secretly travel together to find her missing sister, while also being hunted down by local authorities.

Tremblay stated in an interview with Collider that the film is a "love letter to our indigenous communities," and that it hopes to share the "love and connection of human beings."

"We wrote this film as a love letter to our Indigenous communities, and we made the film hoping to share the love and the connection of human beings, and how that gets them through even some of the darkest of times."

Since its Sundance debut, it was also screened at 2023 SXSW, before it eventually made its way to Apple in February 2024. Apple announced that it bought the distribution rights for the Sundance film, and gave Fancy Dance a limited theatrical run in selected theaters before it enters streaming. Tremblay released a statement about the film's Apple TV+ release, saying that it found a 'perfect home' and is excited to share this story with a global audience.

“Our film Fancy Dance has found the perfect home with Apple, and I am thrilled to share this beautiful story of two Seneca-Cayuga women with a global audience. As a Native American filmmaker, seeing my community included in the rich tapestry of cinema is a dream come true.”

Who Stars in 'Fancy Dance'?
Fancy Dance features a decent cast list. It stars Killers of the Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone, Isabel Deroy-Olson, Yellowstone's Ryan Begay as JJ, and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One's Shea Whigham as Frank. The film also features Three Pines' Crystle Lightning, My Life as a Teenage Robot's Audrey Wasilewski, and Reservation Dog's Tamara Podemski and Arianne Martin.

Fancy Dance will be available on Apple TV+ on June 28, 2024. You can watch the trailer above.
Dubai-based sales agency Cercamon has acquired international sales rights for “Fancy Dance,” the feature debut of Indigenous director Erica Tremblay, following the film’s premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance. Cercamon is selling the film this week at EFM before it continues its festival run at SXSW.

“Fancy Dance” stars Lily Gladstone as a young woman, Jax, who’s cared for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) since the girl’s mother disappeared. Scraping by on the Seneca-Cayuga Reservation in Oklahoma, she spends every spare minute trying to find her missing sister while also helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow.

At the risk of losing custody to Jax’s father, Frank (Shea Whigham), the pair hit the road and scour the backcountry to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow. What begins as a search gradually turns into a far deeper investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Indigenous women moving through a colonized world and at the mercy of a failed justice system.

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“‘Fancy Dance’ is a powerful and moving depiction of the complexities of family, identity and community dealing with universal themes such as family, loss and belonging,” said Cercamon head Sébastien Chesneau, who negotiated the deal with WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers. “We are thrilled to add ‘Fancy Dance’ to our roster of exceptional films.”

“We are so excited to have Cercamon onboard as our sales agent,” added Tommy Oliver, CEO at Confluential Films. “Their passion and commitment to bringing this film to audiences around the world is truly inspiring.”

“Fancy Dance” is the latest project in Gladstone’s filmography that ensures Indigenous communities are fairly represented on screen. She next stars across from Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.”