I'm not sure that I will ever completely figure out what it means for a film to be a "Sundance" film, however, I am absolutely certain that when I learned the eight-minute short from Andy and Carolyn London 1981 had its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance film festival I wasn't even remotely surprise. 

The film, somewhat obviously, is set in 1981. It's Long Island, New York. I was in high school myself in 1981, my mullet dominated every school photo. Heavy metal was all the rage and my sexual curiosity was just starting to rise out of my disabled body. 

The Londons seem to understand. 

1981 is a coming-of-age story that captures the early 80s with a mixture of sentimental nostalgia and complete and utter terror. 14-year-old Douglas could have gotten a KISS concert for his 14th birthday, however, his doting parents wanted to give their beloved something far more memorable. 

Do they ever. 

I had a blast with 1981, though that could be as much because I was a terrifically awkward teen living the weirdness of dozens of surgeries and having a mother who was a devout Jehovah's Witness. My life was cringe. 

Geez. I should probably mention that 1981 is an animated film, rotoscoped to be precise, and it's destined to be one of the year's more memorable animated films for a myriad of reasons both naughty and nice. Here's the great thing that the Londons accomplished - this is a film that could have gone wildly wrong. It never does. There's something glorious and brilliant and familiar and beautiful here, an awkward sacredness brought to life by an experience familiar if perhaps a little extreme for most of us. 

It's difficult to describe 1981 much more without giving far too much away. It's the kind of film best experienced rather than described, though once you've seen it you're definitely going to want to talk about it. 

Still on its indie fest journey, 1981 is one to watch for if you get the chance. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic