Apple TV has unveiled the long-awaited trailer for its upcoming drama Fancy Dance, featuring Lily Gladstone and Isabel Deroy-Olson in lead roles. Initially premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the film has been in a state of uncertainty since then, finally gearing up for release this summer.
Fancy Dance follows the story of Jax (Gladstone), who has taken on the responsibility of caring for her niece Roki (Deroy-Olson) following her sister’s disappearance. Set on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma, the film explores Jax’s quest to find her missing sister while helping Roki prepare for an upcoming powwow. As the threat of losing custody to Roki’s grandfather looms, Jax and Roki embark on a journey through the backcountry in search of Roki’s mother.
Beyond its surface plot, Fancy Dance looks to explore the challenges faced by Indigenous women within a colonized society and an imperfect justice system, with themes reminiscent from Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Alongside Gladstone and Deroy-Olson, the film features performances from Ryan Begay, Crystle Lightning, Audrey Wasilewski, and Shea Whigham.
Originally showcased at Sundance 2023, Fancy Dance had garnered attention for Gladstone’s performance, which some critics deemed even more impressive than her Oscar-nominated role in Killers of the Flower Moon last year.
Produced by Confluential Films and Significant Productions, Fancy Dance is slated to premiere in US theaters on June 21, 2024, followed by its debut on Apple TV+ on June 28, 2024.
