Sundance 2017 kicks off this Thursday, January 19, and we will be there covering the event live from Park City, Utah. But if you're like us, you may be getting antsy for the festival (and festivities) to begin. Today, Sundance unveiled three shorts from its 2017 program that are available online, and we've got them for you right here.

First up, Dear Mr Shakespeare, written and performed by Phoebe Boswell and directed by Shola Amoo, takes viewers through a visual essay considering what the Bard of Avon intended when he created the character of Othello and examining the impact of the eponymous character's race on audiences then and throughout the centuries of performances.

Deer Squad is a short doc directed by Matt Larsen & Kenneth Gug that tells the story of how a filmmaker went viral after he befriended a family of deer that kept returning to his backyard to visit and nosh on some tasty snacks.

Documentary filmmakers Henrik Moltke and Laura Poitras present an alarming short doc on NSA surveillance through a secret partnership in Project XActors Rami Malek and Michelle Williams narrate from NSA documents.

Sundance is also presenting the series premiere of Jill Soloway's new series I Love Dick, which is currently available to watch for free on Amazon now.

Be sure to check in with NFS daily as we cover films and events from Sundance 2017, including exclusive interviews with festival filmmakers.


For more, see our complete coverage of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance_sponsor_banner_2017

No Film School's video and editorial coverage of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival is sponsored by RODE Microphones.

Dear Mr Shakespeare still courtesy of Sundance Institute.