PARK CITY, Utah – Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, has made her debut at the Sundance Film Festival. The 25-year-old directed a short film called “The Heart,” which premiered at the festival in Park City, Utah as part of the U.S. short fiction films programming block.
Walking her first red carpet at the Prospector Square Theatre, Malia appeared in high spirits despite the chilly weather. She wore a full-length grey sweater, a long grey knit scarf, a white button-down shirt, black leggings, and boots.
Credited as Malia Ann on the film, the young filmmaker shared her thoughts on the project in a “Meet the Artist” video series created for this year’s festival. In the video, she described the film as exploring themes of lost objects, loneliness, forgiveness, and regret, while also examining tenderness and closeness in these experiences. Malia expressed her hope that the film would bring comfort and a sense of connection to viewers.
This marks Malia’s first venture into directing, following her previous work as a writer on the Prime Video thriller series “Swarm.” Janine Nabers, the showrunner for “Swarm,” praised Malia’s talent as a writer, remarking on her creativity and dedication to her craft.
Malia’s participation in the Sundance Film Festival adds to her growing list of achievements outside of the public eye. As the daughter of the former president, her artistic aspirations and talent indicate a promising future in the film industry.