Her latest documentary "The Disappearance of Shere Hite" tells the astonishing but forgotten story of the author of "The Hite Report" -- a pioneering survey on female sexuality that sold millions of books but triggered a furious backlash from conservatives.
It is one of several major documentaries this year tackling sex and politics, along with "Judy Blume Forever," which charts how the U.S. author guided a generation of young girls through puberty, but also came under attack from activists.
Brooke Shields will attend Sundance as the subject of "Pretty Baby," which addresses the sexualization of young girls via the supermodel's own journey.
"I'm really honored to be included in the festival this year... the fact that there's such a strong showing of films about women's sexuality and women's issues is really heartening," said Newnham.
On Friday, Jason Momoa narrates "Deep Rising," an eye-opening and unsettling look at the race to harvest the ocean seabed for rare metals under the guise of furthering the "so-called green revolution."
Other timely and prominent themes in the documentary lineup include films about Ukraine and Iranian women.
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival runs until January 29.
