Sundance: ‘Birth/Rebirth’ Screening Stopped, Theater Evacuated, After Audience Sickened By Horror Scenes

Last night, halfway through a screening of “Birth/Rebirth,” the Rose Wagner theater had to be evacuated, with paramedics shortly arriving on the scene soon after.

Yes, Medical and Police showed up. Several people felt sick, one was supposedly on the lobby floor. The audience was told outside that if anyone felt sick to seek medical attention. Some were actually worried it could have been a gas leak or carbon monoxide. However, Police believe it was just a reaction to the medical-horror elements of the film.

"This morning, we conducted further testing on building systems and all were cleared," theater officials said. "Sundance is moving forward with today’s screenings. Salt Lake County Facilities and Rose Wagner staff will monitor the building closely during today’s events."

I can’t help, but chuckle at this. Screenings where audience members feel queasy and sick tend to happen from time to time, but to think it was a gas leak rather than the film itself is quite amusing.

Directed by Laura Moss, “Birth/Rebirth” tells the story of a single mother and a childless morgue technician who join forces to reanimate a little girl from the dead.

The film is literally medical-horror, a fascinating riff on the Frankenstein story, and one of the better films I’ve seen at Sundance 2023. “Birth/Rebirth” is now a Sundance Legend