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As the Sundance Film Festival wraps, two films are the prevailing standouts — The Surrogate and Beasts Of The Southern Wild. But Red Lights and Filly Brown have been the titles consistently coming up short along with Lay The Favorite. Sundance founder Robert Redford warned attendees on Day One to explore the fest’s various nooks and crannies before guessing which films would be hits or misses. Here’s my reporting:

FEATURES The Surrogate, directed by Ben Lewin This film is the obvious commercial hit and awards contender coming out of Sundance this year and it already caught a $6 million acquisition deal as Deadline reported Monday. This film proves that there are still films that arrive with little fanfare and then break out. Starring Helen Hunt (in a terrific performance) and John Hawkes and William H. Macy, pic centers on a man who is confined to an iron lung and at age 38 makes it a goal to lose his virginity. All the buzz bodes well for Lewin who proves that reinventing yourself is possible at any age. Born in 1946, Lewin has a bevy of TV writing and directing credits with a sprinkling of features like Georgiawhich received two AFI Award nominations way back in 1989.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild directed by Benh Zeitlin This is the fest’s artistic smash to date. The filmmakers had the “dream” Sundance premiere at the Eccles Theatre complete with a standing ovation and immediate buzz at hobnobbing events. Instantly speculation began about who would snag the film populated by unknown actors. Fox Searchlight did. This is the first film by co-writer/director Benh Zeitlin and the team behind Court 13. ”Court 13 is an ethos we have on approaching a story and production,” Zeitlin told me. “The arc is made through homemade objects, actors that are non-professional, and a crew that is chosen for their courage and art rather than pure skill.”

Your Sister’s Sister directed by Lynn Shelton This film about grief had its U.S. debut at Sundance after a Toronto fest premiere initiated buzz. Sundance’s comparatively smaller lineup is giving the film some breathing room and good word of mouth for performances by Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mark Duplass, and Mike Birbiglia. The film follows Jack who is grieving over his bother’s loss and heads to his father’s cabin unaware that a woman is already staying there with similar circumstances.

Red Hook Summer directed by Spike Lee This film proved extremely divisive with its supporters saying “Spike Lee is back” and detractors simply dismissing it. The film nevertheless was talked about well after it premiered and not only because of Lee’s anti-studio rant during the post-screening Q&A. Financed by Lee, pic follows a boy who goes from a comfortable life in Atlanta to living with a grandfather he has never met in a gritty housing project in Brooklyn, location for Spike’s She’s Gotta Have It (1986), Do The Right Thing (1989), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995) and He Got Game(1998).

Simon Killer directed by Antonio Campos Buzzed before the fest, this film turned into Sundance’s greatest polarizer. It’s the latest installment from the Borderline Films folk who brought Martha Marcy May Marlene here last year. Martha director Sean Durkin switched roles with Campos and put on the producer’s hat for this film about a disturbed recent college grad who falls for a Parisian prostitute. ”Ambitious”, “cinematic”, and “tough” were adjectives used. ”It’s like Shame. Some love it. Others hate it,” was one opinion after its Eccles debut. Look for it to possibly play Cannes. Martha was one of the few Sundance choices there last year and Simon Killer‘s French setting and artistic sensibility may get it a slot.

For A Good Time Call… directed by Jamie Travis This Sundance film like The Bachelorette have drawn some initial comparisons to box office smash Bridesmaids. But this is seen as ”the more accessible” of the two because of its less dark material. It revolves around two frenemies who end up in a NY apartment together and share a ”dirty secret”.

Keep The Lights On, directed by Ira Sachs After a slow start following a sneak screening in New York, the film picked up steam in Park City. Some festgoers ranked it among this year’s favorites due to its raw intensity even if they call it flawed. Based on a true story, the film revolves around two men’s emotionally and sexually charged journey through the love, addiction, and friendship.

Compliance directed by Craig Zobel This divided audiences right out of the gate following its initial screening. It had one of the most emotional Q&As at the festival. One woman yelled out “Sundance can do better” after its premiere which reflected what many thought. Others have lauded the film as ”an incredibly smart movie” about the American psyche post-Guantanemo Bay. The film follows two women working at a busy fast food restaurant on a stressful workday that leads to police detention and a sexual assault.

DOCUMENTARIES The unfortunately titled Finding North by Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush is the “big issue doc” of the festival. Though “not artsy”, it’s “very Participant” as in Participant Media which also made An Inconvenient Truth). Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio came on board as producer of the film about hunger in America.

How To Survive A Plague received a rapturous standing ovation the minute the lights went on following its first screening. Sundance attendees noted the AIDS film came in with little buzz but is now on a roll.

Shut Up And Play The Hitsbrought out a throng of LCD Soundsystem fans who packed the Park Cities At Midnight screening complete with spontaneous clapping and singing for a really fun evening.

Marina Abramovic’s The Artist Is Present is “so much more than you think it’s going to be,” and “definitely not a PBS documentary”. A performance artist for 40 years, Abramovic  staged maybe a Sundance first: a silent party. (Attendees including Redford walked around a gallery without schmoozing.)

Heidi Ewing’s and Rachel Grady’s Detropia caught good word of mouth on the non-fiction side as did Me@ The Zoo, West Of Memphis, and the even more polarizing Queen Of Versailles

Pamela McClintock The Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment action-comedy starring the actress scored No. 2 spot on Friday with $4 million-plus.

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David Rooney Super-heavyweight bodybuilder Kim Kold plays a man whose massive physique can't hide the emotionally stunted outsider within in Danish director Mads Matthiesen's first feature.

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David Rooney Super-heavyweight bodybuilder Kim Kold plays a man whose massive physique can't hide the emotionally stunted outsider within in Danish director Mads Matthiesen's first feature.

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Jonathan Handel The decision by the SAG board to allow an opposition statement – even though not required by guild rules – will allow opponents to make their case to the entire guild membership.

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Jethro Nededog In a twisted turn of events that challenges the spy couple's future together, the NBC series ends its run on a hopeful note.

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Jethro Nededog In a twisted turn of events that challenges the spy couple's future together, the NBC series ends its run on a hopeful note.

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Jethro Nededog In a twisted turn of events that challenges the spy couple's future together, the NBC series ends its run on a hopeful note.

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ATO Pictures has acquired all North American rights to director James Marsh’s Shadow Dancer. It stars Andrea Riseborough (Wallis Simpson in W.E.) and Clive Owen. Screenplay was written by Tom Bradby and is based on his novel. Riseborough plays a woman who’s forced to betray her beliefs and spy on members of her family to protect her son in 1993 Northern Ireland. Gillian Anderson, Aidan Gillen and Domhnall Gleeson co star. Shadow Dancer is Marsh’s third film to bow at Sundance. He also directed the documentaries Project Nim and Man On Wire. Produced by Chris Coen of Unanimous Entertainment, Shadow Dancer is also screening at the Berlin Film Festival. Exec producers are Joe Oppenheimer, Brahim Chioua, Norman Merry, Vincent Maraval, Tom Bradby and Rita Dagher. ATO head of acquisitions Sarah Lash negotiated the deal with CAA who represented the producers.

Los Angeles, CA – The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts announced the winners of its newly launched AACTA International Awards recognizing International Achievements in Film tonight by AACTA President, Geoffrey Rush, at an intimate awards Ceremony at Soho House. The Artist was awarded Best Film for producer Thomas Langmann, and Best Direction for French director Michel Hazanavicius. The film’s lead actor, Jean Dujardin, was awarded Best Actor. Meryl Streep was awarded the AACTA International Award for Best Actress for her role in The Iron Lady. The award for Best Screenplay had two joint winners after jury voting was tied in this category: the adapted screenplay from The Ides of March for George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, and the original screenplay from Margin Call for first time writer and director J.C. Chandor.

Jay A. Fernandez , Daniel Miller The indie distributor grabs the thriller directed by "Man on Wire" filmmaker James Marsh.

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Jay A. Fernandez , Daniel Miller The indie distributor grabs the thriller directed by "Man on Wire" filmmaker James Marsh.

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Lesley Goldberg The projects hail from the feature writers behind "North Country" and "Thelma & Louise."

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Lesley Goldberg The projects hail from the feature writers behind "North Country" and "Thelma & Louise."

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After picking up 3 comedy pilots this afternoon, ABC just gave the green light to 2 drama pilots, Americana and Nashville, both primetime soaps. The latter pickup is contingent on the project becoming a co-production between Lionsgate TV, which developed it, and ABC Studios.

Americana, from ABC Studios and studio-based Mark Gordon Co., is a soap set around a legendary fashion designer and his family and business. It was written by Michael Seitzman (North Country) who will executive produce with Mark Gordon and Mark Gordon Co.’s Nicholas Pepper. This is the third pilot order so far this season for Gordon’s company under new development executive Pepper, along with the untitled Roland Emmerich drama and comedy White Van Man, both at ABC.

Nashville hails from Oscar-winning writer Callie Khouri and TV producer/documentary filmmaker RJ Cutler. Thelma & Louise scribe Khouri wrote the project, a family soap set against the backdrop of the Nashville music scene that follows one star at her peak and one on the rise. Cutler (The September Issue) is set to direct. The two will executive produce with Nashville-based Gaylord Entertainment, which is being represented by SVP of Media and Entertainment Steve Buchanan. This marks Khouri’s return to ABC where she wrote, directed and executive produced the 2006 pilot Hollis & Rae. It is the second broadcast pilot order this season for leading cable producer Lionsgate TV, which had most active broadcast development season ever under new head of development Chris Selak. The company is also behind NBC’s comedy Next Caller Please.

Jethro Nededog The dramatic VH1 reality star and self-professed former mafia princess is currently receiving treatment at a hospital, show reps confirm.

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Elizabeth Snead The Oscar-nominated star of "Moneyball" used social media to announce "A Night To Make It Right" fundraiser in New Orleans, featuring Pitt, Ellen DeGeneres, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Blake Lively, Sean Penn.

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Elizabeth Snead The Oscar-nominated star of "Moneyball" used social media to announce "A Night To Make It Right" fundraiser in New Orleans, featuring Pitt, Ellen DeGeneres, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Blake Lively, Sean Penn.

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Merle Ginsberg The AACTA International Awards gave away their first ever film awards in five categories on Friday night.

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Theater Chain Won’t Play Lionsgate Film ‘One For The Money’ Lionsgate-Summit Offers Discounted Tickets For Films This Weekend

FRIDAY 2 PM: It’s still very early but nothing really popping. Sources are telling me that Summit Entertainment’s new actioner Man On A Ledge is looking like $3+M for today and $9.8M for the weekend from 2,998 theaters. In other words, weak. Lionsgate’s opener One For The Money starring Katherine Heigl and based on the Janet Evanovich’s bestselling novel is  coming on $5M ”maybe a little better than people thought” for the weekend from 2,737 runs. No word yet on whether those Groupon/Living Social discounted movie ticket deals are helping but it did prevent the Marcus Theatre chain from playing One For The Money in the midwest. The No. 1 movie at the North American box office is projected as Open Road Films acquisition The Grey with $4.5M for today and $12M for the weekend from 3,185 locations. Numbers will be refined later with full analysis.