Sundance Film Festival
Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman Star in Sundance-Bound Thriller ‘Tuner’
Leo Woodall makes a striking leap from concert halls to crime scenes in Tuner, a new underdog-meets-heist thriller directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Daniel Roher. The first trailer for the film with Woodall and Dustin Hoffman will screen at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival before hitting theatres later this spring.
Set in New York, Tuner stars Leo Woodall as Niki White, a gifted piano tuner living with hyperacusis, a rare auditory condition that makes him hypersensitive to sound. In the trailer, Niki describes the disorder as being “allergic to loud noises.” What initially feels like a career-ending limitation soon reveals an unexpected advantage.
A Gift That Unlocks a Dangerous World
As the official Sundance synopsis explains, Niki discovers his heightened sense of hearing gives him an uncanny ability to crack safes. That discovery upends his quiet life and draws him into a criminal underworld he never intended to enter. His decision is further complicated when his mentor, Harry Horowitz — played by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, requires costly medical treatment, pushing Niki to take increasingly risky jobs.
“Don’t do anything stupid. You understand?” warns Mona, portrayed by Tony Award winner Tova Feldshuh, in a tense moment from the trailer. Despite his protests — “I’m just a tuner, man” — Niki finds himself in over his head as the stakes rise.
Romance, Mentorship and Moral Conflict
Balancing the film’s thriller elements is a growing romance between Niki and Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), a music composition student who becomes drawn into his life. Their relationship provides an emotional counterpoint to the escalating danger, even as Niki’s secret work as a safe cracker threatens to derail any chance at normalcy.
Adding further menace is Lior Raz, who plays the thief responsible for luring Niki into crime, while Jean Reno rounds out an impressive supporting cast. The ensemble helps Tuner move fluidly between character drama, romance, and high-tension heist sequences.
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A Festival Favorite Heads to Theaters
Co-written by Robert Ramsey and produced and distributed by Black Bear Pictures, Tuner made waves with its world premiere at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival. It has since screened at Toronto and BFI London Film Festival and now lands in a coveted Spotlight slot at Sundance 2026.
Festival organizers describe the film as “constantly shape-shifting in mood and tone,” praising its ability to function as an odd-couple friendship story, a tense crime thriller, and a charming romance all at once. For Roher, whose documentary Navalny previously won an Academy Award, Tuner marks his first narrative feature.
Tuner opens in select theaters on May 22, before expanding nationwide on May 29, positioning it as one of the most intriguing prestige thrillers of 2026.
