The air inside the Eccles Theatre on the opening day of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival was thick with the kind of anticipation that only accompanies a high-stakes directorial pivot. Before the lights dimmed for the first screening of Tuner, director Daniel Roher stood before a packed house in Park City, Utah, and admitted he was on the verge of tears. “There’s a non-zero chance,” Roher said, his voice catching as he reflected on the global climate and the personal weight of the moment.
For Roher, the premiere marked a significant homecoming. While his acclaimed documentary Navalny premiered virtually in 2022, this was his first time experiencing the festival in person. The emotional stakes were heightened by a dedication to his mentor, Rob Reiner, and Reiner’s wife, Michelle. Throughout the production, Roher leaned on a singular piece of advice from Reiner: create something people want to watch.
The result is a daring, sonic exploration of isolation and survival. Featuring Dustin Hoffman and Leo Woodall in Daniel Roher’s Tuner, the film represents a sharp departure for Roher, marking his first venture into narrative feature filmmaking after a career defined by high-impact documentaries. Set against the abrasive backdrop of New York City, the story follows Niki, a piano tuner whose life is governed by an extreme auditory sensitivity that renders the modern world an invasive, often painful experience.
Daniel Roher attends the “Tuner” Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
The Architecture of Sound
The film cleverly utilizes sound design not just as an accompaniment, but as a primary character. Niki, played by Leo Woodall, relies on hearing aids to navigate his environment, often joking about the discomfort— “It’s hot, right?”—while the audience is subjected to the same sharp shifts in volume and texture that Niki feels. This sensory immersion makes the noise of the city feel visceral, mirroring the protagonist’s internal struggle to find quiet in a chaotic world.
Woodall, who has seen a surge in global visibility recently, brings a wiry charm and a restless energy to the role. Niki spends his days tuning instruments for the affluent and the indifferent, often being treated as a general handyman by clients who view his specialized skill as a convenience rather than an art. This invisibility becomes Niki’s greatest asset when he discovers a latent, uncanny ability to crack safes, a talent that bridges the gap between the precision of music and the mechanics of crime.
This discovery thrusts Niki into a dangerous security operation led by Uri, portrayed by Lior Raz. As Niki moves from the hushed parlors of the wealthy into a morally compromised underworld, the film’s sonic landscape shifts, mirroring his descent into a world that is louder, riskier, and far more volatile than the one he left behind.
A Study in Mentorship and Contrast
Providing the film’s emotional and comedic ballast is Dustin Hoffman as Harry Horowitz, an aging piano tuner who serves as Niki’s reluctant mentor. Hoffman delivers a performance that balances biting wit with a bruised tenderness, embodying a man who understands the thin line between professional mastery and total obscurity. The audience at the Eccles Theatre responded with roar of laughter at Hoffman’s sharp barbs, yet the performance remains grounded in a shared sense of fragility between the two leads.
The relationship between the two men is further illuminated during the post-screening Q&A. Roher, who admitted he had never worked with professional actors before, confessed that they initially seemed strange to him. However, he noted that Hoffman was far from intimidating. In a moment of humility, Roher shared that Hoffman treated the collaboration as if it were the director’s own big break, frequently calling him “sir” and “boss.”
While the plot pivots toward the suspense of the heist world, the film finds its heart in Niki’s relationship with Ruthie, played by Havana Rose Liu. As Niki tunes pianos for her, a tentative and intimate bond forms. Ruthie is one of the few characters who truly sees Niki, providing a necessary emotional anchor as the narrative twists into darker, bleaker territory.
The Pivot from Fact to Fiction
Roher’s transition from the documentary sphere to a scripted narrative is a calculated risk. He compared this career shift to Bob Dylan going electric, expressing a desire to avoid being pigeonholed by his previous successes. The inspiration for Tuner came from a real-life piano tuner known to his wife, and the film explores themes of luck, desperation, and the ease with which one can slip into the wrong crowd when survival is at stake.
The production’s commitment to the theme of sound extends to a pulsing score that throbs beneath the dialogue, reinforcing the idea that sound is a power that can either isolate or connect us. The reception in Park City suggests that Roher’s gamble paid off, with the screening ending in sustained applause and visible buzz among the festival crowd.
| Role/Element | Contributor/Detail | Narrative Function |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Daniel Roher | Transition from documentary to narrative feature |
| Lead Actor | Leo Woodall | Niki, a sound-sensitive piano tuner and safe-cracker |
| Supporting Lead | Dustin Hoffman | Harry Horowitz, the bittersweet mentor |
| Antagonist | Lior Raz | Uri, leader of a shady security operation |
| Emotional Lead | Havana Rose Liu | Ruthie, the grounding presence in Niki’s life |
As the festival continues, the industry will be watching to see how Tuner fares in the Spotlight category and whether it secures a wide theatrical release. The film stands as a testament to the idea that technical precision—whether in tuning a piano or directing a scene—is most effective when paired with raw, human vulnerability.
The next major milestone for the film will be the announcement of its distribution partners following the conclusion of the Sundance screenings.
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