Real-life stories of grisly crimes have always enthralled our collective imagination. It’s now axiomatic that if anything sells better than sex, it’s true crime. Yet these stories also raise uncomfortable questions—about the role of the media in criminal justice, the objectivity of nonfiction storytelling, and our voyeuristic fascination that fuels this phenomenon. The panelists explored the origins and popularity of the true-crime trend, as well as its implications for both audiences and media-makers. Catch up with all of our Sundance 2025 coverage here.