The Sundance Institute announced the fellows selected for the 2026 Screenwriters Lab and Screenwriters Intensive programs, which foster creativity and bold risk-taking, empower emerging voices, and support the development and launch of their first and second features. Selected from over 3,800 submissions, the 11 Screenwriters Lab fellows will convene in a connected community to work under the guidance of esteemed advisors to develop their original scripts. The Screenwriters Lab will take place through Jan. 21 at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah, where the Sundance Institute labs originated in 1981. This year’s lab is being held in celebration of the mission and legacy of founder Robert Redford.

The lab is led by Michelle Satter (Founding Senior Director, Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs) and Ilyse McKimmie (Deputy Director, Feature Film Program), with artistic director Jessie Nelson and creative advisors Michael Arndt, Scott Z. Burns, Linda Yvette Chávez, Scott Frank, Phil Hay, Barry Jenkins, Meg LeFauve, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Nicole Perlman, Howard A. Rodman, Dana Stevens, Lulu Wang, Virgil Williams, and Doug Wright. 

“We’re excited to champion this new cohort of bold filmmakers developing their original stories in our January Screenwriters Lab,” said Michelle Satter, Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs founding senior director. “These 11 fellows will hone their screenwriting skills while immersed in the collaborative creative community we envisioned and established to sustain the future of independent filmmakers. Following the lab, we are fully committed to supporting their journey from script to screen, ensuring that their powerful, human stories in all genres are celebrated and connect with audiences around the world.”

The Screenwriters Intensive will be held March 5–6 online, where 13 writers across nine projects will develop their first fiction features. Alumni of the Screenwriters Intensive include Tory Kamen (Eleanor the Great), Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men), Roger Ross Williams (Cassandro), Laurel Parmet (The Starling Girl), and Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (Mutt).

“The artists and projects included in this year’s Screenwriters Intensive comprise an impressively wide range of singular perspectives and storytelling styles,” said Ilyse McKimmie, Deputy Director of the Feature Film Program. “What they have in common is unforgettable cinematic vision, and we couldn’t be more excited to support them every step of the way on the journey of bringing their films to life.”

For over four decades, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program (FFP) labs have supported and championed an exciting and groundbreaking array of independent filmmakers. Four notable filmmakers who wrote and directed films released in 2025 developed their debut features at the Feature Film Labs: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), and Nia DaCosta (Hedda). Additionally, Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein) developed his second feature at the FFP’s first Screenwriters Lab in Mexico. Other FFP alumni include The Daniels (Swiss Army Man), Sean Wang (Dìdi (弟弟)), A.V. Rockwell (A Thousand and One), Charlotte Wells (Aftersun), Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny), Sterlin Harjo (Four Sheets to the Wind), Radha Blank (The 40-Year-Old Version), Eliza Hittman (Beach Rats), Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Walter Salles (Central Station), Dee Rees (Pariah), Robert Eggers (The Witch), Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox), Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball), Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know), and Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs), among many others. 

Five projects supported by the Feature Film Program will premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival: Beth de Araújo’s Josephine, Ramzi Bashour’s Hot Water, Suzanne Andrews Correa’s The Huntress (La Cazadora), Olive Nwosu’s LADY, and Walter Thompson-Hernández’s If I Go Will They Miss Me. In addition, FFP alumni premiering new work in this year’s Festival include Gregg Araki, Alex Huston Fischer, and Nicole Holofcener, and two lab-supported films, Half Nelson and Mysterious Skin, are screening in the Park City Legacy section. Feature Film Program–supported films that have premiered internationally in the past year include Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake (winner, Caméra d’Or and Directors Fortnight Audience Award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival; Iraq’s Academy Award submission) and Diego Céspedes’ The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (winner, Un Certain Regard prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival; Chile’s Academy Award submission.)

The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is supported by Rolex, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY, Peter H. Friedland, Salman Al-Rashid, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), United Airlines, Big Newport Studios, NBCUniversal, Ray and Dagmar Dolby Fund, Scott and Jennifer Frank, Golden Globe Foundation, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), K Period Media Foundation, Blumhouse, Steward Family Foundation, Daniel Crown, SAGIndie, Spotlight on San Francisco, Rosalie Swedlin and Robert Cort, Karen and Ian Calderon, River Road Entertainment, and the Deborah Reinisch & Michael Theodore Fund. Legacy support provided by explore.org, a direct charitable activity of the Annenberg Foundation.

A list of projects and artists selected for the 2026 Screenwriters Lab

Sarah Friedland (Writer-director) with The Queue (U.S.A.): Based on the 1983 novel by Vladimir Sorokin, The Queue is an absurd, picaresque fable. Set across three hot summer days in an endless line, The Queue follows Max and his neighbors as they wait for the things they need — and want — to live.

Friedland is a filmmaker and choreographer working at the intersection of moving images and moving bodies. Friedland’s debut feature, Familiar Touch, earned critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival, where she received both the Lion of the Future and the Horizons Award for Best Director.

Aditi Brennan Kapil (Writer-director) with Love Person (U.S.A.): A one-night stand between Vic and Ram mistakenly results in a series of email exchanges between Ram and Vic’s Deaf sister, Free. The emails blossom into an unconventional romance that draws Ram and Vic closer, but exposes the fault lines in Free’s relationship with her own longtime partner, Maggie.

Kapil is a playwright, director, and television writer. She is of Bulgarian and Indian descent and was raised in Sweden prior to moving to the U.S. Her award-winning plays have been produced internationally. Love Person, adapted from her play, will be her feature film debut.

Taylor Sanghyun Lee (Writer-director) with Rounds (U.S.A.): Years after a violent shooting shattered their Presbyterian church community, an impending deportation forces two Korean American families to confront the limits of their forgiveness.

Lee is a software engineer turned filmmaker. He is a recipient of the Sundance Institute Ignite Fellowship, CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund prize, Marcie Bloom Fellowship in Film, ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award, and Spike Lee Production Fund. He earned his MFA from the NYU Tisch Graduate Film program, where he was an Ang Lee Scholar.

Naishe Nyamubaya (Writer-director) with Black Snake (Zimbabwe): A family is forced to face their true cultural identity when the appearance of a mysterious tree coincides with their move to a rural village.

Nyamubaya is a Zimbabwean filmmaker passionate about telling African stories. He is an alum of Cannes Cinéfondation’s L’Atelier, TIFF Directors’ Lab, The Red Sea Lodge, Locarno Open Doors, and Film Independent’s Global Media Makers.

Bec Pecaut (Writer-director) with The Terrible Child (Canada): The Terrible Child follows 16-year-old Augusta Goodman over a period of four months in her hometown of Toronto in 2009. Gussie’s desire to be a normal teenager is challenged by her dawning sexuality and her family as they cope with the end of her father’s long-term battle with cancer.

Pecaut is a transmasc filmmaker from Toronto. Their debut short film, Are You Scared to Be Yourself Because You Think That You Might Fail? (2024), had its domestic premiere at TIFF ’24, where it won the Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Film, and its international premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Joanna Rothkopf (Writer-director) with Attachment (a.k.a. Bluey is the Warmest Color) (U.S.A.): A mother becomes dangerously obsessed with a wildly popular children’s entertainer in this arch erotic thriller. It’s Fatal Attraction meets All Fours meets Ms. Rachel. Somehow.

Rothkopf is a writer and filmmaker living in Brooklyn. Since 2019, she has worked as a senior writer on HBO’s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, for which she has won multiple Emmy and WGA Awards. Her short film Pet Store, which she directed and produced, played festivals in 2024.

Philip Thompson (Writer-director) with Dance Monkey Dance (U.S.A.): Told through TV clips, voicemails, and personal recordings, this fictional found-footage documentary follows 2000s Black comedian Wesley Harris, whose fame, built on stereotypes for white audiences, warps his sense of self and exposes the media’s praise as a form of control.

Thompson is a filmmaker from New England, based in Brooklyn, who was included as one of Filmmaker magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” His work investigates popular media’s influence on culture and the one-sided “looking” relationship between audiences and image subjects.

George Watsky (Writer-director) with yellowwood (U.S.A.): Zoe and Jordie, a couple who never wanted kids, confront an unexpected pregnancy. Rather than choose between diverging futures, they enter a radical tech experiment that lets them walk both paths — one with a child, one without. As their realities fray, they learn no life is lived without sacrifice.

Watsky is a multidisciplinary artist from San Francisco. Performing music as Watsky, he has also appeared in HBO’s Def Poetry, Blindspotting, Arrested Development, and on Broadway in Freestyle Love Supreme. His essay collection, How to Ruin Everything (Plume), was a New York Times bestseller.

Cecelia Wheeler (Writer-director) with Clear-Cut (U.S.A.): Estranged siblings Angeline and Frank attempt to reconcile while on a road trip to the Olympic Peninsula to meet Frank’s son for the first time.

Wheeler is a writer-director from Seattle, Washington. A graduate of Columbia University’s Film MFA, her work has been supported by Indian Paintbrush and the Sloan Foundation. She writes characters who want to be bigger than themselves, setting small dilemmas against the grandeur of nature.

Said Zagha (Writer-director) with Black Harvest (Palestine, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar): After his son is killed, a Palestinian father’s pursuit of vengeance drags him into a brutal spiral of crime and corruption that could destroy his remaining family.

Zagha is a Palestinian British writer-director working in political genre cinema. His short film Coyotes premiered at the Venice Film Festival, won Best Short Film at the BFI London Film Festival, and is now BAFTA-qualified. Black Harvest will be his debut feature.

Renee Zhan (Writer-director) with BAOBAO (U.K.): A spoiled only daughter returns home to China to discover that her parents have had another child. Her parents refuse to see that there is something unnatural about their new baby boy and that an evil presence haunts their stately home.

Zhan is a Chinese American director and animator. In her films, she explores topics of identity, obsession, and sexuality — all things beautiful, ugly, and squishy. Her first live-action short film, SHÉ (SNAKE), screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024. BAOBAO is her feature debut.

The following artists and projects have been selected for the 2026 Screenwriters Intensive: 

Nicole Daddona and Adam Wilder (Co-writers/Co-directors) with CACS (U.S.A.): Two cacti uproot from their home in the desert and experience the trappings of human life in a fading small town.

Daddona is a multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, actress, and musician. The creator of cult-favorite brand Magic Society and the glam-pop persona Friday, she builds immersive, offbeat, uncanny worlds — rich with humor, heart, and nostalgia — across film, fashion, and music.

Wilder is an auteur director and writer whose shorts have screened at the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW and been featured as Vimeo Staff Picks and Short of the Week. He champions singular stories with idiosyncratic characters, sharp visuals, and a balance of absurdity and sincerity.

Julien Figueroa (Writer) with Hatepark (U.S.A.): In the year 2000, a sullen androgynous teen falls in with a group of skate punks after being misread as a boy. They spend the long Florida summer relishing their new boyhood — much needed fun as they cope with a new stepfamily and a shifting image of their father, whom they once idolized.

Figueroa is a comedian, trinket collector, and recent graduate from DePaul University’s Screenwriting MFA. There, he studied comedic storytelling and improv with The Second City. He writes about black sheep in small southern towns and coming-of-age stories for burnt-out 20-somethings.

Allison Janae Hamilton (Writer-director) with Floridaland (U.S.A.): In early-2000s North Florida, a college student with an empathic gift drifts between campus life and her family’s fading casino. As buried tensions and spiritual inheritances surface, an unexpected occurrence forces a reckoning with belonging, legacy, and the dreamlike landscape that binds them.

Hamilton is known for her mythic explorations of landscape and Americana. She has presented work at MoMA, MASS MoCA, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and BlackStar. Her short film Wacissa was acquired by the Smithsonian. She holds an MFA from Columbia and a Ph.D. from NYU.

Gulet Isse (Writer-director) with Khutbah (U.S.A.): Abu is a high school senior torn between pursuing a professional career as a comic artist or making his immigrant parents proud by attending an Islamic university. As he develops a romance with a boy at his mosque, Abu must balance the conflicting demands of tradition, family, and his deepest desires.

Isse is a Somali American filmmaker whose stories focus on unearthing shame, people leading double lives, and unconventional family structures. Her work has been recognized by Sundance Institute, the Transgender Film Center, Film Fatales, the Center for Cultural Power, and Lambda Literary.

Daeil Kim (Writer-director) and Don Cabreana (Writer) with Stem (South Korea, U.S.A.): A devoted scientist risks everything to win the approval of the world’s leading stem cell pioneer, only to be pulled into the dark secrets behind his “miracle cure” that claims it can end human disability. Recipient of the Sundance Institute | Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Development Fellowship.

Kim is a South Korean–born filmmaker based in Los Angeles and a recipient of the 2024 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant. His work has screened at the Sundance Film Festival, the Cannes American Pavilion, and AFI Fest. He holds an MFA from USC, where he was an Annenberg Fellow.

Cabreana is an Oakland-born playwright who staged four plays while earning UC Berkeley degrees in theater and English. After gaining a USC Screenwriting MFA, he won multiple screenwriting contests. He writes high-concept stories featuring flawed characters fighting for justice and redemption.

Esteban Pedraza (Writer-director) with Swayneos (U.S.A., Colombia): When a young woman in Bogotá marries an older man from Nashville through a mail-order bride service, she transforms herself into a Southern, Christian wife in exchange for the promise of America.

Pedraza is a Colombian American filmmaker with various award-winning projects and premieres at top-tier festivals. His latest short film, Bogotá Story, had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival in 2023. It is now available to stream via The New Yorker.

Matthew Rosenbaum and Nicolette Johnson (Co-writers/Co-directors) with Badstar (U.S.A.): Kissimmee, Florida — 2003. Anomalous events concerning a gender-questioning 11-year-old and his girl doppelgänger constellate around the failure of NASA’s Columbia space mission. 

Rosenbaum is a visual artist and filmmaker addressing themes of personal and collective memory through a surreal, tragicomic lens. His film The Dreaming of a Country Merchant, starring Peter Sarsgaard, is in development. He is represented by CAA and is an alumnus of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Johnson is Brooklyn-based writer-director and artist whose studio practice includes sculpture, collage, and film. Her art practice dissects social paradigms of violence and gender, fueling cathartic expressions of queerness. She is an alum of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Samina Saifee (Writer-director) with Amerigirl (U.S.A.): At Camp Amerigirl, 12-year-old Aaliyah Khan wants one thing: to make a friend. When the cooler Brown girl arrives, she finally sees her chance.

Saifee holds a dual degree from NYU Tisch and Stern, where she studied film and business. She is a 2024 Sundance Institute Ignite fellow and a Sundance Institute and Islamic Scholarship Fund fellow. Her latest short, Ayat, stars Ramy’s Laith Nakli, and she recently wrapped her first documentary short, Mango Man, set in India.

Sylvie Weber (Writer-director) and Anouk Shad (Writer-producer) with Río Masacre (Austria, Dominican Republic): Sent from Austria to the Dominican-Haitian border, 16-year-old Rio grows close to a sharp-witted local girl and is drawn into a world of cockfights and ancestral ghosts. As the Río Masacre’s legacy resurfaces, he must confront buried family wounds and decide where he belongs.

Weber is a German Dominican filmmaker exploring belonging, history, and mysticism through a poetic, surreal lens. Her films have screened at BlackStar, BAM, and LA Film Forum. She was a 2025 Indeed/Hillman Grad Rising Voices fellow and part of Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s 2023 Creators Lab.

Shad is an Austrian writer and producer with South Sudanese roots. She is the founder of the production company Ripe and the BIPOC film network Gewächshaus, committed to globally resonant storytelling and to building infrastructures that empower independent voices.

The post Sundance announces 2026 Screenwriters program fellows appeared first on Park Record.

Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the lineup for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival’s annual Beyond Film talks and events, a series featuring artist conversations and experts from various fields being held Friday, Jan. 23, to Friday, Jan. 30.

In addition, a first time event, Sundance Institute’s Story Forum: Exploring Art and Innovation presented by Adobe, will take place Monday, Jan. 26, bringing creators, educators and industry leaders together to discuss the latest ideas and technologies in storytelling. 

The Festival will be held from Jan. 22-Feb. 1 in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with the at-home program available online from Jan. 29-Feb. 1 for audiences across the country. Single Film Tickets for in-person and online screenings go on sale Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. Visit the Sundance Film Festival website for more information: festival.sundance.org. 

The 2026 festival will serve as a meaningful tribute to Robert Redford and his vision that has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema around the world.

During the second half of the festival, the Park City Legacy program will celebrate the festival’s rich history and shared experiences in Utah through archival screenings of iconic films from previous editions, artist talks with notable festival alumni ,and a special event for the community. 

Beyond Film provides a free community experience to festival attendees through artist discussions, talks with filmmakers and experts across various disciplines and exciting opportunities for audience engagement.

This year’s lineup includes Cinema Café, presented by Audible, and The Big Conversation | From Fire to Flight: Humans, Technology and Time.

Beyond Film will feature conversations from various participants such as Olivia Wilde (“The Invite” and “I Want Your Sex”), Ava DuVernay, Salman Rushdie (“Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie”), Richard Linklater (“Nouvelle Vague”), Nicole Holofcener (“Worried”), John Turturro (“The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”), Billie Jean King (“Give Me the Ball!”), Antoine Fuqua (“Troublemaker”), Gregg Araki (“I Want Your Sex” and “Mysterious Skin”) and Barbara Kopple (“American Dream”).

This year’s programming will include a live podcast recording of “Visitations,” featuring James Wan (“Saw”) with hosts Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah. See the schedule below for the full lineup. 

To commemorate this poignant year, there will also be special talks and events as part of the Park City Legacy program, taking place during the second half of the Festival. Also part of the Beyond Film program, “Power of Story: On Legacy” will feature Ta-Nehisi Coates (executive producer and subject of “When A Witness Recants”), Alex Gibney (director of “Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie”), John Turturro (cast member of “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”), Olivia Wilde (director and cast member of “The Invite” and cast of “I Want Your Sex”) and moderator Jia Tolentino (staff writer of The New Yorker).

As a longtime Sundance Film Festival alum, Richard Linklater will be participating in a noteworthy live commentary of “Nouvelle Vague” on Jan. 28.

A one-of-a-kind culmination event, “Everyone Has a Story: Four Decades of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah,” will be a special free gathering for the public on Jan. 30 to celebrate the many cherished memories of the over 40-year history of the annual festival and share gratitude with the local Utah community. 

“We are excited to announce this year’s Beyond Film programming as it represents how incredibly special this year is for the Sundance Film Festival,” said Kim Yutani, director of programming. “We look forward to bringing bold and inspiring voices together to explore the themes in this year’s program of new films, as well as celebrating our shared history with Utah through our Park City Legacy program talks and our signature Power of Story conversation held at the iconic Egyptian Theatre.” 

“Our 2026 Beyond Film program remains a space for expanding perspectives and celebrating the resilient creative spirit at the heart of the Festival,” said Ania Trzebiatowska, Beyond Film program curator. “As we gather in Park City, we recognize the privilege of sharing this space — of looking beyond the screens, honoring our legacy and connecting with the artists and audiences who shape how we see the world.” 

All Beyond Film talks and events are free to the public with the exception of Power of Story, which is a paid ticketed event.

The events will take place in person from Jan. 23-30, with most of the Beyond Film offerings available to audiences online the day following the in-person event on festival.sundance.org throughout the festival.

For admission to Cinema Café and The Big Conversation events, attendees should arrive at least 30 minutes early, as seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Upon arrival, they should present their festival ID QR code on your mobile device for entry. You can access your festival ID by logging in to your free festival account and going to “My Schedule.”

(Important: festival tickets and festival IDs serve different functions. Both can be retrieved as QR codes using the mobile app.)

Since Power of Story is a paid ticketed event, it will require a digital ticket for entry. For more on how to access online Beyond Film offerings, visit the How to Fest page on the festival website. 

Sundance Institute’s Story Forum: Exploring Art and Innovation brings creators, educators and industry leaders together to discuss the latest ideas and technologies in storytelling.

Events are free to attend with registration and will take place at the Sheraton Park City on Monday, Jan. 26 from 8:30 a.m.–10 p.m. A free online program will also be held on Thursday, Jan. 29 and Friday, Jan. 30. Free in-person and online registration available by visiting collab.sundance.org/catalog/Story-Forum. 

BEYOND FILM LINEUP 

POWER OF STORY 

The Sundance Film Festival’s Power of Story conversation looks to deepen public engagement with the art of storytelling, delve into cinema culture and celebrate artists whose work propels and reinvents the form. 

• Power of Story: On Legacy, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 3–4:30 p.m., Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St., Park City — “Power of Story: On Legacy” will bring together artists, thinkers and culture makers for a deeper look at the idea of legacy — what it means, who defines it and how it evolves over time. Speakers will reflect on legacy as a balancing act between intention and interpretation, control and serendipity, exploring how stories outlive their creators and take on new meaning through audiences. It’s a conversation about what lasts, what lingers and what we hope to pass on. Featuring: Ta-Nehisi Coates (executive producer and subject of “When A Witness Recants”), Alex Gibney (director of “Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie”), John Turturro (cast member of “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”) and Olivia Wilde (director and cast member of “The Invite” and cast member of “I Want Your Sex”). Moderated by Jia Tolentino (staff writer of The New Yorker) 

CINEMA CAFÉ presented by Audible, Friday, Jan. 23-Thursday, Jan. 29, Filmmaker Lodge, 550 Main St., Park City

The doors are open again at Cinema Café, where the culture of conversation is reinvigorated. Our series of informal chats brings together special guests for thought-provoking encounters and fascinating dialogue. Previous Cinema Café guests have included Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Tessa Thompson, Jane Campion, Eugenio Derbez, Lena Dunham, Norman Lear, Kumail Nanjiani, Saoirse Ronan, Spike Lee, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Radha Blank, Ira Glass, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Charlie Kaufman, Ice-T, Winston Duke, Eva Victor, Mstyslav Chernov, Olivia Colman, Daniel Kaluuya, Marlee Matlin, Chlöe Sevigny, Celine Song, D. Smith and many others. 

• Friday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m.-noon — Ava DuVernay and Barbara Kopple (“American Dream”) 
• Saturday, Jan. 24— TBA
• Sunday, Jan. 25, 11 a.m.-noon — Salman Rushdie (“Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie”), hosted by Justin Chang (film critic of The New Yorker) 
• Tuesday, Jan. 27, 11 a.m.-noon — Billie Jean King (“Give Me the Ball!”) and Antoine Fuqua (“Troublemaker”)
• Wednesday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-noon — “The Indie ’90s” with Gregg Araki (“I Want Your Sex” and “Mysterious Skin”), Nicole Holofcener (“Worried”), Richard Linklater (“Nouvelle Vague”), moderated by John Pierson (“Spike, Mike, Slackers, & Dykes”) 
• Thursday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m.-noon — Visitations Live Podcast with James Wan (“Saw),” hosted by Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah of indie production company SpectreVision.

THE BIG CONVERSATION supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Monday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. 

The Big Conversation tackles science, art, culture and the movements that are fueling the imaginations of today’s independent artists.

The Big Conversation | ‘From Fire to Flight: Humans, Technology and Time,’ Filmmaker Lodge, 550 Main St., Park City

Two leading scientists join filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“WALL-E”) and screenwriter Colby Day (“Spaceman”), who have explored themes of human connection to science and technology throughout their work, including the new film “In The Blink of An Eye,” which spans thousands of years of human history, from a Neanderthal family struggling to survive, to the work of an anthropologist (uncovering that past), to the mission of spacecraft — its sole human occupant and onboard sentient computer — bringing humanity to a distant planet. 

Featuring: Andrew Stanton (director of “In The Blink of An Eye”) and Colby Day (executive producer of “In The Blink of An Eye”), moderated by Dr. Heather Berlin.

‘NOUVELLE VAGUE’ LIVE COMMENTARY WITH RICHARD LINKLATER, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 9:15 p.m., The Yarrow Theatre, 1800 Park Ave., Park City

Longtime Festival alumnus Richard Linklater will provide a live commentary track over a screening of “Nouvelle Vague,” taking the audience behind the scenes of Linklater’s film, Jean-Luc Godard’s film “Breathless” and the nature of independence in filmmaking itself. 

“Nouvelle Vague” / France (Director: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Holly Gent, Vincent Palmo Jr., Michèle Halberstadt, Laetitia Masson, Producers: Laurent Pétin, Michèle Pétin) — A reimagining of the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” explores the youthful rebellion and creative chaos that shaped the French New Wave. Cast: Guillaume Marbeck, Zoey Deutch, Aubry Dullin. 

EVERYONE HAS A STORY: FOUR DECADES OF THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL IN UTAH, Friday, Jan. 30, 3–4:15 p.m. (doors open at 2 p.m. for cocktail hour with cash bar), The Marquis, 427 Main St., Unit 1, Park City, UT 

This special culmination event brings together artists, alumni, industry, veteran attendees, staff and volunteers and the local community for a program of stories, shared memories, archive treasures and legendary moments. This is a free event, but ticket reservations are required. Must be 21 or older with a scannable ID to attend. Visit festival.sundance.org for more information. 

PARTNER EVENTS 

The Sundance Film Festival’s official partner events give audiences the opportunity to hear from experts from around the world as they discuss a variety of topics. Events are hosted and produced by members of our partner community. Each of these partner organizations helped make this year’s Festival possible. To explore this year’s partner events, please visit festival.sundance.org/program/partner-events. 

SUNDANCE INSTITUTE’S STORY FORUM: EXPLORING ART AND INNOVATION, Monday, Jan. 26, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Silvermine, Sheraton Park City, 1895 Sidewinder Dr., Park City

Sundance Institute’s Story Forum: Exploring Art and Innovation, presented by Adobe, brings creators, educators and industry leaders together to discuss the latest ideas and technologies in storytelling. Events are free to attend with registration and will take place at the Sheraton Park City on Jan. 26 from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. 

A free online program will also be held Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. 

Festival-goers can secure free in-person and online registration at collab.sundance.org/catalog/Story-Forum. 

• Making of a Movement: Meet the Creators Coalition on AI, 8:30-9:30 a.m. 

Founding members of the Creators Coalition on AI (CCAI) share their groundbreaking initiative to develop standards and best practices for artificial intelligence use in entertainment. Gain candid insights into the organization’s mission to create ethical guidelines and artistic protections for creators. The session includes breakfast. Featuring: Janet Yang (Co-Founder, CCAI) 

• Beyond the Hype: A Documentary Deep Dive into AI, 10-11 a.m. 

Filmmakers behind two 2026 Sundance Film Festival documentaries about artificial intelligence — Valerie Veatch (“Ghost in the Machine”), Daniel Roher, Charlie Tyrell and Daniel Kwan (“The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist”) — examine the evolving technological landscape in this session that unpacks the intricate history and potential futures of AI in society. Featuring: Valerie Veatch (director of “Ghost in the Machine”), Daniel Kwan (producer of “The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist”) and Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell (co-directors of  “The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist”). Moderator: Alix Dunn (CEO, The Maybe) 

• Behind the Shorts: Creative Explorations in GenAI Filmmaking, presented by Adobe, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

A practical, behind-the-scenes look at how generative tools can support the artists making their films. Go inside the process as the filmmakers break down how they organized their workflows and tackled key challenges. This session highlights the steps and decisions that shaped the shorts, showing how AI can enhance an artist’s creativity and streamline the path to a finished film. Featuring: Momo Wang (creator of WINK) and Taryn O’Neill (writer and director of “MythOS”) 

• Cinematic Authorship in an Era of AI and Virtual Production, 1-2 p.m. 

Virtual production and AI are often framed as tools — from LED stages and real-time engines to AI-driven workflows — but for independent filmmakers they signal a deeper shift in authorship and creative decision-making. This session explores how evolving production approaches influence cinematic language and creative possibility and invites filmmakers to engage technology as part of storytelling shaped by intention, literacy and creative ownership. Featuring: Kathryn Brillhart (cinematographer, director and virtual production supervisor) 

• The Trust Paradox: Creative Technology Trends Shaping Entertainment, 2:30-3:30 p.m. 

Dive into how generative AI is transforming our relationship to creativity and credibility and why trust is becoming the next great currency. Nick Borenstein, general manager of The Webby Awards, will present the 2026 Webby Trend Report, a playbook for creative excellence in the Intelligence Era. Following the report, a panel will discuss how creative technologies are shaping the industry. Featuring: Nick Borenstein (general manager of The Webby Awards), Loren Hammonds (head of documentary at TIME Studios), William D. Caballero (director, co-writer and producer of “TheyDream”) 

• The Machine Is Not the Artist: The Evolution of Storytelling Across AI, VRand AR, 4-5 p.m.

Award-winning creatives Yelena Rachitsky (head of emerging formats at Meta) and Eliza McNitt (director of “ANCESTRA” and “SPHERES”) deconstruct their groundbreaking projects and examine how emerging technologies are reshaping cinematic language. Explore the evolution from VR to AI — and why human authorship remains at the center of storytelling. Featuring: Eliza McNitt (director of “ANCESTRA” and “SPHERES”), Yelena Rachitsky (head of emerging formats at Meta) 

• Artificial Creativity: The Neuroscience of Imagination in the Intelligence Age, 5:30-6:30 p.m. 

AI can generate images, scripts and music, but it doesn’t create the way humans do. This session with Rachel Joy Victor, a researcher and designer of computational narratives and emergent technologies, traces the evolution of artificial intelligence alongside human cognition to unpack what creativity actually is, where AI reaches its limits and why embodied experience, intuition and intention remain central to storytelling. Featuring: Rachel Joy Victor (strategist, designer and founder of Interphase) 

• ‘Dear Upstairs Neighbors:’ Exploring Artist-Driven, AI-Assisted Expressionistic Animation, 7-8 p.m. 

Join the team behind “Dear Upstairs Neighbors” for a screening and deep dive into artist-centric, AI-assisted animation workflows. This short film blends traditional animation with abstract expressionism using innovative video-to-video techniques. Learn how animation veterans and researchers at Google DeepMind developed custom AI models to transform handcrafted art and music into “living paintings” while maintaining total creative control. Featuring: Connie He (director of “Dear Upstairs Neighbors”), Yung Spielburg (composer of “Dear Upstairs Neighbors”), Cassidy Curtis (supervising animator of “Dear Upstairs Neighbors”), Sarah Rumbley (VFX supervisor of “Dear Upstairs Neighbors”). Moderated by Márcia Mayer (producer of “Dear Upstairs Neighbors”) 

• ‘Whispers:’ An Interactive Murder Mystery Experience, 8:30-10:30 p.m. 

Experience the SAG-AFTRA-approved, AI-driven interactive thriller “Whispers.” This social session includes a murder mystery experience, food and refreshments and insights into the future of generative interactive narrative from Peabody- and three-time Primetime Emmy Award-winning creator and showrunner Bernie Su, Pickford AI CEO Stephen Piron, product manager Harrison Sanborn and actor Stephen A. Chang. Featuring: Bernie Su (creator and showrunner of “Artificial” and “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries”), Stephen Piron (CEO of Pickford AI), Harrison Sanborn (producer and product manager at Pickford AI), Stephen A. Chang (actor in “The Last of Us Part II” and “Bosch: Legacy”).

The post Sundance announces 2026 Film Festival Beyond Film programming appeared first on Park Record.

The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced additional honorees for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival’s annual fundraiser, Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford, taking place on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley.

During the evening, Chloé Zhao will receive the annual Trailblazer Award Presented by Google, Nia DaCosta will be presented with the annual Vanguard Award Presented by Acura for Fiction and Geeta Gandbhir will receive the annual Vanguard Award Presented by Acura for Nonfiction.

Additional special guest participants include Amy Redford, Ava DuVernay, Ethan Hawke, David Lowery, Tessa Thompson and more.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be held from Jan. 22-Feb. 1 in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with the at-home program available online from Jan. 29-Feb. 1 for audiences across the country.

The fundraiser will be a meaningful tribute to Sundance Institute’s founder — Robert Redford, his legacy, vision and enduring mission to support independent storytellers.

It will also include the inaugural Robert Redford Luminary Award, presented to Gyula Gazdag and Ed Harris.

The annual event enables the nonprofit to raise funds to support artists year-round through labs, intensives, grants, fellowships, a continuum of support and public programming.

Recognizing an artist’s unwavering dedication and notable contributions to the field of independent film, the Sundance Institute Trailblazer Award Presented by Google will be presented to Academy Award–winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. Previous honorees include Christopher Nolan and James Mangold.

Chloé Zhao is a Beijing-born writer, director, editor and producer. Her debut feature, “Songs My Brothers Taught Me” (2015), was supported by the 2012 Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs and later premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Zhao’s other films include “The Rider” (2017), “Eternals” (2021) and “Nomadland” (2020), which won three Oscars.

Most recently, she directed, co-wrote and co-edited Focus Features’ “Hamnet” (2025), from the bestselling novel of the same name.

Led by her masterful creative vision and collaborative storytelling, the film has earned nine audience awards, as well as Golden Globe and Critics Choice Association nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

She launched the production company Book of Shadows in 2023 and Kodansha Studios in 2025.

“Sundance Institute was where my journey as a filmmaker truly began, so to be honored with the Trailblazer Award by this community feels like coming home,” Zhao said. “I’m deeply grateful for the support, friendship and inspiration I’ve found here over the years, and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this empathetic and fearless community of storytellers.”

The annual Vanguard Awards presented by Acura honor emerging artists whose work highlights the art of storytelling and creative independence in both fiction and nonfiction.

The Vanguard Award for Fiction will be presented to Nia DaCosta, director of “Hedda” (2025), and the Vanguard Award for Nonfiction will go to Geeta Gandbhir, director of “The Perfect Neighbor” (2025).

Previous honorees include Sean Wang, Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, Celine Song, Maite Alberdi, Ryan Coogler, W. Kamau Bell, Nikyatu Jusu, Siân Heder, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Radha Blank, Lulu Wang, Boots Riley, Dee Rees, Marielle Heller, Damien Chazelle, Benh Zeitlin and many more.

Nia DaCosta wrote, directed and produced “Hedda,” which was released this fall. Previously, she directed and co-wrote “The Marvels” (2023), “Candyman” (2021) and “Little Woods” (2018), her debut feature supported by the 2015 Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs.

Her next film, “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” will be released in theaters on Jan. 16.

“It is such an honor to be receiving the Vanguard Award from the Sundance Film Festival,” DaCosta said. “It’s also incredibly fitting because all of the qualities of creative independence and intentional storytelling I am being recognized for are things I learned there, on the mountain during the Sundance Institute labs with Bob Redford, Michelle Satter and their wonderful team. I can’t wait to accept this award, but most importantly I cannot wait to celebrate Bob, the Festival and all of the amazing filmmakers in Park City next year.”

Director Geeta Gandbhir is an Emmy, Independent Spirit and Peabody Award–winning filmmaker.

Her documentary “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix) premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition category at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and won the juried Directing Award: U.S. Documentary.

As a director, her other recent credits include “Katrina: Come Hell and High Water” (2025), “Eyes on the Prize” (2025), “The Devil Is Busy” (2024), “How We Get Free” (2023), “Born in Synanon” (2023) and “Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power” (2022).

“For many years, the Sundance Film Festival has been a guiding light for me — a place where bold, uncompromising stories find their home,” Gandbhir said. “The Festival has always embodied the kind of filmmaking I strive for: courageous, deeply human and unafraid to confront difficult truths. What has meant the most to me is how the Festival continues to build community — one that not only celebrates artistic excellence but actively uplifts underrepresented voices and filmmakers who challenge the status quo. As someone whose work is rooted in justice, empathy, and the power of storytelling to spark change, being recognized with the Vanguard Award is profoundly meaningful. I’m deeply honored to be part of this community and this legacy of truth-telling and transformation.”

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival single film tickets for in-person and online screenings go on sale Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. Visit the Sundance Film Festival website, festival.sundance.org, for more information.

The post Sundance announces Trailblazer and Vanguard Award winners appeared first on Park Record.

Today the nonprofit Sundance Institute revealed the 54 short films selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

Screening in eight curated Short Film Programs presented by Ketel One Vodka, the shorts represent a variety of genres and styles within fiction, nonfiction and animation from around the world. In addition, there will be a Park City Legacy short film program featuring entertaining selections from past editions with filmmakers in attendance. 

The festival will be held from Jan. 22-Feb. 1 in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with the at-home program available online from Jan. 29-Feb. 1 for audiences across the country. 

The Institute previously announced its Feature Film and Episodic Program for the 2026 Festival, and. single film tickets for in-person and online screenings go on sale at 10 a.m. mountain time on Jan 14.

Visit the Sundance Film Festival website for more information at festival.sundance.org. 

Throughout the full duration of the 2026 festival, audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy daily screenings, talks and events.

Premieres will be held from Thursday, Jan. 22, to Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Park City. The 2026 festival will serve as a meaningful tribute to Robert Redford and his vision that has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema around the world. 

From Jan. 29-Feb. 1, audiences nationwide can enjoy a curated program online at festival.sundance.org that will include all competition titles (U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary and NEXT presented by Adobe), as well as additional selections from the feature and episodic programs and the Short Film Program presented by Ketel One Vodka. 

“We are looking forward to presenting these short films as part of our 2026 selection this coming January,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival director of programming. “Each one is a testament to the creative talent working in the short film space, proving that powerful storytelling is impactful across formats. This year’s program is rich with explorations of belonging, resilience, and the unexpected ways people navigate both the everyday and the extraordinary.”

“The short films in this year’s selection are so different from each other, but what impressed us most is how inventive they are — there’s so much dynamic and exciting filmmaking to enjoy throughout the program,” said Heidi Zwicker, senior programmer, feature films and short films. “This global lineup runs the gamut when it comes to genres, themes, and the worlds these films bring to life. We’re excited to share that variety with our audiences while providing a platform for both emerging and established filmmakers to showcase their work.”

The program of 54 short films in the 2026 Sundance Film Festival was curated from 11,480 submissions. Of these submissions, 4,914 were from the U.S. and 6,566 were international. Works from 22 countries and territories are represented in the lineup.

The Sundance Film Festival has been a proud supporter of global short-form cinema for decades, with an alumni list that includes: Andrea Arnold, Lake Bell, Damien Chazelle, Destin Daniel Cretton, Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Debra Granik, Rashaad Ernesto Green, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Sterlin Harjo, Todd Haynes, Nikyatu Jusu, Shaka King, Lynne Ramsay, Dee Rees, Charlotte Regan, A.V. Rockwell, RaMell Ross, Joey Soloway, Taika Waititi and many others.

Sundance Institute supports innovative short filmmaking year-round through the Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour sponsored by Ketel One Vodka, where curated Festival shorts are exhibited as a traveling program at theaters in the U.S. and internationally.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival Short Films are:

U.S. FICTION SHORT FILMS

Albatross / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Amandine Thomas, Screenwriter and Producer: Gerardo Coello Escalante, Producers: Zach Wechter, Valerie Bush, Carlos López Estrada, Glenn Kiser, Amanda Schneider) — Maria, burdened with caregiving for her sick husband, gets invited to a party. Cast: Georgina Saldaña Wonchee, Patrick O’Brien, Ciro Suárez. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Balloon Animals / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Anna Baumgarten, Producer: Katy Wicker) — Two grocery store employees have an unexpected, helium-fueled encounter with a late-night customer. Cast: Angela Giarratana, Izzi Rojas, Kelsi Roberts. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Birdie / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Praise Odigie Paige, Producer: Yety Akinola, Praise Odigie Paige, Noni Limar, Nat Majette) — In 1970, a 16-year-old Nigerian refugee in Virginia tries to keep her family together when a newcomer draws her sister away. Cast: Eniola Abioro, Precious Maduanusi, Sheila Chukwulozie. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Callback / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Matthew Puccini, Producers: Jeremy Truong, Matt Kazman) — Max arrives home to find that his boyfriend has booked a callback. All hell breaks loose. Cast: Justin H. Min, Michael Hsu Rosen, Brayden Raqueño. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Creature of Darkness / U.S.A. (Directors and Screenwriters: Lisa Malloy, Ray Whitaker, Producer: Jennifer Reeder) — Darkness settles over Little Egypt. Brielle, Karri, and Nunu wander among the limestone outcrops and sandstone spires. In a cave that hid freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad, their uncle shares a story of a creature that stirs at night. Cast: Brielle Woods, Zah’Karri Levy, Erin Whitaker. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Crisis Actor / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Lily Platt, Producers: Sophie Seyd, Alex Bendo, Lexi Preiser) — Fired from her day job, an impulsive actress crashes a support group and spirals into a chaotic night that forces her to face her addiction to drama. Cast: Sarah Steele, Philip Ettinger. World Premiere. Available online for public.

DON’T TELL MAMA / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Chloe Leigh King, Producers: Shaka King, Daniel Croix, Meleokauaapuakea Hamasaki, Oona Roche) — A Montenegrin father takes his teenage daughter on an unforgettable dinner date. Cast: Uliks Fehmiu, Jordyn Jenkins. Available online for public.

Gender Studies / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Jamie Kiernan O’Brien, Producer: Kirsten Pasewaldt) — When a trans college student learns the girl she idolizes is sleeping with their teaching assistant, she takes drastic steps to emulate her. Cast: Jake Junkins, Fannie Massarsky, Austin Cassel. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Oracle / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: JJ Adler, Producers: Jon Cohen, Jon Wolf) — When an atheist psychiatrist hypnotizes his con artist patient, a message from his long-dead twin emerges. It could be the perfect con, or it could be proof that reality is far stranger than he would like to admit. Cast: Kurt Fuller, Brandon Scott Jones, Luka Jones, Karen Maruyama. World Premiere.

Pankaja / U.S.A., India (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Anooya Swamy, Producers: Nakirekanti Swamy, Archana Swamy, Vindhya Gupta) — Pankaja, along with her daughter, Lalli, searches for her missing husband through the city slums of Bangalore to bring him back home. Cast: Harshini Boyalla, Padmashree G. World Premiere. Available online for public. 

Prime / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Meagan Coyle, Producer: Blake Winston Rice) — A trauma victim joins a utopian farming community only to find she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Cast: Katie Mumford, Anita Durst, Campbell Symes, Jacob A. Ware, Mickey Sumner, Tim Heidecker. Available online for public. 

Radiant Frost / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Hannah Schierbeek, Producer: Trenton Davis) — A drifter’s life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers a runaway member of a survivalist cult in the back of his truck. Cast: Eli Vidis Newman, Taika Augustaitis, Heather Evans. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Seniors / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Adam Curley, Producers: Steven Snyder, Harris Gurny) — A high school senior goes on his first college campus tour the day his parents’ marriage begins to fracture. Cast: Brooke Bloom, Noah Pacht, Matt Walton, Dan Thompson. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Stairs / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Riley Donigan, Producers: Anton Vicente Kliot, Sam Callahan) — A woman’s life unravels after she becomes addicted to throwing herself down flights of stairs. Cast: Betsey Brown, Will Duncan, Will Janowitz. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Taga / U.S.A., Philippines (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Jill Marie Sachs, Producers: Joyce Liu-Countryman, Kristine De Leon, Louise Barretto) — Vivi, a third-culture Filipina American, travels to the Philippines to reconnect with her roots but falls in with a group of Western eco-volunteers. When they scorn the customs of a remote mountain village, an ancient evil comes knocking. Cast: Kim Adis, Lisa Jacqueline Starrett, Ian S. Peterson, Joey Scoma, Bong Cabrera. Available online for public. 

Together Forever / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Gregory Barnes, Producers: Alex Bendo, Lexi Preiser, Tyler Walker, Yumeng Han) — A Mormon couple ties the knot. Cast: Lindsey Normington, Samuel Sylvester. World Premiere. Available online for public.

INTERNATIONAL FICTION SHORT FILMS

Agnes / U.K., Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Leah Vlemmiks, Producer: Priscila Gonçalves) — Under pressure from her adult daughter to move and become a live-in babysitter, 74-year-old Agnes finds agency in an unexpected place. Cast: Eileen Davies, Clare Holman. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Blue Heart / Haiti, France (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Samuel Suffren, Producers: Carine Ruszniewski, Louise Bansard) — Marianne and Pétion, living in Haiti, await a call from their son who has left in pursuit of the American dream. Cast: Marie Diana, Arnold Joseph, Samuel Suffren. Available online for public.

Candy Bar / Australia (Director and Producer: Nash Edgerton, Screenwriter: Damon Herriman, Producer: Serena Paull) — A young girl thinks a man in the candy bar line looks like her dad. Cast: Damon Herriman, Andrea Demetriades, Zumi Edgerton, Caitlin Burley. Available online for public.

Faux Bijoux / France, Lebanon (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Jessy Moussallem, Screenwriter: Jihad Hojeily, Producers: Jean-Baptiste Savary, Olivier Muller, Gary Farkas, Clément Lepoutre) — Mireille promises Johnny the big screen, dragging him to an audition whose rules only she truly knows. Cast: Maria Shmouri, Akram Nayef, Samer El Sayyed, Seidi Haarla, Jarkko Lahti. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Fruit (Buah) / Singapore (Director and Screenwriter: Jen Nee Lim, Producer: Ke Ning Lee) — In a time and place where abortion is illegal, a pregnant woman’s repeated attempts to end her pregnancy fail until she crosses paths with a strange bus driver. Cast: Tysha Khan, Hana Nadira, Wan Ahmad. North American Premiere.

How Brief / Canada (Director: Kelly McCormack, Screenwriter: Tess Degenstein, Producers: Ariel Bond, Lucy McNulty, Jill Orsten) — A disappearing act occurs over the course of one night in 1962 when a restless woman returns to her childhood home for the last time. Inspired by the music of singer-songwriter Connie Converse. Cast: Tess Degenstein, Tatiana Maslany, Gray Powell, Susinn McFarlen. World Premiere. Available online for public.

I’m Glad You’re Dead Now / France, Greece, Palestine (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Tawfeek Barhom, Producers: Alexandre Perrier, Stylianos Cotionis, Akis Polizos) — Two brothers return to the island of their childhood, where buried secrets and heavy tensions force them to confront a dark past that connects them. Cast: Tawfeek Barhom, Ashraf Barhom. Available online for public.

Ivar / Norway (Director: Markus Tangre, Screenwriter: Signe Dammann Anker, Producers: Rebekka Rognøy, Henrik Zwart) — A change in her husband’s scent sends Anne spiraling into a late-night existential crisis. Cast: Tone Mostraum, Robert Skjærstad. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Jazz Infernal / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Will Niava, Screenwriter: Kristelle Laroche, Producers: Zion Lipstein-Saffer, Samuel Caron) — Koffi, a young Ivorian trumpeter, arrives in Montréal with nothing but the legacy of his father to guide him. Lost between the city’s noise and the silence of his past, he must confront his roots to finally find his voice. Cast: Ange-Eric N’guessan, Alexis Belhumeur, Kalombo Kasongo. U.S. Premiere. Available online for public.

The Liars / Argentina (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Eduardo Braun Costa, Producers: Manuel Aguer, Natasha Gurfinkel) — Thrown into adulthood, Matías and Jaime try to make sense of the world. One day, Jaime is arrested by a security guard at a mall and Matías must ask a stranger to pretend to be their father to free him. Cast: Noah Roja, Filippo Carrozza, Esteban Bigliardi, Mariana Chaud, Pablo Fusco. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Marga en el DF / Mexico, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Gabriela Ortega, Producers: Karla Luna Cantú, Natalia Gonzalez, Eugenio Valero, Carlos López Estrada, Valerie Bush, Stacy Perskie) — In the wake of Selena Quintanilla’s murder, Marga’s life takes an unexpected turn at 21 weeks pregnant during a surprise visit to Mexico City. Cast: Camila Santana, David Palacio, Xabiani Ponce de León, Andrea de Fátima. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Norheimsund / Cuba, U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Ana A. Alpizar, Producer: Madeline R. Finkel) — A girl’s long-distance romance with an older Norwegian man promises to pull her and her mother from their austere life in Cuba, but her dreams are shaken when she realizes he isn’t as ideal as he seems. Cast: Paula Massó Varela, Yaité Ruiz, Darianis Palenzuela, Kiriam Gutiérrez. U.S. Premiere. Available online for public.

O’Sey Balamma / India (Director and Screenwriter: Raman Nimmala, Producer: Priyanka Krishnan) — During the Sankranti festival celebrations, a matriarch and her housekeeper confront solitude through the intimacy of each other’s company. Cast: Mani Amma K.L.K., Dhanalakshmi Mudi Bandla. World Premiere. Available online for public.

¡PIKA! / Peru (Director and Producer: Alex Fischman Cárdenas, Screenwriter and Producer: Trout Cohen, Producers: Morella Moret, Etienne Talbot) — A man wakes up with an unbearable itch. Anxious to find a cure, he embarks on a nightmarish odyssey in search of relief. Cast: Jose Medina, Teresa Ralli. North American Premiere. Available online for public.

Sauna Sickness / Sweden (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Malin Barr) — Locked out on a freezing New Year’s Eve, Cleo discovers the real threat isn’t the cold — it’s the man beside her. Cast: Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Adam Lundgren, Magnus Krepper, Sanna Krepper. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Without Kelly (Utan Kelly) / Sweden (Director and Screenwriter: Lovisa Sirén, Producer: Siri Hjorton Wagner) — Forced to leave her baby daughter with the child’s father, young mother Esther is caught in desperation and longing. Through the night she chases touch and comfort, seeking ways to hold onto whom she loves the most. Cast: Medea Strid. North American Premiere. 

The Worm / Australia (Director and Producer: Tom Noakes, Screenwriter and Producer: Will Goodfellow, Producers: Adrian Pinto, Lucy Gaffy) — A young man’s strange belief sparks an intervention from his family. Cast: Joe Bird, Heather Mitchell, Susie Porter, Contessa Treffone, Richard Sydenham. World Premiere. Available online for public.

ANIMATION SHORT FILMS

1981 / U.S.A. (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Andy London, Carolyn London) — In 1981 in suburban Long Island, New York, the mullets are long, the metal is heavy, and 14-year-old Douglas gets a birthday surprise that will change his life forever. Cast: Minnie Tonka, Alexei London, Carolyn London, Tony DiMurro. Available online for public. 

The Bird’s Placebo / Tunisia (Director and Screenwriter: Rami Jarboui, Producers: Sarra Ben Hassen, Ramses Mahfoudh, Lotfi Mahfoudh) — In a marginalized Tunisian neighborhood, a young man in a wheelchair dreams of crossing the Mediterranean Sea until a surreal encounter shifts his path. Cast: Yassine Bardaa, Fatrma Falhi, Mohamed Hassine Grayaa. North American Premiere. Available online for public.

Busy Bodies / U.S.A (Director and Screenwriter: Kate Renshaw-Lewis, Producer: Eric Ackerman) — Tiny workers run a domesticated factory under the supervision of giant hands. This fantastically convenient at-home solution for disposable creation is absurdly inefficient and potentially an answer to the question of how we get rubber gloves. The timer is ticking. Available online for public. 

Cabbage Daddy / Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Grace An) — When the mind of a bilingual child mirrors absurd translations, their poetic misinterpretations can accidentally produce multiple meanings — and create puns. Cast: Annette Hong Kim, Grace An, Daniel Heemang Cho, Oliver Lewis, Alex Shawki, Yusef Shawki Chu. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Homemade Gatorade / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Carter Amelia Davis) — A woman embarks on a road trip to deliver her creamy homemade sports drink to a mysterious online buyer. Cast: Lauren Davis, Carter Amelia Davis, Spencer Hawk, Alosha Robinson, Connett Croghan. Available online for public. 

HUGS / Belgium (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Nicolas Fong) — A ride on a bike’s luggage rack is a sensory roller coaster through a land full of cuddles. North American Premiere. Available online for public.

Living with a Visionary / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Stephen P. Neary, Producer: Mireia Vilanova) — After 50 years of marriage, John must care for his wife while learning to live alongside her vivid hallucinations. Cast: James Cromwell, Katherine LaVictoire. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Mangittatuarjuk (The Gnawer of Rocks) / Canada (Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Louise Flaherty, Screenwriter: Neil Christopher) — Two young women are trapped in the lair of the Mangittatuarjuk, the Gnawer of Rocks. The young women and their village use the teachings of the elders to try to defeat the monster. Cast: Nellie Enuaraq, Joan Joanas, Andrea Flaherty. 

Once in a Body / Colombia, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: María Cristina Pérez, Producers: Mauricio Cuervo, Mireia Vilanova, Katherine Cabrera, James Belfer, Adam Belfer) — A woman seeks to reconcile with her sister over an incident from their adolescence by exploring their shared experiences through their bodies. Cast: Sara Isabella Martínez. Available online for public.

Paper Trail / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Don Hertzfeldt) — A life, seen through paper. World Premiere.

Sorrow Doesn’t Sleep at Night / Chile (Directors and Screenwriters: Josefina Montino, Martín André, Screenwriter: Jacobi Hadley, Producer: Jacinta del Real) — A man secludes himself in a house in the forest. The ghosts of his past begin to torment him, forcing him to face his fears and guilts to not be consumed by madness. Cast: Raimundo Bucher. Available online for public. 

UM / France (Director and Screenwriter: Nieto, Producer: Nicolas Schmerkin) — The bird people have fallen into violent chaos and are prey to a disturbing phenomenon: Their eggs seem to be haunted by demonic faces. Their hatching appears to herald an imminent catastrophe. Cast: Michiko Takahashi. U.S. Premiere. Available online for public.

NONFICTION SHORT FILMS

The Baddest Speechwriter of All / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Ben Proudfoot, Stephen Curry, Producer: Erick Peyton) — Now 93, Martin Luther King Jr.’s lawyer and speechwriter reflects on the personal cost and surprising truths of making history, offering an intimate insider’s view of the Civil Rights Movement. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Boys and the Bees / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Arielle C. Knight, Producer: Sean Weiner) — On an idyllic farm in rural Georgia, Black beekeeping parents tenderly share their knowledge of life, love, and nature with their young sons while restoring their homestead. Available online for public. 

The Chimney Sweeper / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Jack Raese) — Markus — whose great-great-great-grandfather invented the nutcracker doll — makes nutcrackers for a living, as did each of his forefathers who descended from the great inventor. Markus discusses his life decisions. Available online for public.

Going Sane: The Rise and Fall of the Center For Feeling Therapy / U.S.A. (Director: Joey Izzo, Producers: Adam Ridley, Jordan Londe, Ryan Ridley) — A 1970s Los Angeles therapy collective rises with utopian promise before devolving into a business-minded cult built on control and abuse. World Premiere. Available online for public.

La Tierra Del Valor (The Home of the Brave) / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Cristina Costantini, Producer: Alfie Koetter) — During a summer of grief and fear brought on by immigration raids in Los Angeles, one small act of bravery gives a community hope. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Luigi / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Liza Mandelup, Producer: Lauren Cioffi) — When Luigi Mangione is charged with murder, he becomes the subject of fevered obsession. Through letters, fantasies, and conspiracies, strangers turn Luigi into a cultural sensation and a canvas for their rage, desire, and misplaced hope. Available online for public.

Some Kind of Refuge / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Alexandra Kern, Producer: Colin Cadarette) — On the shifting edge of the Mississippi River in New Orleans, the spirit of a fading outsider community endures through its two oldest residents. World Premiere. Available online for public.

STILL STANDING / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Victor Tadashi Suarez, Livia Albeck-Ripka) — On January 7, 2025, the Eaton fire destroyed over 9,000 structures in Altadena, California. Thousands more were left standing but contaminated with toxic ash. Residents face the impossible decision of whether they should risk their health to return home. World Premiere. Available online for public.

Tuktuit : Caribou / Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Lindsay Aksarniq McIntyre) — An exploration of the close and enduring connections between Inuit, caribou, lichens, and land use. A handmade caribou gelatin emulsion reveals the land where caribou struggle to survive burn events and habitat disruption. Available online for public. 

PARK CITY LEGACY SHORT FILM PROGRAM

An entertaining selection of short films from past editions of the Sundance Film Festival curated by Sundance Film Festival programmers and hosted by short film alum Joey Soloway. We are welcoming filmmakers back to celebrate their shorts as part of this surprise screening.

The Sundance Film Festival has supported short films since the start, providing a platform for both established and emerging filmmakers to connect with audiences in live action, animation and nonfiction shorts. This important tradition will be honored as part of our Park City Legacy screenings.This short film program is in addition to the previously announced Park City Legacy program featuring archival and restoration screenings of iconic films from previous editions, including “American Dream,” “Downhill Racer,” “Half Nelson,” “House Party,” “Humpday,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Mysterious Skin” and “Saw.”

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The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced details for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival’s annual fundraiser gala, Celebrating Sundance Institute: A Tribute to Founder Robert Redford, taking place on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley.

The evening will honor Sundance Institute’s Founder, Robert Redford — his legacy, vision, and enduring mission to support independent storytellers.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be held from Jan. 22–Feb. 1, 2026, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with the at-home program available online from Jan. 29–Feb. 1 for audiences across the country.

In paying tribute this year, the inaugural Robert Redford Luminary Award will be established and presented to Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag, two artists deeply dedicated to the Sundance Institute labs and committed to elevating bold storytellers.

For over four decades, the Institute — a nonprofit he founded in 1981 to discover and develop groundbreaking artists — has shaped independent cinema and uplifted the power of storytelling and will continue to carry forward that mission.

Guests during the fundraiser will come together to celebrate Redford and the profound impact of his vision in nurturing independent voices and the next generation of filmmakers through Sundance Institute’s year-round artist programs, Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Collab and beyond.

The Robert Redford Luminary Award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have, in a visionary way, used their resources, insights and reach to create possibility where there wasn’t, thus doing their part to make the world a better place.

Harris and Gazdag will be acknowledged for their decades-long contributions as creative advisors for the Sundance Institute Directors Lab, where they offer guidance to artists as they develop and refine their projects and skills as writers and directors in a nurturing, immersive environment.

They will be honored for their dedication to Robert Redford’s vision of elevating new voices, championing independent storytelling, and upholding that artistic endeavor for years to come. 

“This will be a profoundly meaningful year for Sundance Institute as we honor our Founder, Robert Redford,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute board chair. “This special evening supports the mission that he built this organization upon. This annual event enables the nonprofit Institute to continue to launch and uplift the work of independent artists from all over the world through labs, grants, and public programs. We look forward to our guests joining us in honoring and celebrating the vision that we will carry forward.”

“We are immensely honored to recognize the legacy of Robert Redford through this annual event,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute acting chief executive officer. “We are pleased to introduce the Robert Redford Luminary Award to Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag, who have played crucial roles in the Sundance Institute labs for over two decades and strongly exemplify the mission that Mr. Redford set for the organization. By dedicating their time to mentoring artists and collaborating with the fellows who have come through the labs, they have been influential in the development of generations of filmmakers. We are proud to continue this important work with them.”

Ed Harris has an acclaimed film, television and theater career spanning five decades. He is a four-time Academy Award nominee, a two-time Golden Globe winner and an Emmy nominee for his performances in “The Hours,” “The Truman Show,” “Apollo 13,” “Game Change,” “Empire Falls,” “Westworld” and “Pollock” — his feature film directing debut.

He has been a creative advisor for the Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs since 2002.

“My association with Sundance Institute has primarily been with the Directors Lab,” said Harris. “I’ve fortunately been asked to take part in the lab as an advisor for the past 19 years. Those weeks have been at the top of the list of the most rewarding, fulfilling, invaluable experiences of my life. The work and the people I’ve met and learned from and loved have enriched my life considerably. I’m eternally grateful to Robert Redford for his vision and passion. And I humbly accept this honor.”

Gyula Gazdag is a screenwriter, film and theater director, distinguished professor emeritus (UCLA), creative advisor (Binger Film Lab, Amsterdam) and mentor at Script Station (Berlinale Talents).

He was named one of the 10 best film teachers in America by Daily Variety (2010), and has been a creative advisor for the Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs since 1994. He has also been the artistic director for the Directors Lab since 1997.

“The Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs became my second home throughout the years, where everything is about nurturing independent art, and that is second nature to every person who is part of it,” said Gazdag. “It has provided me with fresh air, inspiration, camaraderie, moral support and love. I always felt that making an effort to reciprocate all of that results in a fruitful process of free creation. Becoming part of the Sundance Institute family is one of the best things that ever happened to me. This award, bearing Robert Redford’s name, to whom I am eternally grateful for what he created, is a great honor for me. It is extremely precious, since it is coming from the place that I cherish and admire.”

The annual gala enables the nonprofit to raise funds to support independent artists year-round through labs, intensives, grants, fellowships, a continuum of support and public programming. The 2026 Sundance Film Festival Single Film Tickets for in-person and online screenings go on sale Jan. 14 at 10 a.m., and limited quantities of select passes and packages remain on sale. For information, visit festival.sundance.org.

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The nonprofit Sundance Institute has announced the 2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens, a free summer screening series specially for the local community of Utah, taking place July 17-19 at The Ray Theatre in Park City and Broadway Centre Cinemas in Salt Lake City. The series will bring Utahns free showings of some of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival’s celebrated films before they are released.

Local Lens is part of Sundance Institute’s rich history as a nonprofit rooted in Utah that supports engaging new stories and groundbreaking independent artists by bringing audiences together.

Filmmakers who will join to introduce their films and participate in Q & As following their screenings include director Cole Webley (“Omaha”) and director Kim A. Snyder (“The Librarians”). 

Free tickets available to reserve now at www.sundance.org/local-lens. See full schedule below.

“We are thrilled to again be hosting the 2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens free movie series for our local Utah community as part of our year-round programming in the state,” said Eugene Hernandez, Sundance Film Festival director and director of public programming. “Celebrating the deep connection with Utah audiences, this year’s program features standout films from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and reflects the spirit of discovery that is at the heart of Sundance Institute. We look forward to sharing these stories with local audiences and gearing up to come together at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Utah starting next January!”

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens program will include eight fiction and documentary films:

• “Twinless” (2025 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting presented to Dylan O’Brien), where two young men form an unexpected friendship
• “Omaha,” in which two siblings are taken on a journey across the country by their father, played by John Magaro and experience a world they’ve never seen before (in addition, the film’s director, Cole Webley, has connections to Utah having lived there and most of the film was shot in and around the state)
• “Rebuilding,” which stars Josh O’Connor as a rancher finding his way forward after a wildfire destroys his family farm
• “All That’s Left of You” (اللي باقي منك), an epic multigenerational story about a Palestinian family; “Selena y Los Dinos” (2025 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling), featuring the iconic Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla as chronicled through footage from the family’s personal archive
• “Come See Me in the Good Light” (2025 Sundance Film Festival Audience Favorite Award), following two poets as they try to come to terms with a terminal cancer diagnosis, produced by Tig Notaro and executive-produced by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, Brandi Carlile and Sara Bareilles
• “The Librarians,” documenting librarians joining forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom
• “The Dating Game,” following three Chinese bachelors as they attend an intensive dating camp.

In addition to the screenings, the 2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens program will include an Artist Roundtable, presented in collaboration with Spy Hop, Salt Lake City’s digital media arts center for youth interested in film, music, audio and design.

Geared toward Utah’s vibrant local artist community, the Artist Roundtable will convene artists with Sundance Film Festival programmers for a creative exchange around artistic process and the opportunities and challenges that arise along the way. For more information and to RSVP, sign up here.

2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens Screenings Schedule

“Twinless” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter and Producer: James Sweeney, Producer: David Permut) — Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance. Cast: Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti. Distributed by Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate. Fiction.

• Thursday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway 300 South, Salt Lake City

“Omaha” / U.S.A. (Director: Cole Webley, Screenwriter: Robert Machoian, Producer: Preston Lee) — After a family tragedy, siblings Ella and Charlie are unexpectedly woken up by their dad and taken on a journey across the country, experiencing a world they’ve never seen before. As their adventure unfolds, Ella begins to understand that things might not be what they seem. Cast: John Magaro, Molly Belle Wright, Wyatt Solis, Talia Balsam. Distributed by Greenwich Entertainment. Fiction.

• Thursday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m., The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave. Cole Webley (Director) will be in attendance for an intro and post-screening Q & A.
• Saturday, July 19, at 3 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway 300 South, Salt Lake City. Cole Webley (Director) will be in attendance for an intro and post-screening Q & A

“All That’s Left of You” (اللي باقي منك) / Germany, Cyprus (Director, Screenwriter and Producer: Cherien Dabis, Producers: Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Karim Amer) — When a Palestinian teen gets swept up into a West Bank protest, his mother recounts their family’s story of hope, courage and relentless struggle that led them to this fateful moment. Cast: Cherien Dabis, Saleh Bakri, Adam Bakri, Mohammad Bakri, Maria Zreik, Muhammad Abed Elrahman. Fiction.

• Friday, July 18, at 5 p.m., The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave., Park City
• Saturday, July 19, at 7 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway 300 South, Salt Lake City

“The Librarians” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Kim A. Snyder, Producers: Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum) — As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy. Documentary.

• Friday, July 18, at 5 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway 300 South, Salt Lake City. Kim A. Snyder (Director) will be in attendance for an intro and post-screening Q & A
• Saturday, July 19, at 11 a.m., The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave., Park City. Kim A. Snyder (Director) will be in attendance for an intro and post-screening Q & A

“Selena y Los Dinos” / U.S.A. (Director: Isabel Castro, Producers: Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, J. Daniel Torres, David Blackman, Simran Singh) — Selena Quintanilla — the “Queen of Tejano Music” — and her family band, Selena y Los Dinos, rose from performing at quinceañeras to selling out stadium tours. The celebration of her life and legacy is chronicled through never-before-seen footage from the family’s personal archive. Distributed by Netflix. Documentary.

• Friday, July 18, at 8:30 p.m, The Ray Theatre | 1768 Park Ave., Park City

“The Dating Game” / U.S.A., U.K., Norway (Director and Producer: Violet Du Feng, Producers: Joanna Natasegara, James Costa, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas) — In a country where eligible men greatly outnumber women, three perpetual bachelors join an intensive seven-day dating camp led by one of China’s most sought-after dating coaches in what may be their last-ditch effort to find love. Documentary.

• Friday, July 18, at 8:30 p.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas | 111 E. Broadway 300 South, Salt Lake City
• Saturday, July 19, at 3 p.m., The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave., Park City

“Come See Me in the Good Light” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Ryan White, Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen) — Two poets, one incurable cancer diagnosis. Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley go on an unexpectedly funny and poignant journey through love, life and mortality. Distributed by Apple TV+. Documentary.

• Saturday, July 19, at 11 a.m., Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway 300 S., Salt Lake City

“Rebuilding” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Max Walker-Silverman, Producers: Jesse Hope, Dan Janvey, Paul Mezey) — After a wildfire takes the family farm, a rancher seeks a way forward. Cast: Josh O’Connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy, Kali Reis, Amy Madigan. Distributed by Bleecker Street. Fiction.

• Saturday, July 19, at 7 p.m., The Ray Theatre, 1768 Park Ave., Park City
  

2025 Sundance Film Festival: Local Lens Artist Roundtable

The Artist Roundtable, presented in collaboration with Spy Hop, will convene artists with Sundance Film Festival programmers for a creative exchange around artistic process. Panel participants will reflect on their creative journey, exploring the emotional, technical and philosophical opportunities and challenges of bringing a project to life. In addition to the roundtable, there will be a Q&A with Eugene Hernandez (Director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming) and Basil Tsiokos (Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival), followed by casual networking with attendees.

• Friday, July 18, at 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Spy Hop Rooftop Event Space, 208 West Harvey Milk Blvd., Salt Lake City, This event is open to the general public and geared towards filmmakers and other artists at all levels of experience.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be held Jan. 22-Feb. 1 in Park City and Salt Lake City. For information, visit festival.sundance.org.

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Sundance Collab is pleased to announce the first group of fellows selected for the new Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Residency.

Created in honor of social justice advocate Michael Latt’s legacy, the six-month online residency program (through August) will uplift early-career underrepresented storytellers with a focus on creative, social and cultural impact and galvanize them with opportunities, hope, creative support and inspiration.

Sundance Collab is Sundance Institute’s year-round digital space for global artists to learn, create, build community, and champion independent filmmaking. 

Eight fellows were selected across three tracks: writing-directing in fiction, nonfiction and episodic.

Each fellow will receive dedicated meetings with Sundance Institute advisors to receive feedback on their projects; bimonthly cohort meetings to check in and share work; a meeting with Michelle Satter, founding senior director of Artist Programs at Sundance Institute; and a meeting with applicable Sundance Institute Artist Program staff. 

Each participant will also receive a Sundance Collab Library Pass to access the extensive Sundance Collab Video Library, which includes Master Classes and recordings of previous Collab events, and two On Demand courses of their choosing. 

Advisors for the 2025 Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Residency include: Rita Baghdadi (“Sirens”), Patricia Cardoso (“Real Women Have Curves”), David France (“How to Survive a Plague”), Claudia Lloso (“The Milk of Sorrow”), Reinaldo Marcus Green (“King Richard”), LaToya Morgan (“Duster”), Rodrigo Reyes (“Sansón And Me”), Jessica Sharzer (“A Simple Favor”) and Justin Simien (“Dear White People”).

Michael Latt was a passionate social justice leader whose purpose-driven work impacted countless communities. As an award-winning entertainment marketer by training, he harnessed the power of art, creativity, and storytelling to create numerous nationwide impact initiatives, most recently as founder and chief executive officer of Lead with Love.

In his life, Michael made it his mission and purpose to transform society into one of love, equity, compassion, and true justice. In his public work, he fought tirelessly for change through art, narrative and policy.

The 2025 Sundance Institute Cultural Impact Residency participants are:

Documentary Filmmaking Fellows

• Caron Creighton is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. Much of her work is focused on displacement within the African diaspora, as informed by her identity. She has been a 2023/24 SFFilm FilmHouse resident, a 2024 Big Sky Pitch participant, and a 2024 BAVC MediaMaker fellow.

“Wood Street” — Chosen brothers John and LaMonté grapple with addiction, displacement, and city bureaucracy as they try to save their long-term community from eviction.

• Fueled by unrelenting curiosity, Jennifer Huang is rethinking conventional practices of ethics, consent, and protecting vulnerable protagonists. She’s worked on productions for PBS, Anonymous Content, and Lucasfilm, and she co-founded Hyphen magazine. “The Long Rescue” is her first feature-length film.

“The Long Rescue” — Filipina teen sex trafficking survivors dream of safety, family and romance in a secret shelter – but, once home, they confront the poverty, pimps, and predators of their pasts. Over nine years, their coming-of-age journeys are a lens into the struggles and strengths of survivors everywhere.

• Kristal Sotomayor is an award-winning filmmaker, journalist and curator. Their films “Expanding Sanctuary” (BlackStar Philadelphia Filmmaker Award, OTV/New Day Films) and “Don’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens” have screened across the globe. They’ve been supported by BlackStar, Outfest, If/Then, and NeXt Doc.

“Untitled PARS Project” — Untitled PARS Project unravels the technological infrastructure behind immigrant surveillance, revealing how advanced data-sharing systems fuel deportations and investigating the Philadelphia police’s Preliminary Arraignment Reporting System (PARS) and other government databases.

Writing-Directing Fellows

• Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Alejandra López’s short The Blue Cape screened at 10 Oscar-qualifying festivals. She was staffed on Sony Crackle’s Startup. López became the first Latina to direct for Marvel Entertainment. She’s been selected in programs at Warner Bros. Discovery, Starz and more.

“Salmon Run” — A desperate Puerto Rican mother joins a salmon factory in remote Alaska, but when her best friend disappears under mysterious circumstances, she discovers something far more nefarious happening in the workplace that threatens her life and the lives of others.

• A. D. Smith is a writer, director and composer from Memphis, Tennessee. He loves to create worlds grounded in reality, with accents of the fantastical, all told from a Black perspective. His work has been supported by Indie Memphis, Austin Film Festival, and Sundance Institute.   

“R.e.g.g.i.n” — Bearing the appearance of a young Black man, a domesticated android experiences “life” in the segregated south of the ’50s. Will the people of this time welcome his phenomenal abilities, or will the color of his outer shell skew their perception?

• Wendi Tang is a Chinese writer-director and a graduate of NYU Tisch. Her films have screened at more than 50 festivals worldwide. “Fishtank,” a proof-of-concept short supported by Tribeca and Chanel, won awards at SXSW Sydney and HollyShorts Film Festival. She’s currently developing her first feature film. 

“Fishtank” — A young woman vomits living goldfish whenever she’s triggered. She must unravel a monstrous truth behind her bizarre condition while teetering between nightmare and reality.

Writing Fellows:

• From Massachusetts, Caitlin McCarthy is of documented Métis descent. Her stories tackle political and social issues, blending humor, heartbreak and action. Notable work includes “Wonder Drug,” a Sloan Science and Film script at the HamptonsFilm Screenwriters Lab, now in development with Stephen Nemeth/Rhino Films.

“A Native Land” — A Black Native American policewoman battles prejudice and self-doubt while hunting a serial killer in an off-season resort town.

• Kaelo Iyizoba is a Nigerian American filmmaker bridging Lagos and New York. He gave up his pharmacist’s coat for a camera and found a new way to heal people. Like many in his region of Nigeria, Iyizoba considers himself a trader, but his merchandise is empathy.

“Birthright” — In 19th-century Nigeria, a man saved as a child by ancient gods now secretly profits from the slave trade of his people. As British colonial forces and Christianity expand, they threaten to eradicate the very deities who spared his life. Now the gods call on him to fight for them or die with them.

About the Sundance Institute

As a champion and curator of independent stories, the nonprofit Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists across storytelling media to create and thrive. 

Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute’s signature labs, granting and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the United States and internationally. 

Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings a global cohort of working artists together to learn from Sundance advisors and connect with each other in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress.

The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling.

For information, visit sundance.org.

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The Sundance Film Festival announced its 2025 awards Friday in a ceremony for the jury and audience award–winning films at The Ray Theatre in Park City, where independent storytelling was celebrated ahead of the Festival’s conclusion.

The festival, which runs through Feb. 2, has featured premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City.

Grand Jury Prizes went to “Atropia” (U.S. Dramatic Competition), “Seeds” (U.S. Documentary Competition), “Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)” (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) and “Cutting Through Rocks (اوزاک یوللار)” (World Cinema Documentary Competition).

The NEXT Innovator Award presented by Adobe was given to “Zodiac Killer Project.”

Audience awards for films in competition were presented by Acura to “Twinless” (U.S. Dramatic Competition) and “André Is an Idiot” (U.S. Documentary Competition), and presented by United Airlines to “DJ Ahmet” (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) and “Prime Minister” (World Cinema Documentary Competition).

“East of Wall” won the audience award for NEXT presented by Adobe.

Awards for the Short Film Program Presented by Vimeo were announced at a ceremony on Jan. 28 at The Park in Park City.

This year, the Festival jury included: Reinaldo Marcus Green, Arian Moayed and Celine Song for the U.S. Dramatic Competition; Steven Bognar, Vinnie Malhotra and Marcia Smith for the U.S. Documentary Competition; Ava Cahen, Wanuri Kahiu and Daniel Kaluuya for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Daniela Alatorre, Laura Kim and Kevin Macdonald for the World Cinema Documentary Competition; Kaniehtiio Horn, Maggie Mackay and Kibwe Tavares for the Short Film Program Competition; and Elijah Wood for the NEXT section.

“We congratulate all of our filmmakers and award winners on a successful 2025 Sundance Film Festival and thank them for the stories they shared with our audiences,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute’s acting chief executive officer. “These works spoke to our commitment to fostering empathy, understanding, and a more vibrant, inclusive society through storytelling, and it was an honor to celebrate them together as a community.”

“Arriving at our Awards Ceremony after seven days of connection and discovery is especially rewarding this year. We are thrilled to honor these filmmakers for their inventiveness, generosity, and for the valuable conversations, moments of levity, and deep insights their work has offered,” said Eugene Hernandez, Sundance Film Festival director and director of public programming. “We share our gratitude with the State of Utah, audiences, staff, volunteers, and everyone who makes the Sundance Film Festival possible.”

“We have such admiration and respect for all of the films in this year’s program, and we want to congratulate everyone who had a hand in creating the works being honored at our Awards Ceremony today,” added Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival director of programming. “Our programming team is so thrilled to have introduced these moving and impactful works to our audiences this Festival, and we look forward to following the journeys of each of these talented artists and their projects.”

The awards ceremony honored the winning projects two days before the conclusion of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where 94 feature-length and episodic works and 57 short films — curated from a total 15,775 submissions — have screened to audiences in Park City, Salt Lake City and online.

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival awards are:

GRAND JURY PRIZES

• The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to “Atropia” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Hailey Gates, Producers: Naima Abed, Emilie Georges, Luca Guadagnino, Lana Kim, Jett Steiger) — When an aspiring actress in a military role-playing facility falls in love with a soldier cast as an insurgent, their unsimulated emotions threaten to derail the performance. Cast: Alia Shawkat, Callum Turner, Chloë Sevigny, Tim Heidecker, Jane Levy. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “For its singular directing, writing, and vision, this timely and timeless first feature was both hilarious and damning in its portrayal of the theater of war. Its biting criticism of American imperialism and boundary-pushing storytelling led all three of the jurors to unanimously award the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic to Atropia’ by Hailey Gates.”

• The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to “Seeds” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Brittany Shyne, Producers: Danielle Varga, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon) — An exploration of Black generational farmers in the American South reveals the fragility of legacy and the significance of owning land. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “It is our great honor to award the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary to a truly special film that evokes and illustrates all that we come to Sundance to discover — a new voice with something powerful, rich, and poignant to say. From its directing, cinematography, and dreamlike immersion, this film takes us deep inside an essentially overlooked pocket of our country, whose residents struggle to hold onto their heritage as their way of life has come under threat. The fact that this is the filmmaker’s feature debut speaks to the arrival of an exciting new talent in documentary. The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary goes to ‘Seeds.’” 

• The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to “Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)” / India, U.K., Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, Producers: Neeraj Churi, Mohamed Khaki, Kaushik Ray, Hareesh Reddypalli, Naren Chandavarkar, Sidharth Meer) — Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the rugged countryside of western India, tenderly bonds with a local farmer struggling to stay unmarried. As the mourning ends, forcing his return, Anand must decide the fate of his relationship born under duress. Cast: Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman, Jayshri Jagtap. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “This is the great modern love story. To say it’s an honor to award this tender film is an understatement. We cried, we laughed, and we wished to be loved in the same way. It is exactly what the world needs right now. This authentic point of view opens the door to an intimate language we all understand. We feel the humming heartbeat of the main character’s inner life, and when it bursts, it wraps us with its sweetness. We award the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic to ‘Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears).’”

• The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to “Cutting Through Rocks (اوزاک یوللار)” / Iran, Germany, U.S.A., Netherlands, Qatar, Chile, Canada (Directors and Producers: Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni) — As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “This beautiful and nuanced portrait shows us a fearless eccentric who confronts male-dominated society when she runs for office in a remote Iranian village. Her determination, warmth, and humor and the way her story is told left us in awe. We are proud to present the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary to ‘Cutting Through Rocks (اوزاک یوللار).’”

NEXT INNOVATOR AWARD PRESENTED BY ADOBE

• The NEXT Innovator Award Presented by Adobe was awarded to “Zodiac Killer Project” / U.S.A., U.K. (Director and Producer: Charlie Shackleton, Producers: Catherine Bray, Anthony Ing) –– Against the backdrop of sunbaked parking lots, deserted courthouses, and empty suburban homes — the familiar spaces of true crime, stripped of all action and spectacle — a filmmaker describes his abandoned Zodiac Killer documentary and probes the inner workings of a genre at saturation point. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “I really loved each of these totally original films, but one truly stood out in its innovation, its structure, its wild pivot from its original inspiration, the brilliant and hilarious 16mm panning and zooming location shots, and its funny and insightful commentary on the very kind of film it was originally meant to be. There is no film like it, and with that, I am thrilled to present the NEXT Innovator Award to ‘Zodiac Killer Project.’”

AUDIENCE AWARDS

• The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura was awarded to “Twinless” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: James Sweeney, Producer: David Permut) — Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance. Cast: Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

• The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura was awarded to “André Is an Idiot” / U.S.A. (Director: Anthony Benna, Producers: André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner) — André, a brilliant idiot, is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity, send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

• The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to “DJ Ahmet” / North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia (Director and Screenwriter: Georgi M. Unkovski, Producers: Ivan Unkovski, Ivana Shekutkoska) — Ahmet, a 15-year-old boy from a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations, a conservative community, and his first experience with love — a girl already promised to someone else. Cast: Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim, Atila Klince. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

• The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to “Prime Minister” / U.S.A. (Directors: Michelle Walshe, Lindsay Utz, Producers: Cass Avery, Leon Kirkbeck, Gigi Pritzker, Rachel Shane, Katie Peck) — A view inside the life of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, capturing her through five tumultuous years in power and beyond as she redefined leadership on the world stage. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

• The Audience Award: NEXT, Presented by Adobe was awarded to “East of Wall” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Kate Beecroft, Producers: Lila Yacoub, Melanie Ramsayer, Shannon Moss) –– After the death of her husband, Tabatha — a young, tattooed, rebellious horse trainer — wrestles with financial insecurity and unresolved grief while providing refuge for a group of wayward teenagers on her broken-down ranch in the Badlands. Cast: Tabatha Zimiga, Porshia Zimiga, Scoot McNairy, Jennifer Ehle. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.

JURY AWARDS FOR DIRECTING, SCREENWRITING, and EDITING

• The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Geeta Gandbhir for “The Perfect Neighbor” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Geeta Gandbhir, Producers: Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne, Sam Bisbee) — A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida’s “stand your ground” laws. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “The Directing Award goes to a filmmaker of remarkably disciplined vision who turns creative constraints into cinematic power ,creating a searing indictment of “stand your ground laws. The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary goes to Geeta Gandbhir for ‘The Perfect Neighbor.’”

• The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Rashad Frett for “Ricky” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Rashad Frett, Screenwriter: Lin Que Ayoung, Producers: Pierre M. Coleman, Simon TaufiQue, Sterling Brim, DC Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Josh Peters, Mark Steele) — Newly released after being locked up in his teens, 30-year-old Ricky navigates the challenging realities of life post-incarceration, and the complexity of gaining independence for the first time as an adult. Cast: Stephan James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Titus Welliver, Maliq Johnson, Imani Lewis, Simbi Kali, Andrene Ward-Hammond. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “For holding the audience’s hand through each of the intimate and compelling moments of a young man navigating the first days out of the byzantine U.S. prison system, we award the Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic to Rashad Frett for ‘Ricky.’”

• The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to Mstyslav Chernov for “2000 Meters to Andriivka” / Ukraine (Director and Producer: Mstyslav Chernov, Producers: Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath) — Amid the failing counteroffensive, a journalist follows a Ukrainian platoon on their mission to traverse one mile of heavily fortified forest and liberate a strategic village from Russian occupation. But the farther they advance through their destroyed homeland, the more they realize that this war may never end. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “For his extraordinarily brave and sensitive film about a single battle in the Russia-Ukraine war, a film with images of shocking and unforgettable beauty and delicate character portraits, the Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary goes to Mstyslav Chernov for’2000 Meters to Andriivka.’”

• The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Alireza Khatami for “The Things You Kill” / Turkey, France, Poland, Canada (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Alireza Khatami, Producers: Elisa Sepulveda Ruddoff, Cyriac Auriol, Mariusz Włodarski, Michael Solomon) — Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, a university professor coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. Cast: Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, Ercan Kesal. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “We could not stop talking about this film. It made us curious and deeply invested in the characters and their rich journey. This effortless, streamlined film does not sacrifice its depth of subject even while dealing with toxic masculinity and the everyday darkness of the soul. This director was masterful in their precision, they were profound yet restrained, and their robust vision pushes us to want more, think more, and do more to be better humans. For this reason we award the Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic to Alireza Khatami for ‘The Things You Kill.’”

• The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Eva Victor for “Sorry, Baby” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Eva Victor, Producers: Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins) — Something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least. Cast: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi, Kelly McCormack. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “For its stunning honesty, moving sense of humor, and an authentic portrait of a young woman living in the aftermath of her sexual assault, we award the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award to Eva Victor for ‘Sorry, Baby.’”

• The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Parker Laramie for “André Is an Idiot” / U.S.A. (Director: Anthony Benna, Producers: André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner) — André, a brilliant idiot, is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity, send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “The nuanced edit of this film allows the audience to see the beauty and humor of our final years. With its larger-than-life protagonist, André is an Idiot allows you to laugh, breathe, and travel through a long and emotional journey with melody, rhythm, and grace. The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary goes to Parker Laramie for ‘André Is an Idiot.’”

SPECIAL JURY AWARDS

• A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting was presented to Dylan O’Brien for “Twinless” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: James Sweeney, Producer: David Permut) — Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance. Cast: Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “For portraying two roles in one fearless performance, coupled with an immersive and seamless character study of a set of twins, we award Dylan O’Brien the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting in ‘Twinless.’”

• A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast was presented to “Plainclothes” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Carmen Emmi, Producers: Colby Cote, Arthur Landon, Eric Podwall, Vanessa Pantley) — A promising undercover officer assigned to lure and arrest gay men defies orders when he falls in love with a target. Cast: Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey, Maria Dizzia, Christian Cooke, Gabe Fazio, Amy Forsyth. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “For their complex performances that stayed with us until the riveting final frames and for painting the delicate tale of a police officer hiding his sexuality in the ’90s, we award the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast to ‘Plainclothes.’”

• A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling was presented to “Selena y Los Dinos” / U.S.A. (Director: Isabel Castro, Producers: Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, J. Daniel Torres, David Blackman, Simran Singh) — Selena Quintanilla — the “Queen of Tejano Music” — and her family band, Selena y Los Dinos, rose from performing at quinceañeras to selling out stadium tours. The celebration of her life and legacy is chronicled through never-before-seen footage from the family’s personal archive. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “This award goes to a film that transported us to a specific time and place, evoking themes of family, heritage, love, and adolescence. The power of the story speaks to the essential nature of the archive — employed in this film to chart the emergence of a once-in-a-generation talent. The winner of the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling goes to ‘Selena y Los Dinos.’”

• A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award was presented to “Life After” / U.S.A. (Director: Reid Davenport, Producer: Colleen Cassingham) — In 1983, a disabled Californian woman named Elizabeth Bouvia sought the “right to die,” igniting a national debate about autonomy, dignity, and the value of disabled lives. After years of courtroom trials, Bouvia disappeared from public view. Disabled director Reid Davenport narrates this investigation of what happened to Bouvia. World Premiere. Available online for Public. 

Jury citation: “This Special Jury Award goes to a film that asks profound, unsettling questions about life and death, individual autonomy vs public policy, and what defines — and who determines — the quality of an individual life. The filmmaker’s unflinching approach forces us to examine our assumptions about a person’s right to die… and live. The U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award goes to ‘Life After.’”

• A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was presented to Georgi M. Unkovski for “DJ Ahmet” / North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia (Director and Screenwriter: Georgi M. Unkovski, Producers: Ivan Unkovski, Ivana Shekutkoska) — Ahmet, a 15-year-old boy from a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia, finds refuge in music while navigating his father’s expectations, a conservative community, and his first experience with love — a girl already promised to someone else. Cast: Arif Jakup, Agush Agushev, Dora Akan Zlatanova, Aksel Mehmet, Selpin Kerim, Atila Klince. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “World cinema gives us access to a depth of emotion, diversity of characters, and meaningful journeys that are not limited by borders. Our guiding principle was hope and light, and the films in this section have a strong sense of courage and vulnerability. We found all this and more in this film’s progressive characters and distinct tone. For this reason we have chosen to award the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision to Georgi M. Unkovski for ‘DJ Ahmet.’”

• A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Writing was presented to “Two Women” / Canada (Director: Chloé Robichaud, Screenwriter and Producer: Catherine Léger, Producer: Martin Paul-Hus) — Violette is having a difficult maternity leave. Florence is dealing with depression. Despite their careers and families, they feel like failures. Florence’s first infidelity is a revelation. When having fun is far down the list of priorities, sleeping with a delivery guy could be revolutionary. Cast: Karine Gonthier-Hyndman, Laurence Leboeuf, Félix Moati, Mani Soleymanlou, Sophie Nelisse, Juliette Gariépy. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “For its courageous exploration of female desire, its joyful and comedic tone, and its fearless, complex characters with awakened sexuality — this film exudes freshness, rhythmic editing, and impossible wit. We award the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Writing to Chloé Robichaud and Catherine Léger for ‘Two Women.’”

• A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award was presented to “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” / Denmark, Czech Republic (Director and Screenwriter: David Borenstein, Producer: Helle Faber) — As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, primary schools across Russia’s hinterlands are transformed into recruitment stages for the war. Facing the ethical dilemma of working in a system defined by propaganda and violence, a brave teacher goes undercover to film what’s really happening in his own school. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “For the courageous act of documenting the insidious origins of propaganda in Russian schools and for showing us how easy it is to use misinformation to manipulate, the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award goes to ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin.’”

• A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression was presented to “Coexistence, My Ass!” / U.S.A., France (Director and Producer: Amber Fares, Screenwriter and Producer: Rachel Leah Jones, Screenwriter: Rabab Haj Yahya, Producer: Valérie Montmartin) –– Comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi creates a personal and political one-woman show about the struggle for equality in Israel/Palestine. When the elusive coexistence she’s spent her life working toward starts sounding like a bad joke, she challenges her audiences with hard truths that are no laughing matter. World Premiere. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “For showing us how to have a challenging conversation with humor and humanity and for having the courage to say things others cannot, the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression goes to ‘Coexistence, My Ass!’” 

• A NEXT Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast was presented to “Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Joel Alfonso Vargas, Producer: Paolo Maria Pedullà) –– Rico’s summer is a mix of chasing girls and hustling homemade cocktails out of a cooler on Orchard Beach, the Bronx. But when Destiny, his teenage girlfriend, crashes at his place with his family, it’s only a matter of time before his carefree days come spiraling down. Cast: Juan Collado, Destiny Checo, Yohanna Florentino, Nathaly Navarro. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for Public.

Jury citation: “I’d like to acknowledge a film with characters that really drew me in, who are filled with heart and fire: a hopeless central character who can’t seem to get his shit together, a young teen who embraces an unexpected pregnancy, a sister who can’t deal with her brother’s idiocy, and a mother who fiercely loves her family. These actors brought the reality, comedy, and love of these characters to delightful, vibrant life, so it’s my pleasure to bestow the NEXT Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast to ‘Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo).’”

All feature award-winning films are available online nationwide now through Feb. 2. Select award-winning films will screen in person for ticketholders and passholders.  Tickets can be purchased at festival.sundance.org/tickets.

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The Sundance Institute has announced the lineup for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival’s annual Beyond Film programming, a series of talks and events.

The festival will take place from Jan. 23–Feb. 2, 2025, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles available online from Jan. 30–Feb. 2, 2025 for audiences across the country to discover bold independent storytelling.

Single Film Tickets go on sale next week on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. mountain time. Visit the Sundance Film Festival site for more information: festival.sundance.org.

Beyond Film serves as a community hub for attendees, offering artist discussions, conversations with filmmakers and experts from various disciplines and opportunities for audience engagement. 

The Beyond Film series will feature talks within the program strands of Power of Story, Cinema Café presented by Audible, Film Church and The Big Conversation. All Beyond Film activities are free to the public with the exception of Power of Story, which is a paid ticket.

The talks will take place in person from Jan. 24–31, 2025, with most of the Beyond Film offerings available to audiences online the day following the in-person event on festival.sundance.org throughout the Festival.

“We are thrilled to announce the Beyond Film lineup for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival,” said Kim Yutani, Director of Programming. “The conversations at these events further amplify the ways in which our audiences can engage with the themes and ideas within this year’s Festival Program. We look forward to featuring the inspiring voices of filmmakers, artists and politicians to connect even more with audiences.”

Beyond Film will feature conversations from various participants, including artists from films screening in the 2025 Festival, such as Mstyslav Chernov (Director, 2000 Meters to Andriivka), Chloë Sevigny (Actor, Atropia and Magic Farm), Olivia Colman (Actor, Jimpa), Steven Yeun (Actor/Producer, Bubble & Squeak), Jacinda Ardern (former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Subject, Prime Minister), Marlee Matlin (Subject, Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore), Eva Victor (Writer-director-actor, Sorry, Baby), Katarina Zhu (Writer-director-actor, Bunnylovr), Rashad Frett (Writer-director, Ricky), Théodore Pellerin (Actor, Lurker), Gregory Nava (Writer-director, El Norte), Isabel Castro (Director, Selena y Los Dinos) and Cristina Costantini (Director, SALLY).

This year’s programming will include a live podcast recording of Visitations with hosts Elijah Wood (Producer, Rabbit Trap) and Daniel Noah (Producer, Rabbit Trap). There will also be conversations featuring panelists Celine Song (Writer-director, Past Lives), Nicole Perlman (Writer, Guardians of the Galaxy) and Daniel Kaluuya (Actor, Judas and the Black Messiah). See the schedule below for the full lineup.

“Beyond Film programming is a dynamic and inspiring part of the Sundance Film Festival experience, designed to spark what can only be described as collective effervescence,” said Ania Trzebiatowska, Beyond Film Program Curator. “We invite our audiences to step beyond the screens — whether attending in person or joining from home — and to connect deeply with artists and their stories.”

For admission to Cinema Café and The Big Conversation events, arrive at least 30 minutes early, as seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon arrival, present your Festival ID QR code on your mobile device for entry. You can access your Festival ID by logging in to your free Festival account and going to “My Schedule.” (Important: Festival tickets and Festival IDs serve different functions. Both can be retrieved as QR codes using the mobile app.) Note: Power of Story is a paid ticketed event so will require a digital ticket for entry. For more on how to access online Beyond Film offerings, visit the How to Fest page on our website.

BEYOND FILM LINEUP

POWER OF STORY

The Sundance Film Festival’s Power of Story conversation looks to deepen public engagement with the art of storytelling, delve into cinema culture and celebrate artists whose work propels and reinvents the form as we know it. By contemplating the future of storytelling, we explore how revolutionary narrative experiences will reshape culture through artistic discovery, emerging media and the reassertion of independence in filmmaking.

• Power of Story: On Success

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 3–4:30 p.m.

Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St, Park City, UT

This year, the Power of Story conversation will convene a group of artists, thinkers and culture makers to talk about the meaning of success. We’ll examine what success truly means, how it’s shaped by socioeconomic and political factors and how these influences affect the ways we measure, appreciate and define success. By addressing the roles of privilege, opportunity and systemic barriers, we aim to foster an honest, critical and inclusive dialogue about success and its complexities.

Featuring: Mstyslav Chernov (2000 Meters to Andriivka), Celine Song (Past Lives), Chloë Sevigny (Atropia, Magic Farm)and Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

Moderated by Stacey Wilson Hunt (Contributing Editor, The Hollywood Reporter)

CINEMA CAFÉ presented by Audible

• Friday Jan. 24–Friday, Jan. 31, 2025

Filmmaker Lodge, 550 Main St, Park City, UT

The doors are open again at Cinema Café, where the culture of conversation is reinvigorated. Our series of informal chats brings together special guests for thought-provoking encounters and fascinating dialogue. Previous Cinema Café guests have included Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Tessa Thompson, Jane Campion, Eugenio Derbez, Lena Dunham, Norman Lear, Kumail Nanjiani, Zazie Beetz, Saoirse Ronan, Spike Lee, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Radha Blank, Ira Glass, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bassem Youssef, Charlie Kaufman, Ice-T, Nick Hornby, Winston Duke, Samantha Power, Steve Coogan, Roger Corman, D. Smith and many others.

• Cinema Café: Olivia Colman (Jimpa) and Steven Yeun (Bubble & Squeak)

Moderated by Kim Yutani (Director of Programming, Sundance Film Festival)

Friday, Jan. 24, 11–11:45 a.m.

• Cinema Café: Jacinda Ardern (former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Subject, Prime Minister) and Marlee Matlin (Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore) 

Saturday, Jan. 25, 11 a.m.–noon

Moderated by Sudeep Sharma (Programmer, Sundance Film Festival)

• Cinema Café: Fresh Faces

Tuesday, Jan. 28, noon–1 p.m.

Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby), Katarina Zhu (Bunnylovr), Rashad Frett (Ricky)and Théodore Pellerin (Lurker)

Moderated by Ash Hoyle (Programmer, Sundance Film Festival)

• Cinema Café: Gregory Nava (El Norte) and Isabel Castro (Selena y Los Dinos)

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m.–noon

Moderated by Stephanie Owens (Programmer, Sundance Film Festival)

• Cinema Café: Visitations Live Podcast with Elijah Wood (Producer, Rabbit Trap) and Daniel Noah (Producer, Rabbit Trap)

Thursday, Jan. 30, 11 a.m.–noon

Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah of indie production company SpectreVision will host a live taping of their podcast Visitations.

THE BIG CONVERSATION

The Big Conversation tackles science, art, culture and the movements that are fueling today’s independent artists. A compelling selection of speakers discuss topics centered on the themes of this year’s program and explore broader trends in art and culture. In considering how artists make meaning of the world, we’re reminded how the big conversations connect us to the big ideas.

• The Big Conversation: Breaking Barriers

Monday, Jan. 27, 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Filmmaker Lodge, 550 Main St, Park City

Featuring: Cristina Costantini (SALLY) and Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy)

Pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and capability has never been a frictionless endeavor. Whether barriers are scientific or technological, or whether they’re exemplified by broader cultural and social challenges faced by scientists, engineers and mathematicians, they are united in being the dramatic engine of many fascinating, complex narratives in film and television — including this year’s SALLY. In this talk, storytellers and scientists delve into the art and science of breaking barriers. 

Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

FILM CHURCH

• Friday, Jan. 31, 2–3:30 p.m.

Filmmaker Lodge, 550 Main St, Park City

Hosted by Eugene Hernandez and Kim Yutani

What could be more divine than 11 days of film watching? Finish off your Sundance Film Festival experience by sharing a near-spiritual occasion with a group of film lovers. Join us as we wrap up with a variety of special guests, including filmmakers who took home awards that morning. All will be forgiven.

PARTNER EVENTS

The Sundance Film Festival’s official partner events give audiences the opportunity to hear from experts from around the world as they discuss a variety of topics. Events are hosted and produced by members of our partner community. Each of these partner organizations helped make this year’s Festival possible.

To explore this year’s partner events, visit festival.sundance.org/program/partner-events.

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The documentary “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” directed by Eugene Jarecki, has withdrawn from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival as the film will not be complete in time. The film was playing as a special screening in the program announced on December 11, 2025.

The Six Billion Dollar Man / U.S.A. (Director: Eugene Jarecki, Producer: Kathleen Fournier) — Julian Assange faced a possible 175 years in prison for exposing U.S. war crimes until events took a turn in this landmark case. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for Public.

Statement from director Eugene Jarecki:

“The truth is, significant recent and unexpected developments have emerged at the heart of the story which, if not incorporated in the version for Sundance, would not represent a finished film. Sundance has shaped my career and been a cornerstone of my journey—only something of this magnitude could make me withdraw.”

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